Steam cleaners

[Lurksalot]

SWMBO has spent a small fortune on a poxy hand held/ extendable type steam cleaner thing that seems a bit naff to me , I personally think the mop arrangement will burst the laminated floor joints , and the steam jet on the hand held bit seems quite powerful it doesn't shift marks any better than a good scrub.

Does anyone have any experience of such tools , or can reco the best way of using them to get value out of them , or if generally speaking they are a waste of money .  

[bobsy]

I've fitted  laminated flooring for people, cheaper stuff and pretty good stuff. Personally, I'd say your right, unless it's heavy use / commercial grade it's not going to do it a lot of favours. I guess you'd get away with it a few times if you were carefull.

 The cleaners do work, we have one somewhere, but that's the other issue, they tend to finish up in the back of the garage along with the juicer, salad spinner, fizz wizz, sound familiar  

  Set up as the fine jet it'c clean engine bits, and various other Westfield parts so it's not all bad.

[Vinny's Westie]

Reminds me of 'Not the 9 o'clock News' when they did a sketch showing the kitchen implements being sold with the plugs already removed!  

[Dibby]

Waste of money IMO, borrowed my parents hndheld steam cleaner after moving into a house that hadn't been cleaned in 15 years to do the tile grout and round the taps. It didn't shift much and a toothbrush and neat bleach was much better.

It was pretty good at getting the grease off the oven hood. Save a bit of elbow grease there

[westy turbo]

Wouldnt be handy to clean the seat belts?

[SootySport]

I wouldn't be using any kind of steam cleaner on a laminated floor, you're right, the water will get into the wood chip base beneath, not good.   We use no more than a damp mop to clean laminated floors, you don't need anything extreme.  Use it to clean your engine and wheels instead.

[Lurksalot]

Cheers all , I suspect it will end up in the special corner with the cycle machine, step machine ,paint pod, Vax and candy floss maker