- What is a steam mop?
- How does steam mop work?
- Advantages and fields of application
- What types of steam brushes are there?
- Corded steam mop
- Cordless steam mop
- Steam vacuum cleaner
- Multifunctional steam mop
- Technical data
- Power, flow and pressure
- Autonomy
- What should you watch out for when buying a steam mop?
- Alternatives to the steam mop
The usage areas of the steam mops are quite wide and it provides great convenience in the daily lives of the people who use them. The steam mop is the ideal alternative to replacing the traditional mop. Speed of use, performance, and versatility are the significant assets of these products. It is, however, difficult to find your way around and make the right choice among all the models offered. To help you, we have decided to write an article on steam mops. Find the model of a steam mop that suits you thanks to our report.
What is a steam mop?
The steam mop looks like a vertical household appliance, equipped with a handle, a motor, a water tank and a head-on which a mop is attached, most often made of microfibers. It allows deep cleaning of floors thanks to the emission of water vapour.
The device is versatile, it replaces traditional vacuum cleaners and mops. It can be used on almost all types of floors, including hard surfaces such as tiles, parquet or PVC.
Environmentally friendly, the steam mop destroys almost all microbes and bacteria without the use of chemicals, offering one of the best cleaning qualities. It is ideal for families or pet owners.
How does steam mop work?
The principle of operation of the steam mop is simple. Liquid water is placed in a tank, electric resistors then heat it to a temperature that can exceed 120 ° C. The broom is then ready to use.
An indicator light or sound signal is usually built into the device to alert the user when commissioning is complete. This heating only takes a few seconds for the best products on the market.
The heated water is then discharged in the form of steam in contact with the ground. The steam output is controlled by the user with a specific handle or control. Cleaning is done by directing the head of the device, fitted with a microfiber wipe, towards the area to be treated and pressing the corresponding command to produce the jet of steam.
The effect of heat causes dust, dirt and grease to come off, which are then removed by the microfiber cloth of the steam mop.
The heat of the water vapour deeply cleans the soil, destroying germs and bacteria, and thus offers one of the best cleaning qualities. On most models, the steam flow can be modulated and adapted to each type of soil. The steam mop uses only water and works without the use of cleaning product.
Advantages and fields of application
The steam mop is an economical and ecological household solution. It does not require the addition of any washing product for surface cleaning. This makes it ideal for families with young children or people with allergies.
Also, the effectiveness of steam cleaning is remarkable. It removes dirt, degreases surfaces, eliminates limescale and mould and kills up to 99.9% of bacteria and germs, for better home maintenance.
The unit is compatible with a wide range of surfaces, hard floors, such as tiles and parquet, but also carpets and rugs and even upholstery fabrics. Tips and accessories are often sold with the broom to use the power of the steam to clean different surfaces and more specific stains.
What types of steam brushes are there?
There are different types of steam brushes on the market:
Corded steam mop
An electric wire powers the wired steam mops plugged into an electrical socket. This characteristic makes these devices the most powerful on the market. Also, wired operation means that the broom does not require charging time before use.
It can also be used continuously, which is very convenient for cleaning large areas. According to the opinions and experiences of users, the main disadvantage of wired steam mops is their lack of manoeuvrability, linked to the presence of the electric supply wire.
Cordless steam mop
The cordless steam mop is battery operated. It, therefore, needs to be charged before use. Its autonomy is not always sufficient to treat important areas.
On the other hand, the absence of a power cable makes the cordless mop very easy to handle. Comfortable, effective and easy to handle; this type of product is ideal for deep, effortless cleaning.
Steam vacuum cleaner
Steam vacuum cleaners combine dust extraction and steam cleaning in a single pass. It can be used throughout the house. The steam vacuum cleaner offers a real time-saver for the maintenance of your interior.
High-performance and practical, it often offers additional features designed to improve the quality of cleaning further. Steam vacuum models are sometimes heavy, making prolonged use uncomfortable. Depending on the appliance, the suction can be less efficient than that of a conventional vacuum cleaner.
Multifunctional steam mop
The multifunctional steam mop is equipped with a wide range of accessories that allow steam cleaning of the whole house. These models are powerful and appealing for their versatility.
However, the multiplicity of accessories can make their use complicated. Some users criticize these models for being a bit gadget-like and lacking in ergonomics.
Technical data
Power, flow and pressure
To choose the best steam broom, focus on their technical characteristics.
The appliances must provide a minimum power output of approx. 1,000 watts to achieve sufficient cleaning performance.
If you plan to use your steam mop regularly and intensively, a power of at least 1,500 watts is preferable. The best products on the market can have a power of up to 2,000 watts. Wired steam brushes often win power tests.
The power of the device must be combined with sufficient pressure, approximately 3 to 4 bar.
Steam flow is measured in grams per minute (g/min). It represents the amount of steam emitted by the appliance. It generally ranges from 0 to 115 g/min. A minimum flow rate of 70 g/min provides better performance on rigid soils.
Some models of steam mops have a system for adjusting the flow rate. Tests show that this feature allows the flow rate to be adapted to the soil type.
Autonomy
Steam autonomy depends on the size of the tank. The charging time is the first parameter to be taken into account regarding the autonomy of a steam brush.
This applies to battery-operated mops, but not to wired models. For the latter, the length of the wire will have to be taken into account.
For wireless devices, the battery life should taken into account, it can range from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
The capacity of the tank is also decisive for the autonomy of the devices. The larger the tank, the longer the service life will be. Models with a removable tank have the advantage of being able to be filled with water without turning off the device.
What should you watch out for when buying a steam mop?
Some models available on the market offer low-end plastic quality, which presents risks of premature wear. For a purchase that guarantees you the best results, remember to check the workability of the product, especially considering its weight, the capacity of its reservoir and its mode of supply.
Before purchasing a steam mop, it is best to check the hardness of your tap water.
In the case of hard water, it will be necessary to provide preliminary filtering of the water or to buy demineralized water to guarantee a better duration of use for your steam mop and to avoid premature scaling.
Alternatives to the steam mop
The steam cleaner is an alternative to the steam mop. Portable or equipped with wheels, it looks like a canister vacuum cleaner. It also uses the power of steam for cleaning floors.
Steam cleaners are often more powerful than steam mops and offer one of the best cleaning qualities. However, they are particularly heavy and bulky.
Another alternative to the steam mop, the Polti brand has innovated by offering a hybrid device called Moppy. Aiming to replace the broom and the steam mop, Moppy also works without a cleaning product and has many similarities with the steam mops.
If you wish to buy steam mops from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you with everything that you need.
