Cleaning an apartment takes a lot of time. It will require at least three devices: a vacuum cleaner, a dust cloth. It is impossible to create perfect order with these tools; they only reduce the amount of dust, dirt and germs. Cleaning the apartment using a steam cleaner will give us the opportunity to achieve perfect cleanliness . This device was originally produced for the purpose of disinfecting hospital premises. Gradually he moved into our apartments and won the love of many housewives.
What is a steam cleaner?
A steam cleaner is a household appliance that is used to thoroughly clean and disinfect various surfaces.
Components of the steam cleaner:
- A steam boiler into which water is poured.
- A heating element that turns water into steam.
- Trigger "pistol".
- Flexible elastic hose.
- Various attachments.
- Beaker.
- Surface cleaning cloth and funnel.
The principle of processing laminate flooring with a steam mop
The principle of surface treatment largely depends on the coating itself. Laminate is a beautiful and quite durable floor decoration. But at the same time, it is quite capricious and finicky to use.
To maintain the shine and integrity of the laminate, you must follow some rules:
- Only laminate flooring that is water-resistant and has sealed seams can be cleaned with a steam mop.
- When using cleaning products, it is recommended to use only special solutions in small quantities. It’s better to completely abandon the use of chemical components.
- The temperature regime must be set at the lowest limit.
- Laminate flooring is not ready to withstand such cleaning every day; it is better to use the device occasionally when performing general cleaning.
How does it work
The principle of operation of the device is completely simple. First, the container is filled with the required amount of water. To cope with heavily soiled surfaces, you can add powder or other detergent to the water. Connect the device to the mains. Next, press the button, thereby activating the heating element. After a few minutes, the water heats up and then turns into steam. That's all - the steam cleaner is ready for cleaning, all you have to do is press the trigger gun. A high-pressure steam jet will appear through the hole in the nozzle, which will destroy harmful bacteria in the most inaccessible places.
Get organized with simple tools
Any floor covering needs regular cleaning, and laminate flooring is no exception. Let us remind you that laminate is multi-layered durable boards, which are based on recycled wood, protected on top with a durable resin film. Laminate boards are fastened together with a special locking system and form a single sheet.
Let us first describe the traditional and simplest cleaning rules. It is performed as needed or prescribed on certain days of the week. It is enough to remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner, and then work with a slightly damp cloth to put the floor in order.
So, first clean the laminate floor with a vacuum cleaner using a regular floor nozzle. If suddenly you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, then you can do this cleaning with a broom or brush.
At the wet cleaning stage, you need to know how to properly wash laminate flooring. It is not advisable to wet it too much, so wipe the floor with a well-wrung out rag or soft mop, as always, from the walls and corners towards the center and towards the exit.
The question arises, what detergent to use to disinfect the laminate and remove complex stains. To do this, it is quite possible to use liquid soap diluted in water. It's even better to wash laminate flooring with vinegar. It is added to warm water (a tablespoon per 5 liters) to wash off all the dirt.
Choose only a very soft mop, such as a foam one, as it is easier to wring out and will not damage the laminate.
If there is no heavy contamination, then you can limit yourself to cleaning with a vacuum cleaner so as not to wet the floors again.
What can be cleaned with a steam cleaner?
It is not difficult to answer this question. This household appliance can clean almost everything! Yes, yes, a steam cleaner is a universal device.
Using a steam cleaner you can:
- Wash floors made of a variety of materials: wood, laminate, linoleum, tile.
- Clean the surface of the sofa and carpets.
- Wash radiators and batteries.
- Clean wallpaper.
- Wash tiles and furniture in the bathroom.
- Wash windows, glass, mirrors.
- Clean surfaces from hair and animal fur.
- Remove old fat.
- Clean the inside of the refrigerator, oven, hob, hood, microwave oven.
- Rid your car interior of germs.
- Iron and clean clothes, tulle, curtains.
- Clean soft toys from dust and mites.
Advantages of cleaning with a steam cleaner:
- Ridding surfaces of harmful fungi, bacteria, germs and mold.
