Steam mops will always be a preference for most homeowners, especially people with kids and pets. The steam mop comes with multiple benefits that you can enjoy when using them.
Other than aiding to eliminate the stubborn stains and dirt from the floors, the steam mops also help to disinfect the floors.
The steam mops are the most versatile cleaning mops that can clean a wide range of floorings like tiles, laminated floors, carpets, and others are ideal for upholstery cleaning needs as well.
The steam mop only requires regular cleaning solutions and water to clean up the floors. So, is a steam mop worth considering buying for home cleaning, well, the answer is yes! Below is more information regarding the benefits of steam mop and using tips.
Who Needs a Steam Mop Most?
The steam mop is an essential accessory that anybody can own so far your floor type supports a steam cleaner, but steam mops are more critical to some sets of people than others. Steam mops are needed most by families with children, pets, and large rooms.
A steam mop is needed most by the people with kids because of the cleaning mechanism of a steam mop.
Steam mops use microfiber pads that attract dirt faster, and it is best to raise kids in a house with a low bacteria presence. Steam mops use the steam from the mop to kill germs on the surface.
It is also essential for people with pets because pets bring in dirt when they go out.
The hairs on the animals can fall at any place, and steam mops are the best to clean these types of dirt because even a vacuum cleaner can’t pick pet hairs on surfaces. So, it is best to use a steam mop to clean a house that has pets.
Top Benefits of Steam Mops
-
Perfect for dry cleaning
One of the benefits of owning a steam mop is the fact that it does not leave a lot of water on the floor after cleaning. The steam mops utilize hot steams to clean.
How? The water on the reservoir heats up and evaporates to release steam that is passed through the mop head to the cleaning pad. Then the steam penetrates to the floor to clean up the messes and other dirt. This, in return, leaves little to no water on the floor for quick drying up.
-
Convenient in removing stains
A steam mop allows you to enjoy cleaning your home even in areas that have stubborn stains. The ability of the steam to penetrate deeply to the floor loosens all the dirt for quick cleaning off using a mop pad.
Thus, you don’t need to employ a lot of pressure and energy when cleaning with a steam mop as opposed to when using other manual mops.
-
No dirty water emptying
With a steam mop, you don’t need to keep on emptying dirty water when cleaning the room. This is because the steam mops use steam instead of water to clean, and thus, there is no dirty water collected when cleaning.
The only time you will come into contact with the tap water is either when refilling the water reservoir or when emptying the remaining water after cleaning.
-
No strong cleaning solutions
If you are allergic to the strong scents that some cleaning solutions have, then the right mop to consider is the steam mop. This is because most of steam mops do not require robust cleaning solutions to get rid of the stains and dirt.
The steam mops only need water to eliminate the dust as the high steam levels produced by the mop loosens the stains for fast cleaning.
Note that some steam mops have a cleaning solution container, and you can use them with any regular cleaning solution if necessary.
-
No water left on floors
Another advantage of steam mops is that it does not make the surface messed up during cleaning. You don’t have to apply water or chemicals on the floor before mopping with a steam mop.
You do not need to wet the floors, and steam mops dry the bottom faster. And your footprints would not be left on the floor after cleaning because the floor dries instantly. The risk of getting injured on slippery surfaces is not in the context of steam mops.
-
Killing the germs and bacteria
Steam mops are considered the most efficient mop because of the feedback from people who use them. The mop emits hot, dry steam that is helpful to remove even the tiniest particles of dirt from a surface.
The smoke also dissolves the grimes on mattress or carpet that are stuck on the surface and it also helps to disinfect the surface.
The steam from the steam mop is quicker to kill bed bugs or other insects in the house.
-
Removes the dog urine and smell
For pet owners, it is widespread that the pets leave hair all over the places in the house, and they also bring in the dirt when they go outside.
The pet urine is usually hard to get out from rugs and carpets with a vacuum cleaner, but a steam mop would easily pick out the dirt and hide it from the surface or mat.
-
Need less labor and work
Steam mops are also easy and time-efficient. It does not require any particular procedure to set it up. Unlike other types of mops, you only need to plug it in electricity, and you’re good to go.
