Steam cleaners were, until recently, the weapon of choice for professional cleaning companies.
Cleaning more thoroughly than most other methods, sanitising as they go, they are one of the most effective cleaning tools available.
Today there are a range of steam cleaners available for the domestic market.
The advantages to cleaning with steam are varied but the key feature is hygiene.
These steam home appliances are also extremely efficient, flexible and offer a money saving way to clean your home.
One size fits all Steam cleaners can save you money because they are a 'one size fits all' solution to cleaning.
A quick stock take of the following chemical stores in your home will give you a good idea as to what you can save.
The cupboard under the sink in the kitchen or utility room should contain enough chemicals to construct a home-made bomb.
In the bathroom you'll find a similar cocktail of potions, designed to clean and sanitize your bath, shower, toilet and washbasin.
Many of these products will have some kind of health and safety warning on them at the very least.
Investing in a multi-purpose steam appliance can allow you to clear these cupboards and rid yourself of these potentially harmful substances.
Applications Steam cleaners heat ordinary tap water to high temperatures to create a pressurised jet of steam which very quickly removes dirt.
While many products claim to kill a percentage of bacteria, most people are aware that boiling water kills all bacteria.
This is how a steam appliance works to sanitize.
Multi-purpose cleaners are exactly that; they come with a variety of fittings designed to clean carpets, curtains, upholstery, work surfaces, tiles, grout, bathroom fixtures, hobs, sinks, laminate flooring, floor tiles and so on.
You're probably getting the picture! In addition these home appliances are particularly effective on carpets, as they not only clean surface dirt, but kill bacteria and dust mites, which are a major cause of allergies.
They also reach the parts of carpets that other methods can't get at.
The fibres in carpets store up dirt and dust, which is not only unhealthy but causes deterioration in their looks.
Over time carpets begin to look tired and worn, steam cleaning rejuvenates them removing ingrained dirt and putting 'life' back into the fibres.
Types available There are a variety of models available on the market, while multi-purpose steam cleaners offer the best value there are also steam mops and upright versions.
These are specifically designed for floors and carpets and are usually cheaper than a multi-purpose model.
If you are investing in a steam cleaner of any variety, the choice will depend on not only your pocket, but your needs and preferences.
However, a multi-purpose cleaner is certainly a good investment allowing you to rid yourself of many of those additional, expensive cleaning products.
The final benefit to steam cleaners has to be their ease of use.
The routine should go something like this; fill up, allow to heat, quickly run round as required; discover there is more time left in the day than you realised; head out for a bit of shopping therapy and/or lunch with friends.
How simple is that? There aren't really many downsides to steam cleaners, safety is important.
Hot steam is dangerous, so children and animals should generally be kept out of the way.
The manufacturer's instructions should always be followed with steam cleaning products.
However, safety precautions are fairly straightforward - don't touch the bit where the steam's coming is a good rule of thumb.
In general, compared to a stock of chemicals in the kitchen a steam cleaner is safe, healthy and easy to use device.