Contemporary Cleaning Methods
Although conventional joint families have gone to small nuclear units, the need for cleaning and maintaining the households sanitized is still there. In the past and still, in some homes, the cleaning of floors and walls is done by the old methods of using a broom; a vacuum cleaner; a soaked cloth; and detergent. Although these methods have worked well, they include some disadvantages: like using a broom needs a much effort; using detergent may cause some health issues due to the chemicals involved. So, some contemporary methods for cleaning have been introduced in the market that includes Steam mops. In this article, we will discuss the working, types, advantages, and disadvantages of a Steam mop.
A Steam Mop
A Steam mop is a cleaning tool that uses Steam to clean the surfaces which reduce the risk of health issues created because of using detergents. The steam mops are of different types based on the production technique of steam, size, and uses. Some of the types of Steam cleaner are discussed below.
The basic working of a Steam Mop
Every Steam mop consists of a water tank that is heated up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit using a battery or a power supply to generate steam which is then used to suck up the dirt and clean the surface by passing it to a mop fixed at the bottom. Although the steam mop is used for the best cleaning results, some preparation of the floors is recommended to avoid over-accumulation of dirt in the mop head. The operation process will comprise filling water in the reservoir followed by powering up the cord or battery and using the mop consistently on the floor. Keeping the mop idle should be avoided.
Types of Steam Cleaners
• Handheld steam cleaners
• Steam Mops – Corded Steam Mop and Cordless Steam Mop
Handheld Steam Cleaners
As the name suggests, these are small steam cleaners used to clean the small and limited surfaces such as burner surface after usage, small places where vacuum cleaning is not possible. These cannot be used for cleaning floors or any other similar large surfaces since the capacity is low to clean such large surfaces.
Steam Cleaners for Bed Bugs
Did you know that heat is one of the most effective ways to fight bed bugs? These insects and their eggs cannot survive when the temperature crosses a certain threshold. So, in severe bed bug infestation cases, use steam cleaners for bed bugs as a DIY alternative to calling pest control company.
Steam Mops
Corded Steam Mop
A corded steam mop consists of a long cord that can be connected to a power socket to gain the power to be used to heat the boiler for the steam generation. The main advantage of using steam is that besides removing the dirt it also kills 99% of bacteria from the floor. The normal length of the cord will be between 20 to 25 feet. 1000 to 1600 watts of power will be needed for the water heater.
Cordless Steam Mop
A cordless steam cleaner is a steam mop that works on the power supplied by a battery fixed on to the mop itself. These mops won’t have the cord which is used to connect to the main power supply. However, the battery power will be available to clean for approximately 15 to 20 minutes sufficient enough to clean large floors without recharging. It can be used to clean the vertical surfaces and floors effortlessly.
Preparation to be done before using a Steam Mop
Before using a steam mop on the floor, some preparation methods should be carried on to ensure the accumulation of excess dirt on the mop is restricted. Some of the preparation methods are given below.
• Vacuum or sweep the floor – In order to remove large debris and dirt from the surface before placing the steam mop on it, a vacuum cleaner or a broomstick can be used before.
• Not for soiled surfaces – Surfaces with a high amount of soil will be disturbed while passing hot steam on them.
• Only on sealed floors – The application of a steam mop will be efficient on a sealed floor made of tiles, marbles and ceramic. A consultation with the manufacturer of the flooring material can be helpful.
• Dangerous with wooden floors – The usage of steam mops will be dangerous on wooden floors since wood doesn’t react well with water or steam.
• Alternate pads will be helpful – Having the possibility of getting the mop full of dirt within a few minutes, using extra mop pads will help cleaning large surfaces.
Advantages of a Steam Mop
• The price is cheap for the advantages we get
• Best to clean large floors at ease
• Easy to use and can be used even when we are sick
• Not harmful to health since no chemical or detergent is involved
Disadvantages of a Steam Mop
• We can’t use a steam mop at small and unreachable corners
• Can’t use without cleaning or preparing the floor beforehand
• Can’t be used for more than 30 minutes if battery capacity is limited
• Will be suitable only for sealed floors
• Can’t be used on wooden floors efficiently