- Getting rid of unpleasant odors, including dampness.
- Gets rid of stains on any surface.
- There is no need to use household chemicals.
- Increasing the volume of pile when processing carpets.
- Copes with getting rid of dirt in hard-to-reach places.
- Cleans greasy surfaces.
Undesirable:
- Wash wooden products that are varnished.
- Clean soft plastic.
- Treat surfaces that cannot be wet cleaned.
- Clean silk and velor fabrics.
- Wash windows during frosts.
Difficult spots
The marks that remain on the floor after renovation are sometimes very difficult to remove. If you don’t have a special product on hand to wash laminate flooring, then apply window or dishwashing detergent to the stain without dissolving it in water, and wait a little while for it to take effect. Then wipe everything off with a damp cloth. You can wipe the laminate with a cotton swab dipped in acetone or alcohol, but you just need to act carefully and quickly. It is prohibited to pour more solvent onto the floor.
Drops of thick paint after repairs, traces of paraffin or wax are cleaned off with a plastic or wooden scraper. If stains remain after cleaning, they can be masked with a restoring paste. But it is best to avoid such a case.
It would be more correct to clean floors with special products, since they take into account the characteristics of the laminate. They are bought in construction and hardware stores.
- Dilute laminate cleaner in water.
- Soak a mop or sponge in the solution and wring it out.
- Wipe the floor with a mop (sponge).
Always pay attention to the instructions. Some products cannot be washed off because they form a protective film that makes the laminate shine. Regular detergents are always washed off with clean water.
How to use the device
It doesn’t matter what you are going to clean with this device, the preparation of the surface being treated is always the same. First you need to remove all foreign objects from the surface. Then pour the required amount of water into the steam boiler.
How can you clean laminate flooring with a steam cleaner? Using a steam cleaner, you can get rid of dirt, stains, animal hair on laminate flooring, and also disinfect the floor surface. To cope with such contaminants, you need to use a microfiber cloth, which comes complete with a Karcher steam cleaner. It is undesirable to expose laminate flooring to hot water, especially low-quality flooring, so steam should be released periodically. Heavily soiled laminate flooring can be washed with the addition of detergents, but only without glycerin and beeswax.
Cleaning the windows. Cleaning windows with a steam cleaner is a pleasure. The Karcher device comes with a nozzle in the form of a point nozzle with a rubber scraper, which does an excellent job of removing dirt and stains. To avoid damage to the glass by steam, the temperature of which is 95 degrees, you need to start washing the window from a distance of 30 cm. As the glass heats up, you need to gradually bring the nozzle closer to the surface.
Steam carpet cleaning. To clean carpets, you need to use Karcher simultaneously with a vacuum cleaner, since the former cannot suck up dust. First, you need to pour the required amount of water into the steam cleaner with the addition of a cleaning agent, then treat the surface several times. The device will help get rid of dust, mites, stains, animal hair and disinfect and fluff up the pile of carpets. At the end of cleaning, you need to dry the carpet with a vacuum cleaner.
It is not advisable to walk on a wet carpet after steaming, but if you can’t wait, you need to wear clean socks. To install furniture on a damp carpet, you need to place foam buffers under it.
Cleaning the sofa . Before you start cleaning your sofa with a Karcher steam cleaner, you need to make sure that the upholstery fabric will not be damaged by high temperatures. During operation, the nozzle should be at an angle to the surface. Dirt softened by steam should be immediately collected with microfiber cloths.
How to clean greasy surfaces with steam? Washing kitchen appliances from a layer of grease is not a very pleasant task, but with the help of a Karcher steam cleaner it will not be difficult. You need to use a brush attachment. Prepare a solution consisting of water and detergent in a separate plate. While steaming the surface, you need to periodically wet the nozzle in a soap solution. The softened fat should be collected with a soft cloth.
Cleaning your apartment with a steam cleaner will not only get rid of dust and dirt, but also clean various surfaces of bacteria, germs, dust mites, stains, unpleasant odors and animal hair. And you will save your energy and time.
