What is a steam mop and is it worth buying one?

How does a steam mop work?

A steam mop treats the surface with hot steam. It comes out through holes in the sole. To ensure a sufficient volume of steam, the device has a water tank and a heating element that converts this water into steam. This device operates from the mains. Turning on the steam mop activates the heating of the water until it boils and steam appears. It accumulates, creating some pressure, and is released through the steam brush.

Processing (cleaning) using hot steam has a number of advantages; a steam mop:

• removes old, persistent stains;
• copes with different types of pollution;
• kills microorganisms, including dust mites (the strongest allergen);
• removes unpleasant odors;
• disinfects surfaces;
• refreshes appearance, color, moisturizes.

How to use a steam mop

Cleaning and cleaning the apartment turns into a completely safe and environmentally friendly process.

1. Vacuum the floor before washing;
2. Fill the tank with distilled water and turn on the power;
3. Wait until steam begins to be produced; during this time, you should not leave the mop unattended;
4. To add water or change the socket, you need to turn off the device, wait for it to cool, carry out the necessary manipulations and turn it on again. See point 3;
5. After finishing cleaning, drain the water.

Design Features

A steam mop takes simple cleaning to the next level. Equipped with the technical ability to clean with steam, it tackles the toughest problems faster and easier. For many situations, a steam mop is the best solution.

1. The device is quite lightweight, weighing about 3 kilograms, which makes it easy to move around the apartment.
2. Powered by electricity, but consumes only 5 kW/hour.
3. Equipped with a handle, depending on the model, it can be adjusted in height or be solid.
4. The set includes several attachments designed for different surfaces.
5. Some models are equipped with a steam power and intensity regulator, which allows you to wash the most difficult stains without using any chemicals.
6. In the latest models, the steam generator can be disconnected from the mop itself and can be used to disinfect household appliances (for example, a stove, microwave oven) or the interior of the car.

Steam mop H2O 5in1

Read the review of the H2O Mop X5 steam mop.

How to use a steam mop

The functionality of a steam mop is similar to that of several devices, including a steam cleaner. Using this device is not difficult, although it has its own specifics. In general, this is how you should work with a mop.

1. The reservoir, which is usually located on the handle, must be filled with water. In most models, you can use any water, including tap water.
2. Connect the device to the network. Typically, the wire allows cleaning over a large area, its length is up to 9 m.
3. In a few minutes, the water boils and the mop is ready for use: steam begins to flow from the brush.

The steam from the working nozzle comes out hot, about 100 degrees, and under pressure. The impact of such factors leads to the disappearance of bacterial contaminants and microorganisms. The mop creates a hygienically safe, clean space.

Attention: not all surfaces can be washed with hot steam. Laminate flooring may swell if it is not designed for wet cleaning. Even a good laminate should have joints sealed. Parquet boards also do not like hot steam. You can treat parquet with such a mop only in case of emergency.

Read more: can you wash laminate flooring with a steam mop?

Steam mops can be used for other purposes than their intended purpose. Many models support additional options.

1. Vertical steaming of clothes. Suitable for delicate fabrics, silk, natural thin fabrics, as well as clothes with a complex cut that are inconvenient to iron on a board. Attention: the steam mop is not suitable for steaming synthetics and heavy fabrics.
2. Sterilization of various objects and surfaces. You can use a mop to “walk” through the toy box and not be afraid that the child will put them in his mouth. Hot steam kills all pathogenic bacteria.
3. Washing windows, mirrors and tiles. Steam removes dirt well, including in corners and tile seams. All that remains is to wipe the surface dry to remove any stains.

Advantages of the invention

Having learned what a steam mop is, you need to familiarize yourself with its advantages.

1. The device has wide functionality and additional capabilities.
2. It is convenient to use, as the rotating head allows you to clean even the most difficult to reach places.
3. There is no need to use chemicals when cleaning, which makes it environmentally friendly. Plus, you can save on purchasing detergents.
4. Due to the fact that the steam temperature reaches 100 degrees, the surface is disinfected.
5. Excellent for cleaning plastic windows.

Steam mop kit

Advantages and disadvantages of a steam mop

The advantage of cleaning your home with a steam mop is the absence of chemicals that are harmful to children and allergy sufferers. In addition, hot steam has been proven to destroy more germs, fungal spores and mold than traditional washing. Despite the fact that cleaning products are not used for this type of cleaning, housewives note perfect cleanliness even in hard-to-reach corners.

In addition, the absence of the need to bend over while working, as in the process of traditional cleaning, relieves women from fatigue and lower back pain.

In addition to the listed advantages, the following advantages of steam mops should be noted:

• multifunctionality of application;
• mobility;
• possibility of cleaning in hard-to-reach places;
• environmental friendliness and safety;
• high quality cleaning;
• cost-effectiveness (due to the absence of the need to purchase cleaning products).

The biggest drawback of quality steam mops is their price.
Unfortunately, there is no device that has the same advantages. Even such a highly advertised and convenient device has its drawbacks. Common disadvantages of various models include:

• unreliability of the plastic case;
• small water tank;
• limited number of steam modes;
• high cost of goods from reliable brands;
• sudden changes in steam temperature;
• poor cleaning of spilled liquids;
• lack of a self-cleaning system in some models.

These disadvantages by no means apply to all models; here are the disadvantages of individual brands found on the Russian market.

Disadvantages of Steam Mops

Unfortunately, high expectations do not come out of thin air. Advertisers are to blame for this, they greatly overpraised the device, introducing unrealistic parameters into the minds of buyers. Of course, no one likes serious discrepancies between expectations and reality.

