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Recommend your steam mop!
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Anonymous
| Looking for something that will work on hardwood floors and laminate. Thanks!! |
Anonymous
| When I got mine, someone on Amazon had done a whole breakdown of the brands and Eureka won. Only problem is it's short cord, so if you get it, get an extension cord too. |
Anonymous
| I read the same review as PP but I think the Eureka is no longer available, or wasn't when I bought anyway. I bought the Haan and love it. If only it would run itself, my floors would be sparkling all the time! |
Anonymous
|
Eureka is what we use. A longer cord would be nice.
Also, don't throw the pads in the dryer or hot wash. They shrink up big time. |
Anonymous
The is the Eureka, I'm referring to: http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-313A-Enviro-Hard-Surface-Steamer/dp/B001LYFBHG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302701183&sr=8-1 Still available on Amazon. I got mine for about $20 less through Walmart.com |
Anonymous
| Question about those who use steam mops: How do they work on hardwood floors? There are areas of the floor that are really dull (suntan lotion residue, etc.). I usually use the hardwood floor cleaner the installer recommended (Bruce) but the floors still look dull. Will steam cleaning restore its original luster, or do I need something else? |
Anonymous
No it won't restore its original luster. It just cleans it. In our other house I got the best results with Orange Glow when trying to bring a bit of life back to the hardwood. |
Anonymous
The PP is correct that products won't restore original luster, they just create a layer. In order to get original luster, you need to refinish. But, there's a big difference between a clean floor that isn't newly refinished and a dirty floor (regardless of finish). Until you remove all the product residue, your floors will streak when using a steam mop. Also, if your cleaning pads get saturated or get dirty, the floors will streak. You must change the pad frequently if you want streak free floors. Steamp mops are also not for heavy duty cleaning. If you have mud, spills, etc, you're better off wiping it up with a cloth. Steam mops are more for light dusting and for best results, you should vaccum before using. That's not any different than what you'd do using a regular mop. It may sound like a hassle but I've been using a steam mop for years and won't willingly go back to a regular mop. I grew up with hardwood floors and the only time I've not had them in my abode was when I was in college. I love a steam mop. I have a Bissell but I don't really think there's that much difference between brands. |
Anonymous
Really? Do you use a steam mop on old- like 1940s- hardwood floors? I thought they were only for new laminate "hardwood" floors. But if I could use one on my 1940s unsealed oak floors I would be thrilled. |
Anonymous
Never use a steam mop on unsealed hardwood floors. Ours is hardwood, not laminate. But it is sealed so we use the steam mop. |
Anonymous
| I have the Bissel and it's great. I use it on sealed hardwood. |
Anonymous
It depends on what you mean by "unsealed". All interior flooring I've seen has had some sort of sealant whether it's polyurethane or wax. Unless your floors are bare, untreated wood, they've been sealed with something. You need to see if that sealant is still sound. Here's a good link http://www.woodfloordoctor.com/_how_tos/articles/cleanpt2.shtml . No matter what kind of sealant/finish you have, it's important not to leave water sitting on it. Whether you use a wring mop, a sponge mop or steam mop, the floor should dry within just a few minutes of it being cleaned. If it doesn't, it's either too wet, it's too cold or there's too much humidity in the air. The solution in that case is to go over it with a dry mop or rag. Anyone who tells you water shouldn't be used on finished flooring is giving you a line of BS. Certainly water can penetrate through cracks in the finish but as long as you're wiping up the excess, there should be no long term impact. It's not like the humidity levels in our houses are at constant levels through the year. Water from humidity would get into the same crack. Ever since wood floors were first installed in homes, water has been used to clean them. |
Anonymous
| Wow, thanks, PP. I am 14:14 and I never knew how to test my sealant. I suppose it is some kind of wax. Cool! |