Steam Cleaner - is it worth getting one?

Hollysan

Hello Oldstylers,

I have lurking around for over a year now, but have never got the urge to post before. First time for everything....

I am thinking about buying a steam cleaner. We live in an old cottage which we have gutted and done up over the last few years. We have lots of different floor surfaces - tiles, slate, wood, laminate (in the playroom!) and carpets, plus curtains. We have a shower room/WC and a bathroom, and live in a hard water area. I don't like using chemicals when I can do without, so I was thinking about a steam cleaner. It would save on the dry cleaning, and we could refresh our well-trodden carpets regularly instead of getting the guy in every year or so.

The thing is, there is such a difference in the prices, and I am not sure what would suit. What would be value for money? I have seen one in Lakeland catalogue for £160 and one in Lidl for £70ish - such a huge difference.

I would trust your judgement out there in Old Style land much more than anything the stores will tell me. So, if you have a moment, please respond to this post.

Aren't these smilies distracting?

Nearly forgot - what does LOL mean? I am dying to know!

Hollysan

Churchmouse

LOL stands for laugh/laughing out loud.

Re steam cleaners. I have a karcher one about £80 - £90 very cheap off internet site. I like it but it's not as easy as the TV ad for the polti one makes out!

I don't use it much for carpets, 'cos I've got the vax for those, but do like it for hard floors. Having said that it's not suitable for all surfaces so do your research first.

Thistle-down

I have the Morphy Richards 70515 Grimebuster 2200 watts and it is really fantastic. It has high pressure and does a really good job on windows, floors, bathrooms, etc. i haven't actually tried it on carpet as we have an old Vax, but I have used it on dh's suede coat after he has been to the pub and it smells of smoke - it got the smell out really well.

I am very happy with it - the RRP is £199 but I got it for £99 at the Electrical Coop. I bought it because it was the Which? best buy. I think they are out of stock at the moment at the Coop but worth shopping around.

~Lynn;)

Kazonline

I've also got the morpy richards grimebuster as after reading a LOT of reviews it came out quite good. Personally I don't find steamers very 'effficient' at cleaning carpets. If all you're after is a 'refresh' then great - but in my home they are well trodden and I have to use the 'jet' to clean them which takes forever!!! That said it does a great job on the kitchen
HTH
Kaz x

cattie

I too have the Morphy Richards Grimebuster & have recommended it before on this site.

I've had mine for about 4yrs now & am very happy with it. I also have the attachment that turns it into a steam generator type iron, but don't use that much now as I've virtually given up ironing.:rotfl:

I have light coloured carpets in my house on the stairs & bedrooms & it brings them up very well when they start to look a little grubby. It's good on laminate & ceramic tile flooring too.

I saw the one I think you're talking about in the Lidl leaflet & should think that would be ok, but if you can get the Morphy Richards you know you'll be able to get hold of extra accessories such as the iron, window cleaner, wallpaper stripper, & any spare brushes etc that you may need at some future point.

Kazonline

Cattie - any tips on using it to clean the carpets? I tried using the floor attatchement with a cloth and it didn't seem to achieve anything. The only thing that seems to work is when I get down real close and work on 1cm squares with the jet nozzle. In 3 sessions I managed to do just over a 1m square!!!

Churchmouse

Kazonline wrote:

Cattie - any tips on using it to clean the carpets? I tried using the floor attatchement with a cloth and it didn't seem to achieve anything. The only thing that seems to work is when I get down real close and work on 1cm squares with the jet nozzle. In 3 sessions I managed to do just over a 1m square!!!

Hope you've got dollhouse size rooms!

cattie

Kaz I use old flannels on my brush head & if there are stubborn marks I take the brush head off & give them a blast with just the nozzle, ,then back on with the brush head again. Also sometimes what I do with the stairs is use the brush head with no cloth on first as I think the bristles are able to work into the pile of the carpet better this way & loosen any grime, then when you go over it again with the cloth you get a decent result.


Having looked at your signature I have to say that unlike you I don't have any mucky children to contend with now, there's just me & the cat & we always wear slippers in the house. :rotfl: My carpets obviously don't take the beating yours must.

Children are lovely, but my, they can be mucky little blighters.:p

susank

I have a polti - my daughter left it behind when she went to Ireland - Its great but what I like best is the iron attachment I bought and so use a steam generator to do my ironing all the time = could not go back to a normal iron now.

glenstan

i live in an area reknowned for hard water , I owned a polti , used it to clean carpets with the cloth provided , found it great after the 3 time of use the first 2 times loosened dirt and brought to surface the 3rd time it cleaned beautifully , but then machine furred up. Sent polti back, then got rid of carpets, went to laminates. Moral of the story---- know hard water and long life of polti do not mix.