Cleaning With Steam

[Spy Car]

13 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

So this is an odd question. How exactly does the steam clean? I have textured walls that have spots from the dogs' ball bouncing off it. Steaming the walls only loosens the dirt (?), so I would still need to wipe them down? And same with upholstery? When I used the Bissell, there was a compartment to collect the dirty water. It doesn't look like this steamer has one, so would I need to have a cloth to quickly wipe off the walls?

On walls and upholstery one you'd typically use an attachment that has a pad or towel attached to it. That would "wipe" as you clean.

If one uses the nozzle/brush head, say on a sink or toilet, one would need to wipe.

Walls are one of the easiest and effective most jobs IMO, using a triangle head and a cotton shop rag. 

You are correct that this steamer doesn't suck up dirty water.

Bill

Edited November 26, 2019 by Spy Car

[mathnerd]

10 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

@Spy Car- you apparently caused a sensation. I went to order the Neat today and it's unavailable on Amazon! Looks like no clean floor grout for Thanksgiving after all. 😟

Yup. I went to order it from amazon and it is unavailable. Such is the power of word-of-mouth recommendations!

[Chris in VA]

On 11/21/2019 at 9:44 PM, Pen said:

 

If you try it on a weed could you report on the experiment, please!

"How to Spot a Homeschooler"

🤣🤣♥️

(Nice to "see" you, Bill!)

[mellifera33]

Huh...I have a steam wallpaper remover, and I never even thought to use it for general cleaning. It doesn't have scrubber type attachments, but I bet I can rig up something with vacuum cleaner attachments, rubber bands, and rags. It has an element, not a boiler, but I think it's worth a try.

[Spy Car]

OK...quick update.

The steaming weeds idea was hilarious, but--hey--I tried it just now on some crabgrass. It had no effect as far as I could tell (maybe even "refreshing" to the weeds?).

I will keep an eye on it to make sure. So far, I think it will be a "fail." 

In other news. I called Dupray to see what the deal was--did I mention that helpful humans actually answer the phones--they have them in stock with free shipping.

Some sort of Black Friday sale is happening. If it is $10 off, I would not be surprised--but I don't know.

Here is a link to purchase directly:

https://dupray.com/products/neat-steam-cleaner

I do know that at some time in the future there will be a Neat II with a detachable hose. When? No idea.

Anyway, for those who want one now, Dupray has them in stock.

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

@AEthrytht the Texan                                                                            

 

@Pen

 

@crazyforlatin

[Pen]

Thanks for doing the weed experiment! I wish it had worked.    I went to a demo once using steam to get rid of some sort of invasive weed, which worked, but was a much more enormous heavy duty steam device.  

What is the advantage of the upcoming new model that will have detachable hose? 

 

[Spy Car]

39 minutes ago, Pen said:

Thanks for doing the weed experiment! I wish it had worked.    I went to a demo once using steam to get rid of some sort of invasive weed, which worked, but was a much more enormous heavy duty steam device.  

What is the advantage of the upcoming new model that will have detachable hose? 

 

Two potential advantages, as I see it.

One, more storage options. The Neat is very compact, but the attached hose complicates that a little. Not a deal-breaker IMO.

Two, if a hose somehow were damage it is my understanding that there is no way to replace/repair the units. These are solidly built, but....

I have zero issues personally having an "attached hose" model. I just want people to be aware that sometime in the future there will be a Neat II with a detachable hose. 

Bill

[Angie in VA]

5 hours ago, Spy Car said:

OK...quick update.

The steaming weeds idea was hilarious, but--hey--I tried it just now on some crabgrass. It had no effect as far as I could tell (maybe even "refreshing" to the weeds?).

I will keep an eye on it to make sure. So far, I think it will be a "fail." 

Bill

 

"Refreshing to the weeds" Let the company know it also acts as a spa treatment for weeds. 

[Spy Car]

57 minutes ago, Angie in VA said:

 

"Refreshing to the weeds" Let the company know it also acts as a spa treatment for weeds. 

They did look perky.

