The majority of steam cleaners come equipped with attachable accessories suited to an array of household chores. Standard steam mops that don’t have a detachable handheld unit usually only come with additional cleaning pads. Multi-functional accessories are available for cleaning textiles, carpets, kitchen appliances, bathrooms and even steam ironing! Effective cleaning on different surfaces with the floor nozzle, hand nozzle and round brushes included We test steam mops on hard flooring, noting how long it takes to remove food stains and muddy deposits. We also look at how easy it is to move the mop around awkward areas and judge whether the floor looks shiny and streak-free after cleaning. Cylinders and two-in-one mops, meanwhile, tend to feature extra tools such as scrubbing brushes, scrapers and grout cleaners for a super-thorough finish. Other attachments for specific surfaces may include upholstery tools, ironing attachments for curtains and squeegees for windows and glass. Some models come with detergent, but this merely provides a fresh scent, rather than extra cleaning power. How we test steam cleaners

When thoroughly cleaning with the Karcher steam cleaner 99.99% of all common household bacteria will be killed on typcial household, smooth, hard surfaces, provided the cleaning speed of 30 cm/s at max. steam setting (test-germ: Enterococcus hirae). With Karcher professional steam cleaners SG(V) this is 99.999%, according to EN 16615:2015-06, on PVC floors. (test germ: Enterococcus hirae ATCC 10541).We used the funky round bristle brush around the sink bowl to good effect, on shower tile grouting and across on wire mesh of the cooker hood filter. The steam shifted the soap-residue and grease well although the sheer quantity of steam made the proceedings rather drippy and wet. if you want lots of steam to shift stubborn grime that is a natural side effect. For most detail cleaning jobs have a cloth handy to dry up. VapoHydro Function – Adds hot water to steam. Dirt is removed more easily and simply washed away for even better cleaning results. We struggled to find a use for the larger of the brush roster but putting on its Microfibre cover proved ideal for kitchen surfaces and windowsills. The combination of serious steam and the cloth lifted grime and wiped the surface as it went. The detail tool roster includes (deep breath) a large square brush for tough cleaning with a microfibre cover that fits over the entire brush for a buffing effect. Attach the detail nozzle to the handle and you can then fit on the funky round brush, small detail brush or the power nozzle. All these have bayonet fitting that clip securely in place. How long a steam cleaner takes to heat up before it starts pumping out steam is largely determined by the size of the tank. This may be as little as 20 seconds for a steam mop and two minutes for a cylinder, but exact timings can vary greatly between models.

Continuously refillable, removable water tank – Convenient water filling allowing non-stop cleaning. The water reservoir lifts out with ease and has a huge fill spout that even I couldn’t miss. Power the machine up and it’s ready to go within three minutes.The SC 5 benefits from a refillable tank which results in an interrupted cleaning process. There is room on the SC5 for storage of accessories and tools that can be bought to deliver a more versatile range of options to your cleaning. With cylinders and two-in-one models, we also test their attachments. We use the scrubbing brushes to remove dried food from the hob and clean tiles and grouting, and we put the squeegee to work brightening windows and glass shower doors.

Accessory storage and parking position – Allowing easy accessory storage, including a parking position for the floor nozzle during breaks.Two-in-one steam cleaners act like steam mops but come with detachable handheld units for different chores such as cleaning kitchen tops and baths.