Manual steam cleaners: how to choose and use?

A steam cleaner is a device that allows you to clean various surfaces with the help of steam. When choosing a steam cleaner, you should understand the features of the equipment and the desired scope of work. For cleaning small rooms or a car, a handheld steam cleaner is perfect, for work in a large area or to remove complex contaminants, you should choose the floor option.

Before you begin to analyze the features of manual and floor steam cleaners, it is worth noting that you should not confuse the steam cleaner with a steam generator. Not every steam cleaner has the ability to steam clothes. Having made a small digression, we move on to the main part. Let's start with manual steam cleaners, because they are most often purchased because of the low price. These devices have the following advantages:

• the small mass of the device allows you to steam the most uncomfortable places and does not hamper your movements
• easy to store;
• due to its small volume, water heats up faster to a state of steam;
• low energy consumption.

The disadvantage will be the same small volume of the tank. It lasts for 30-40 minutes, after which it will be necessary to re-fill the water.

The primary purpose of steam cleaners was to disinfect rooms. Steam destroys most of the known microbes and pathogens of allergies. Steam treatment also removes ticks and other parasites. For this, cleaners are greatly appreciated by people with allergies. Modern household steam cleaners are used in a variety of everyday needs.With their help, you can clean in any room: kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom or toilet. Hot steam will be effective in the following cases:

• Removing stained spots from tiled surfaces, hob, microwave;
• elimination of limescale from mixers and other chrome-plated items;
• carpet and furniture cleaning;
• getting rid of parasites;
• washing windows, shutters and mirrors;
• if the steam cleaner has the corresponding function, it can be used as a garment steamer.

When choosing a steam cleaner, it's a good idea to have a list of reliable and trusted manufacturers on hand. Such a list for popular brands will be given below.

Karcher is a famous German brand. In the line of steam cleaners there are both compact models and very powerful functional devices. Products are characterized by: high-quality assembly, a rich set of accessories in the kit, warranty.

Clatronic is also from Germany. Models of this company are considered budgetary. But complete with cleaners are the necessary nozzles, and the design itself is highly technological. Both manual and floor models are available.

The Italian brand Ariete offers a choice of manual steam cleaners, canister steam cleaners, as well as steam mops. The products are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Complete with outdoor models is a set with nozzles for various purposes.

Another Italian brand. In the range of models, in addition to manual and floor options, there are steam cleaners, able to cope with a variety of tasks. As an additional nozzle, it is offered steam disinfector for professional use.

Philips products have long been known in the domestic consumer market. The steam generators of this manufacturer are especially fond of. A choice of manual and vertical models. Warranty from the manufacturer can be up to 5 years.

When choosing a steam cleaner for the home, you should pay attention to technical specifications and equipment. The standard modern kit when buying a steam cleaner includes at least three nozzles. It should be understood that with an increase in the class of the unit, the number of nozzles becomes larger. For budget models, it is possible to purchase the necessary components separately.

The following set can be considered optimal:

• measuring cup and funnel;
• elongated nozzle nozzle;
• round brush;
• a brush for cleaning flat surfaces and a cloth for fragile items.

Compared to manual, floor-mounted steam cleaners include more nozzles and features, but they are redundant for regular house cleaning. The next important point when choosing are technical specifications. There are several parameters that you need to build on when buying.

• Power - The main component of productivity. For manual steam cleaners, whose power ranges from 0.7 to 1.6 kW, the best choice are models more powerful than 1 kW.
• The pressure inside the tank. From this indicator, how multi-tasking your device will be. It is recommended to choose models with a pressure of 3 bar or more.
• Heating time. For manual models, this value is in the region of 10-30 seconds. The indicator indicates heating. Floor models heat up for at least 5 minutes.
• Steam generation. There are two options for vaporization: in the tank itself or at the nozzle exit. The first option is typical for manual steam cleaners, so the steam does not have time to cool.
• Housing and tank material. The case must be made of heat-resistant material, the boiler is made of steel or aluminum. Aluminum is a winning option because it reduces the overall weight of the product.
• Tank capacity. This parameter determines how long you can use the steam cleaner without adding water, and how quickly it will be heated. In manual models, the tank volume ranges from 200 ml to 2 liters. It is worth choosing from your needs and physical abilities.
• Cord length. In order not to limit the scope of the steam cleaner, it is recommended to choose models with cord lengths from 4 to 6 meters.

Do not think that a steam cleaner will turn cleaning into an easy and quick process. For maximum efficiency, it is necessary to use the nozzles for the cleaner correctly. Steam should be supplied at a distance of 2-5 centimeters from the place of contamination. When steaming plants, the cleaner should be at a distance of 30-40 centimeters. If your steam cleaner model does not have a steaming function, then you should not risk processing curtains and clothes. Large amounts of steam can damage your items. The following safety precautions should also be observed:

• when working, try not to touch the tank and hold on to the handle;
• do not open the tank until the water cools, so as not to fall under the release of steam;
• Avoid getting steam jets on exposed surfaces.

In the next video you will find a brief overview of the Karcher SC 1 manual steam cleaner.