How to choose a steam cleaner

Along with the aqua, detergent vacuum cleaners, steam joints and other appliances, steam cleaners who contribute to relief, as well as improving the quality of cleaning in residential or other premises, are becoming increasingly important. However, a wide range of steam cleaners, characterized by appearance, functionality, cost, and other characteristics, causes a majority of buyers in bewilderment: how to choose a steam cleaner from the mass of the proposed options?

General view of steam cleaners

Relatively recently steam cleaners were used only when sex disinfection in medical institutions and were pretty bulky devices. Over time, the most diverse patterns of steam cleaners have emerged in the stores, which immediately caused the interest of a large number of consumers.

Along with the preceding models, the principle of operation of modern devices is to process the surface with the effect of a powerful jet of hot steam without the use of any chemistry. The source of the formation of the steam acts distilled, filtered or ordinary boiled water, which is poured into a special steam cleaner tank. When the device is turned on to the network, the water temperature begins to gradually increase, and reaching the boiling point is to be converted into a gaseous state. When you press the start button, located on the instrument housing or on the startup pistol, the steam jet is pulled out of the tank nozzle under high pressure and affects a small section of the surface, the size of which is determined by the area of \u200b\u200bthe used nozzle.

The surface treatment with high-temperature steam contributes not only to the removal of fat and difficult to remove fat spots, dirt, but also to delivered housing from harmful microorganisms, preventing the emergence of diseases such as asthma, allergic. The issue of acquiring a steam cleaner for the house, where small children, pets and people who are prone to diseases of the upper respiratory tract live.

Environmental purity of consumables, compact dimensions of the device and ease of operation open limitless opportunities for the use of steam cleaners in everyday life, offices, medical centers. However, before purchasing it is worth considering both positive and negative points associated with the use of steam cleaners, most of which are detected only during the operation of the device.

Advantages / Disadvantages of steam cleaners

Like any home appliances, steam cleaners are not deprived of certain advantages and disadvantages, which the buyer finds only after the acquisition and direct use of the device.

The most significant advantages of steam cleaners include:

• the destruction of various types of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms;
• removal of solar spots from clothes, furniture upholstery, carpets and other surfaces;
• getting rid of items of clothes from the smell of mold, dampness, old age;
• visual renewal of carpet surfaces under the influence of steam due to raising a pile;
• cleansing contaminated areas in hard-to-reach places through a variety of nozzles;
• duration of operation.

Despite the fact that with the help of a steam cleaner, you can wash the car interior, bathroom, kitchen and cope with cleaning carpets, furniture, clothing and other parts of the interior, the main disadvantages of the unique device are reduced to the following:

• on glass and other transparent surfaces there are small divorces that are easily removed by a rag of microfiber;
• in the processing of old spots, efforts must be made, because the dirt under the influence of the pair will not disappear independently;
• high price.

Against the background of all the advantages, the shortcomings of steam cleaners do not represent much significance. However, the list of advantages and minuses largely depends on the type, model and other parameters of the selected steam cleaner.

Types of steam cleaners

The entire range of household steam cleaners offered today by various manufacturers is conventionally divided into 2 types:

• manual. In most cases, manual steam cleaners are produced in the form of chairs and are an optimal option for performing work of small volume. They differ compactness, minimal set of additional functions, low power (600-1600W) and cost. However, the weight of the device without taking into account water reaches 1 kg and more, which causes difficulties when cleansing the surface of a large area, since one hand has to keep the steam cleaner, and the second wipe the treated surface. In addition, the duration of the continuous operation of manual devices does not exceed 20 minutes due to the small volume of the tank (0.2-0.5 l). After refueling a steam cleaner, the water will have to wait until the water turn into steam, as a result of which the processing of large areas can stretch for quite a long time;

• floor steam cleaners are produced in the form of vacuum cleaners and are suitable for both domestic and professional use. Unlike manual, stationary steam cleaners are powerful (1500-2300 W), multifunctional apparatus, the time of intensive operation of which is 1 hour and more, since the capacity of the tank varies in the range of 1.5-3.2 liters. However, the cost of floor steam cleaners equipped with various additional features does not always correspond to the budget of the middle layer of the population.

Thus, the floor steam cleaners are deprived of many shortcomings inherent in manual instruments, but the cost of them still remains at a fairly high level.

Criteria for selecting steam cleaners

Steam cleaners who externally possess similar design, but differ in value, have either various design features affecting the performance of the device, or are equipped with a number of additional functions that may not be required during operation. And if there are several, at first glance, there are little different steam cleaners, what to choose and what characteristics should pay special attention to?

When choosing a steam cleaner, it is desirable to analyze the following points:

• manufacturer. The durability of the equipment depends largely on the quality of the materials used in the production of materials, so household appliances of well-known manufacturers cost a lot, but also serves decently. However, from models of well-known brands, which include PAROoocoms of Philips and no less popular Karcher steam cleaners, you can always choose a budget option that satisfies the conditions for future operation. Odyssey steam cleansors have proven well, the cost of which varies between the brands of Philips and Karcher manufacturers;
• power - affects the speed and quality of cleaning. The optimal option for home use is a steam cleaner with a capacity of at least 1000 W;
• tank volume - determines the time of continuous use of equipment. The heating of the fluid in the tank of a small volume can occur in 15-60 seconds, while heating a spacious tank takes 10-20 minutes. For example, a steam cleaner with a tank capacity of about 1 l is able to work non-stop from 15-30 minutes;
• iron. A steam boiler is made from aluminum or steel. At the same time, the aluminum boiler is less susceptible to scale and heats up faster;
• couple pressure (1.5-4 bar), along with the power of the device, affects the quality of processing. For general cleaning at home it is better to purchase technique with a pressure of at least 3 bar;
• the maximum pair temperature should be about 130 ° C. This value is enough to remove various kinds of domestic pollution. At the same time, the surface treatment of steam, the temperature of which is below 110 ° C, is unlikely to please the owner of a miracle of technology in the fight against mold and solar stains;
• the length of the hose (1.5-3 m) is the necessary criterion for the purchase of an outdoor steam cleaner, as to get to the interior items located near the ceiling or on the closet, quite problematic with the hose length of 1.5 m, and raise the device in 5- 6 kg and hold it at a height of some time - not everyone;
• nozzles. The functionality of the steam cleaner depend on the quantity and type of nozzles. Most often used nozzles for cleaning floor, textiles, windows washing, point nozzle, sprayer nozzle, round brush and others.

We will not be superfluous, for example:

• steam feed regulator - provides the ability to handle clothes with dry steam, and remove resistant pollution on solid surfaces - wet;
• safety valve - protects the user from the burn, preventing the discovery of the tank if pressure is in it;
• the presence of a removable tank - simplifies the process of fill and release the tank from fluid after operation;
• protection against children is performed in the form of a button blocking a button, thereby preventing the output of the steam jet without preliminary unlocking the protective button;
• control on the handle - it matters for floor steam cleaners, since during the operation there will be no need to lean each time to switch modes;
• the function of the continuous supply of steam is convenient when cleaning carpets, tiles in the bath and other extensive areas, since there will be no need to keep your finger on the start button.

Before buying a steam cleaner, it is worth remembering that powerful devices are better clean and disinfected the most complex surfaces in hard-to-reach places. However, the devices with a high rate of power and pressure at a low capacity of the reservoir are not distinguished by long-term operation in conditions of intensive use.

It will help to better figure out in certain patterns of steam cleaners for home Reviews of relatives, acquaintances, who has been using the device for a long time. However, what to buy a steam cleaner to solve only the future user, since only the buyer himself knows what purpose it is acquired by this universal device.