How to clean laminate flooring with a steam cleaner?
Cleaning floors with a steam cleaner is easy, but there are a few tips you need to follow.
Correct cleaning order
You need to remove all things that are in the way, collect large debris, move or lift furniture, roll up carpeting so that you have access to the entire floor surface (or most of it).
The surface of the laminate is vacuumed to remove sand, dust, small debris, wool, and dry dirt. If you skip this step, the steam cleaner nozzle will quickly become dirty.
The entire floor surface is treated with steam. If there are heavily soiled areas, they can be washed several times.
When washing is completed, the floors are allowed to dry for a few minutes. At this time, you can ventilate the room. Furniture and carpeting can be returned to their place when the floors are completely dry.
Which washing vacuum cleaner to choose for laminate flooring
In order to use a washing vacuum cleaner to clean laminate flooring without fear, you need to choose a model suitable for these purposes. The best option is equipment that is designed specifically for such work, but you need to pay attention to other characteristics.
Externally, the laminate floor looks quite presentable. To prevent it from losing its appearance, you should be careful about cleaning it.
What type of cleaning vacuum cleaner should be used for laminate flooring:
- First of all, you need to pay attention to what is indicated in the passport of such a vacuum cleaner. Choose options designed for cleaning laminate floors or combination appliances.
- The power of a vacuum cleaner that can be used to clean laminate flooring without fear must be at least 450 W.
- It is desirable that the device can remove dirt not only from a flat and smooth laminate, but also from other, more complex surfaces. To do this, the washing vacuum cleaner will need different attachments.
- Pay attention to the wheels on which the vacuum cleaner moves. To prevent these elements from scratching the floor, they must be rubberized.
These characteristics are required for washing vacuum cleaners that will be used to clean laminate flooring. Choose devices only from trusted companies. For example, Karcher vacuum cleaners receive excellent reviews.
Possible faults
If the operating rules are followed, this device is quite capable of operating throughout the warranty period or more. Most common problems:
- no steam is supplied. This is caused by an empty tank being used and air entering the intake hole. An air lock forms;
- scale clogs the holes for steam, and it does not pass through, or passes in insufficient quantities;
- the steam generator fails;
- the cleaning head or attachments break;
- fuses blow.
These types of repairs are only performed in workshops, as electronics are not suitable for home troubleshooting. The most that can be done is to remove the scale. Removal is carried out using the means offered by the manufacturer upon purchase. Numerous videos on the Internet about repairing these devices often end with the fact that after self-repair, the device worked for several days and then had to be thrown away. Therefore, it is not worth the risk.
Every year the industry offers more and more advanced home hygiene products. The main principle is “do no harm.” The new laminate brings positive emotions. This means that with the help of the best equipment designed for cleaning from dirt, you need to keep the floor in its original condition for as long as possible.
Criterias of choice
A steam mop should be comfortable and suitable for the owner’s height.
The purchase of such a device should be deliberate, because it is an expensive thing in itself. And its operation requires electricity and special detergents, so the feasibility of the purchase must be justified. Reviews and recommendations will help answer the question of whether laminate flooring can be washed with a steam mop.
- If there are small children in the house who spend a lot of time on the floor, then no cost can outweigh the ability of this device to disinfect surfaces. In this case, you should invest in an expensive device with a removable steam generator, which can be used to treat clothes, toys, and vertical surfaces.
- If you have pets, you need special models with attachments for removing hair.
- For large areas, you need a perfect model that can quickly process surfaces without compromising quality.
- The size that suits the owner’s height is of great importance. You will have to work for at least 30-40 minutes and this time must be made comfortable for the spine.
- The weight of the device must correspond to physical capabilities. The water tank must be selected taking into account the fact that a small one will require frequent addition of water, and a large one will be quite difficult to move.
- It is better to choose a device that can operate for at least 40 minutes.
- You need a long cord that would be enough for all rooms in the house. If there is none, then you will need an extension cord.