Bill

[Corraleno]

8 hours ago, mellifera33 said:

Huh...I have a steam wallpaper remover, and I never even thought to use it for general cleaning. It doesn't have scrubber type attachments, but I bet I can rig up something with vacuum cleaner attachments, rubber bands, and rags. It has an element, not a boiler, but I think it's worth a try.

Wallpaper strippers purposely generate "wet steam" (steam with suspended water droplets) in order to soak the wall paper and help remove it, so it will tend to leave walls, floors, and upholstery very wet. (That has certainly been my experience with stripping wallpaper, anyway.) The advantage of the Neat steamer is that it generates "dry steam," which is much hotter (up to 275* F) and contains very little liquid water.

Edited November 27, 2019 by Corraleno

[mellifera33]

20 hours ago, Angie in VA said:

 

"Refreshing to the weeds" Let the company know it also acts as a spa treatment for weeds. 

 

Next week on Goop...

 

19 hours ago, Corraleno said:

Wallpaper strippers purposely generate "wet steam" (steam with suspended water droplets) in order to soak the wall paper and help remove it, so it will tend to leave walls, floors, and upholstery very wet. (That has certainly been my experience with stripping wallpaper, anyway.) The advantage of the Neat steamer is that it generates "dry steam," which is much hotter (up to 275* F) and contains very little liquid water.

 

Yeah, I forgot about that. It did a fine job on my tile floor, but I won't be using it for walls or upholstery. Thanks!

[mmasc]

50 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

My BIssel steam mop broke today right in the middle of cleaning my floors before the big day! We (the Bissel and I)  limped through and finished all of the tile, but it was leaking everywhere. The cap on the water container basically splintered into a bunch of pieces- I guess the heat made it brittle after all this time. The timing was so ironic, I had to share. It's another sign, LOL. The shipping for a replacement part cost more than the stupid cap too! 

Suuuuuure, sure it did... 😉🤣

[popmom]

On 11/21/2019 at 3:05 PM, Spy Car said:

 

I have done all the walls. Easy as cake. The "floor" attachment will take special pads, but for walls (etc) you can also use any sort of rag instead. I use cotton shop rags. Wall cleaning is one of the easiest jobs with a Neat. Superb at this task.

 

Bill

 

 

I'm curious about this. I need to clean the walls in the hallway at my church--the kindergarten/daycare building. We're talking serious grime from the littles standing in line waiting to get water or go the bathroom, etc. They put their little hands on the wall, and it gets filthy quick. I've let it go because I've been having pretty bad elbow pain. Do you thing this would be up to the task? Easier than scrubbing with Spic and Span?

[popmom]

On 11/23/2019 at 8:10 PM, PrincessMommy said:

Has anyone tried it on countertop stains?  I have marble bathroom countertop that I didn't know I was supposed to seal until after I spilled an oily beauty product on it. 😞  I'd love know it will get that out so I can seal it properly.

Oh and I discovered my new quartz countertop does not resist rust.  I laid a old drill bit on the counter in a wet spot while I was doing a home improvement project.  30 mins later I now have a new rust stain.  Grrrr..  not happy.   I've looked at some youtube videos that recommend soaking it in acetone for 24hrs... it would be nice if it was something faster and a less harsh.

Try Bon Ami cleanser. Cheap. No harsh chemicals. It got stains out of my white kitchen sink that bleach didn't touch. There is the current formula, and you can get the original 1886 formula that is gentle enough for glass, painted surfaces, chrome, just about anything. I LOVE that stuff.

[annegables]

I am a lurker who has made hive-inspired curriculum choices, but this year for Christmas, I am getting the Neat!!! Thanks, all. What sold me was when someone said it was the Tom Sawyer of walls (or something to that effect). I can totally see my kids fighting over using this. I just spent 15 minutes looking at before and after pics on Amazon.

[Spy Car]

On 11/27/2019 at 3:44 PM, popmom said:

I'm curious about this. I need to clean the walls in the hallway at my church--the kindergarten/daycare building. We're talking serious grime from the littles standing in line waiting to get water or go the bathroom, etc. They put their little hands on the wall, and it gets filthy quick. I've let it go because I've been having pretty bad elbow pain. Do you thing this would be up to the task? Easier than scrubbing with Spic and Span?