Steam mops are also time-efficient because you don’t have to scrub too much on the surface. You do not need to change dirty water constantly. And it also uses microfiber pads that attract dirt faster.
-
Avoids Allergy
A steam mop is perfect for somebody that has allergy problems. Many people are allergic to the smells of chemicals in their homes; steam mops would help you clean your house without having to worry about your allergies getting hold of you.
You do not have to avoid any chemicals having contact with your skin or inhaling them into your system. With steam mops, the risk of developing rashes around chemicals is struck off.
Where Can You Use Steam Mops?
Most reviews about steam mops would indicate that you can use steam mops on any surface, but that is not true. A steam mop is not proper for cleaning just any surface. Some of the characters you can use a steam mop for are below:
-
Floors
Steam mops are safe to use on vinyl and linoleum floors. You can also use steam mops on ceramic or porcelain tile and also some types of hardwood and laminate floorings. Some laminate floors are water-resistant, and those are the ones that steam mops can be used to clean. Every other flooring type is not suitable for steam cleaning.
-
Carpet
Generally, steam mops are suitable for cleaning carpets because of the benefits. Steam mops are ideal for carpets because they extend the carpet’s lifespan, easily remove fleas and bugs, remove odors, and not discolor the carpet.
-
Upholstery
You can use steam mops on upholsteries like sofas, but not all steam mops can do that. You have to ensure your steam mop has the upholstery attachment; you can use the upholstery attachment when cleaning your sofas. It would help you to clean properly.
What Not To Do When Using a Steam Mop
There is no doubt that steam mops are the best brands of mops when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting the floors and other areas around the house.
But, there are some mistakes that most people tend to do that may affect either the cleaning process or even the results when using it. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using a steam mop:
1. Avoid plugging the mop to power first before attaching the cleaning pad
The steam mops start to heat up instantly on plugging to a power source to generate the right amount of steam for cleaning.
Therefore, if you plug it before attaching the cleaning pad, the mop will heat up, making it difficult to fit the pad. This may also cause an electric shock in the case where you touch the mop with wet hands.
2. Avoid leaving the mop on when not in use
The steam mops heat up within a few seconds and automatically start to release hot steams as long the power is on.
Thus, leaving the mop while stationed on a single place may damage the floor since the steam accumulates in one place.
So, if you get distracted while using the mop, ensure to switch it off immediately.
3. Cleaning with it on sensitive surfaces
The steam mops are not suitable for all floor types as the steams may damage some floors or discolor them.
Always read the seal to find out the floors that the mop can clean to see if it fits your home.
Some of the floors you can’t clean with the steam mops are unfinished hardwood floors.
FAQs About Steam Mops
1. Are steam mops better than regular mops?
Steam mops are way better than other regular cleaning mops. There are some features and functions that make the steam mops win over the traditional mops such as;
Fast Cleaning – The steam mops are digital mops powered by electricity. Thus, the cleaning process is easy and fast, plus you utilize less energy as opposed to when cleaning with the traditional mops.
Quick-Drying – The steam mops do not leave a lot of wetness on the floor, which saves the drying time as opposed.
Disinfectant – Apart from cleaning and removing stains off the floor, the steam mops also do wonders in disinfecting the floor to remove bacteria and germs something you cannot achieve by the use of regular mops.
2. Do steam mops kill germs?
Yes. The steam mops are perfect for disinfecting the floors by killing germs and other bacteria growing on the floors. The hot moist produced by the mops kills the germs to prevent spreading.
3. Can I put vinegar in my steam mop?
Yes! Vinegar is used with a steam mop as it facilitates the fast and effective killing of germs. The vinegar, mainly white vinegar has a high concentration of mild acid that penetrates through the floor to eliminate bacteria. It is also safe to accommodate multiple floors like tiles, vinyl, and laminated floors.
Conclusion
Steam mops are perfect for cleaning and disinfecting the floors. The hot steam penetrates to loosen the dirt while killing germs and bacteria on the floors. These mops are convenient when cleaning as they get the work done fast as opposed to when using the standard cleaning mops.
The steam mops are safe for various floors and households since you don’t need to add reliable mild cleaning solutions when cleaning. Note that these types of mops are not safe for all levels as the hot steam can easily damage sensitive floors.
4 Best Steam Mops On the Market