1. Advertising campaigns talked about the device’s amazing ability to collect liquid. And that's a lie. Of course, the nozzle can absorb some amount of moisture, but very little, since the device simply has nowhere to put the accumulated liquid. This option is not provided.
2. The second exaggeration is the device’s ability to collect all the dirt. But what is a mop compared to a vacuum cleaner? It may remove some dust or debris, but there will still be debris that gathers around it or hides in a corner. Really high-quality cleaning is only possible if you first sweep away large dirt or vacuum the floor.
3. And the third misconception that buyers were misled into is the ability of the mop to remove any stains. Of course, if you spill juice or milk on the carpet, it will do the job. But stains from paint or brilliant green will be difficult to wipe off unless you use cleaning products.
4. And the last thing that buyers were dissatisfied with was the unreliability of the design. True, this does not apply to branded models; we are talking about fakes, with which the market is teeming.

If you decide to purchase a steam mop, then choose a model from a trusted manufacturer. It costs more, but will also last you longer.

The best steam mops

As a result of analyzing the characteristics of devices and reviews from real users, a selection of the best models was compiled that you can focus on when choosing a mop for your home.

Kitfort KT-1010

This is a combined device that combines the functions of a steam mop and an electric broom. The nozzle has a complex design that combines a turbo brush and a nozzle for wet cleaning. The brush has a rotating shaft with long bristles arranged in a spiral. It perfectly collects not only simple garbage, but also pet fur and hair. The mop comes with a frame attachment for cleaning carpets and a glass with a spout for easy filling of the reservoir.

Water container 0.35 l. This is enough to clean a small apartment or studio. The water quality can be any, because... There are built-in filters. The power of the mop is good - 1.3 kW. Preparing the device for operation takes 0.5 minutes.

The mop is light and comfortable. The 5 m cord allows you to clean the room without changing the connection point. Kitfort KT-1010 allows you to clean in one pass, without first sweeping up the debris. It is suitable for use with most floor coverings.

Endever Odyssey Q 604

This mop is intended only for wet cleaning of surfaces suitable for this type of care. It washes, disinfects and refreshes linoleum, parquet, tiles and other hard surfaces. The mop head is triangular in shape and rotates around the attachment point, so there are no inaccessible places or corners where it cannot reach.

The water container holds 0.55 liters, and a 0.9 W heating element heats this volume of liquid in 1 minute. One fill of the mop with water is enough to thoroughly clean the house.

For economy, as well as ease of use, the steam supply can be stopped if you need to stop for a while. The mop is inexpensive, almost the same as a simple non-electric model, and the quality and speed of cleaning is incomparably better.

Tefal VP6555RH

This is a powerful mop (1.2 kW) with a large water tank and a 7 m cord. The tank volume is 0.6 liters. All this allows you to quickly and efficiently clean a large apartment without refueling or changing the power point. Tefal VP6555RH is ready for use 30 seconds after switching on. Water can be taken from the tap, because... There is a protection system against water hardness.

Unlike budget models, the Tefal VP6555RH has the ability to select steam power, which allows it to be used for cleaning any surfaces, including “delicate” ones. The minimum steam pressure is suitable even for laminate, and under high pressure you can clean even old plaque from tiles.

The Best Cheap Steam Mops

Budget mops may have reduced power or simply fewer attachments and additional features. However, they do a good job of cleaning the house every day, and their low price makes them accessible to everyone.

H2O Mop X12

In addition to its main purpose - cleaning floors with steam, this mop can clean almost the entire house. The set includes 10 main and a couple of additional attachments, with which you can wash windows and mirrors, clean furniture and soft toys, clean radiators and blinds, kitchen and sanitary appliances, and at the same time steam curtains and clothes.

For efficient and safe processing of various surfaces, the device has 4 operating modes. Low and medium steam intensity is suitable for cleaning furniture, appliances, and knitwear. And the maximum with a hot jet mode is for disinfecting the floor and removing particularly stubborn stains.

The device is equipped with a relatively spacious tank of 0.45 liters and has a good power of 1250 kW.

Advantages:

• Collapsible design;
• Lots of attachments;
• Steam intensity adjustment;
• High power;
• Capacious water tank.

Flaws:

• No turbo brush.

The Mop X12 steam cleaner from H2O is a universal device with which you can clean your entire apartment in an hour, and then put your clothes in order.

Kitfort KT-1010

The model combines two devices at once: a steam mop and an electric broom. It is equipped with a rotating turbo brush that picks up fur, hair, sand and small debris. The brush can be used either separately or in combination with a steam generator. The set also includes a frame for steaming and disinfecting carpets.

The mop has a 350 ml tank, which is enough to clean 1-2 medium-sized rooms. The kit includes a measuring cup for easy refilling, and a built-in filter makes it possible to use tap water. A power of 1.3 kW allows the device to heat up in just 30 seconds. And you can wrap a 5-meter cord around the hook on the body and compactly store the steam mop in any corner of the house.

Advantages:

• Electric broom function with turbo brush;
• Carpet frame;
• Long cord;
• Fast heating;
• Water filter.

Flaws:

• There are no attachments for upholstered furniture.

The KT-1010 mop from Kitfort is suitable for cleaning any floor coverings, including carpet, tiles and parquet.

Xiaomi Deerma Sterilization Steam Mop

The device is lightweight and conveniently designed so that all family members can use it. The kit includes both a standard nozzle for cleaning smooth floors and an additional one for treating carpeted surfaces. The napkins used in the set perfectly absorb dirt and are easy to wash.