Do Steam Mops Really Work?

"Do steam mops really work?"

That's a common question, and unfortunately, it's not an easy answer.

Why? Well, it depends on what you mean by "work". Different people have different expectations. For example, someone that just moved into a brand new house with new hardwood floors may have different expectations than another customer who is trying to eek out another five years from their decade old ceramic tile.

To answer this question, perhaps we should look at what a steam mop will not do:

1. It will not vacuum or sweep up dirt particles.

You will still need to sweep before you use one of these machines. As a matter of fact, if you don't, you risk harming your flooring surfaces. Larger dirt particles can become trapped in the cleaning pads, scratching floors as they are moved across the surface. Pet hair and other dust bunnies will also attach themselves to the cleaning pad, minimizing its effectiveness.

2. Sanitization of surfaces is limited.

When most people think of steam, they think of sanitizing. Although steam mops are capable of sanitizing, they must be left in place for a certain amount of time for this to happen. For example, the Bissell Steam Mop must be left in place for fifteen seconds. Imagine how long it would take to sanitize a one thousand square foot area. Even if you don't have this large of an area to clean, you can obviously see it's simply not practical. On the other hand, for sanitizing small areas, steam mops works great. For example, if Fido has an accident on the kitchen floor, you can rest assured that your machine will have no problem sanitizing the area.

3. Old floors will not magically look new.

Just as you can't teach an old dog new tricks, using a steamer mop will not make an old floor look new. Many people are disappointed in these devices, because they want unmaintained grout to suddenly shine, or five year old stains to disappear. These machines are built for cleaning. As long as your expectations are realistic, you should be happy with the results that your machine produces.

4. The issue of streaking is commonly brought up in consumer reviews.

Some people have trouble with streaking when using a steam mop. Some don't. There could be countless reasons for streaking, and it may be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. One reason may be that there is a detergent build up on the floor. As the steam cuts through this detergent build up, streaking may occur. Also, if the floor has a no-wax finish, the machine may affect this finish, causing the streaking problems.

Finally, to our original question - yes, steam mops do work. Just keep your expectations realistic.