Steam Cleaning Surface Guide

Do's & Don'ts Of Steam Cleaning.

 

People are often hesitant that steam won’t provide a thorough cleaning experience compared to chemical products, but they are wrong. Steam cleaners create hot steam that can kill up to 99% of bacteria across nearly every surface. 

 

Using a steam cleaner is one of the most effective, efficient, and economical ways to keep almost any surface type clean and disinfected. However, it’s important to remember that even the most versatile steam cleaners have limits. Some surfaces just aren’t designed to handle all that heat. So if you’re going to get the most out of your McCulloch Deluxe Steam Cleaner, you need to know when to use it effectively. Here’s a quick guide to help to navigate through the Do’s and Don’ts of Steam Cleaning. .

 

 

Do's

Sealed floorboards, concrete and tile floors

 

The flooring around your house sees a lot of wear and tear. As you walk in and out of your house, you track dirt and residue across the floors, dirtying them up with grime and bacteria. Cleaning floors with chemicals may leave behind harmful residue that can damage the floor and can be an ineffective way to thoroughly clean. Steam cleaners are not only able to clean your floors without chemicals, but they can also reach the smallest crevices to clean all lingering dirt from your floors too.

 

For the most effective clean, do always sweep and vacuum first. Then, use the mop head attachment to steam clean across the floor area. You can use the specialised nylon utility brush attachment to steam clean the smaller areas and corners, as it great for picking up dust and debris that can go untouched.

 

Fabrics, upholstery and textiles

High temperature steam works wonders in breaking down and dissolving dirt from delicate fabrics and upholsteries without using any harsh chemicals. Gently pass the steam cleaner nozzle over the surface area to have your curtains & other fabrics looking fresh and clean. You can also wrap the brush attachment on your steam cleaner in a microfibre cloth for an even gentler steam clean.

 

Remember to test out a small, less visible patch of the fabric to ensure that it does not negatively affect the fabric.

 

Stoves & ovens

Steam cleaning is the perfect option for quick and regular cleaning of food spills and stains.  The nylon brush attachment helps remove tough scuffs and dirt without leaving scratches, leaving your stove top looking brand new. For tougher food particles like baked on food and stains, the scrapper attachment can also be used to enable you to get rid of greasy leftovers with ease.

 

Benches & countertops

Countertops accumulate a great deal of dirt, grime and bacteria on a regular basis. Many homeowners reach for their chemical cleaning products to disinfect surfaces but this can be an easy way to damage them unnecessarily. Chemical cleaners can be bad for the surfaces over time, and can also create biofilm that can trap bacteria on the surface which can make future cleans even harder. For these reasons, using a steam cleaner is one of the best ways to disinfect your benches and countertops. 

 

For the most effective clean, we recommend you do start by using the round brush attachment over the entire area, followed by a triangle brush that can be used to reach corners where a wider brush may be unable to reach. Then wipe down the area with a squeegee or microfibre cloth for a streak-free & chemical-free clean. 

 

Sinks, showers, faucets

Sinks, showers and faucets are important places to keep clean and sanitised, yet they're often some of the dirtiest areas in our homes. Luckily, our steam cleaners are more than a match for those tricky spots.

 

For the sinks & faucets, use our jet nozzle attachment. The steam is propelled at a powerful angle to wipe bacteria from every crevice. If any gunk proves too persistent, simply attach the round brush attachment to your McCulloch Deluxe Steam Cleaner, and get stuck in with stronger scouring to remove any remaining stains.

 

Do use the squeegee attachment that comes with your McCulloch Steam Cleaner to remove soap scum, mildew and hard water stain build up from your shower screens. Follow up with a microfibre cloth or dry towel to leave you screen looking shiny and new.

 

 

Don'ts

Unsealed floors/surfaces 

If your floor is clearly unsealed, or you suspect that it may be done improperly, then make sure you don’t steam clean it. Steam cleaning creates moisture and may leave the surfaces wet, which can cause unsuitable wooden surfaces to swell and warp. 

 

Painted walls/surfaces

Hot steam and painted walls are a terrible mix. The heat steam from your canister system may cause paint to bubble, peel or lift. Hot steam can also cause damage to the drywall or other materials under the paint, which will leave you with expensive damages if you aren’t careful!

 

Porous surfaces (eg: brick & marble)

Steam cleaning porous surfaces can result in serious damage. Brick floors & walls are prone to corrosion and crumbling and hitting them with powerful heated steam can accelerate erosion and cause breaks very easily. Marble floors are extremely delicate, and require close care to avoid staining. The power of steam cleaners may too much for them to handle, so proceed with caution.

 

Delicate fabrics (eg: silk & velour)

Fabrics are naturally sensitive, and like any delicate material, can be easily damaged by high levels of heat. You will want to keep your steam cleaner away from fabrics like silk, velour, velvet, suede and anything with a wax coating. Getting too close with the steamer can burn, shrink or ruin the material, and lead to discolouration, so stick to a more gentle clean.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Steam cleaners are the ultimate, versatile tool for keeping your home looking spotless and sanitised without the use of chemicals. Forget the mop, the bucket, the gloves and sponges, all you have to do to steam clean is fill a water tank with distilled water, and wait a few moments for the machine to heat up before you can start steam cleaning

 

Steam cleaners, while a versatile tool, also have limits. With this guide, you should be able to ensure you get the most out of your McCulloch Deluxe Steam Cleaner, without any unnecessary accidents along the way. 

 

Invest in your cleaner today, and keep cleaning hassle-free, as it should be!