Looking for a convenient way to keep your floors clean? Discovering how to use a steam mop will make daily cleaning quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. As goes with all household tools, how you use them can make all the difference to achieving a spotless finish. Whether you’re cleaning the kitchen tiles or mopping over your vinyl floors, there’s a certain way to do things.
So why not use a traditional mop? While your average mop will wash away any spills and stains, steam mops work to break down bacteria too. Best for young families, pet owners or allergy-sufferers, they’ll remove dirt and germs for a real deep clean. And that doesn't mean it takes any extra effort either.
To help you get the most of your mop, we’ve spoken to experts in home cleaning from the likes of Bissell and Vileda, for their tips and tricks on how to use one. Together with your best steam mop, we'll help you fast track your way to gleaming floors.
How often should you use a steam mop?
Eliana Lewis, Brand Coordinator for Bissell, recommends "A weekly deep clean is fine for most homes, but if you have children crawling or pets running in and out you may choose to do it more frequently as steam kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria, without needing any chemicals."
Steam cleaning your floors should be part of your regular cleaning routine, whether that’s a once a week job or an every few days ordeal. That being said, if you have a larger household, steam cleaning more often or during busier times of the year may be necessary.
Since steam mops are more effective at beating bacteria than your usual mop, they're a great option for targeting dirty areas near entryways or in lieu of deep scrubs. They're also quick to refill and run, so you can easily give your floors a once–over should accidents strike or as part of a daily speed clean.
What floors can you clean with a steam mop?
Steam mops are generally okay to use on any type of tiled, ceramic or vinyl flooring, with some being safe to use on hardwood or laminate floors. As Eliana states "If hard-floors have been properly sealed, then steam is generally safe to use on them, but be careful on wooden floors or flooring with cracks or crevices as excess moisture can get in and cause issues with frequent use."
Some steam mops are also appropriate for steaming carpets and upholstery, though this isn't a regular feature of most. For example, "the Vileda steam mop comes with a carpet glider, so can even be used to refresh carpets and rugs." says Clare Bolland, Marketing Manager at Vileda. However, as a general rule, we’d recommend checking the manufacturer's instruction manual to be on the safe side.
How to use a steam mop
While it may seem pretty self-explanatory, using a steam mop is a little more elaborate than a swift back-and-forth motion across the floor. And there are tricks to getting the best results:
Step 1
Firstly, it’s all about the preparation. Steam mops work best if the surface you’re cleaning is free from crumbs or debris. Clare Bolland states "give your floor a quick sweep before you start."
Step 2
Then, simply fill up the water tank to the indicated fill line and cover. As a top tip, Clare advises to make sure you’re covering the head with a clean microfibre mop pad This is so "you’re not spreading any unwanted dirt around your floor. You can then wash these mop pads to reuse time and time again."
Step 3
Next, plug it in, switch it on and wait for it to heat.
Step 4
Now, mop. Clare advises that "you begin in one part of the room and work your way towards the door or where you plan to finish, moving your mop swiftly across the floor and keeping it moving to avoid overheating in one spot."
Step 5:
Once finished, turn your mop off and leave it to cool down in a moisture-safe place. You’ll need to wait for your floors to dry before seeing the results, so in the meantime, try not to walk over any areas you’ve just cleaned.
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