Sorry for the late response. In my experience cleaning walls has been one of the easiest and most effective jobs with the Neat steamer.

I'm not dealing with a pack of kindergartners--mind you--but between a dog, a boy, and general life I have walls and doors that have needed cleaning. Our doors particularly have a lot of charm due to way the panels were made 80 years ago. Pretty. But dirt traps. The Neat radically simplifies the job. You could use it in conjunction with a wall cleaning product. Way (way) easier than doing it the old fashioned way. Trust me.

Bill

[Spy Car]

On 11/29/2019 at 11:54 AM, annegables said:

I am a lurker who has made hive-inspired curriculum choices, but this year for Christmas, I am getting the Neat!!! Thanks, all. What sold me was when someone said it was the Tom Sawyer of walls (or something to that effect). I can totally see my kids fighting over using this. I just spent 15 minutes looking at before and after pics on Amazon.

Welcome to the forum. It is funny what draws people out of "lurking."

Bill

[Spy Car]

On 11/27/2019 at 1:36 PM, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

The Neat is back in stock at Amazon! I just ordered. Will be here between 12/4-6. Woohoo! 

If you don't love it, you can slap me all about. I'm confident you will dig it.

One favor I will ask you. Please compare the experience of the Neat vs Bissell on wood floors. I'm curious, since a Bissell steam mop is what Mrs Spy Car wanted originally--and what started this adventure in steam cleaning. But I've never used a Bissell. The flexibility of the Neat has me sold. But I wonder how they differ on floor cleaning. OK?

Bill

[Spy Car]

On 11/26/2019 at 11:38 AM, Pen said:

Thanks for doing the weed experiment! I wish it had worked.    I went to a demo once using steam to get rid of some sort of invasive weed, which worked, but was a much more enormous heavy duty steam device.  

What is the advantage of the upcoming new model that will have detachable hose? 

 

Update on the weed-killing experiment.

We have had almost a week of badly needed gentle rains (a little brisk) here in Los Angeles since I tried steaming the weeds. Perfect growing conditions for the crab grass in my gravel path. I expected considerable growth, but thought as due diligence I should check.

Well you could knock be over with a feather. I steamed two little clumps. Just now one is completely brown (despite the rains) and the other is mostly brown but showing some signs of life. One dead, the other is wounded but will make it. The survivor got less steam.

I am very surprised. Very. They looked "happy" post-steaming. No way did I think this would work.

When the yard dries out I will try it on some nasty asparagus fern that's growing on an old wood fence that I can't attack with my flamethrower. Nasty stuff. Very hard to kill.

Color me surprised.

Bill

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2019 by Spy Car

[Spy Car]

11 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Will do. Hopefully it will be here by the weekend! 

When you overfill (you will) remember to pull the trigger and it will pull the excess water into the tank.

Good tip.

Bill

[Pen]

12 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Update on the weed-killing experiment.

We have had almost a week of badly needed gentle rains (a little brisk) here in Los Angeles since I tried steaming the weeds. Perfect growing conditions for the crab grass in my gravel path. I expected considerable growth, but thought as due diligence I should check.

Well you could knock be over with a feather. I steamed two little clumps. Just now one is completely brown (despite the rains) and the other is mostly brown but showing some signs of life. One dead, the other is wounded but will make it. The survivor got less steam.

I am very surprised. Very. They looked "happy" post-steaming. No way did I think this would work.

When the yard dries out I will try it on some nasty asparagus fern that's growing on an old wood fence that I can't attack with my flamethrower. Nasty stuff. Very hard to kill.

Color me surprised.

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

Very Interesting...  And sort of strange to have the delay.

Please let me know next experiment result.  With promising weed use plus cleaning, I’ll probably get one 😀. 

Wood fence + flame thrower = bad

steam sounds better

hope it will work!  

[gardenmom5]

I just ordered a mcculloch 1275.   they have open box returns (minor cosmetic) for $108 - 20%, came to <$100 incl. tax.

dd wants her car detailed as a Christmas present, and 2ds and I both have perforated leather seats.  I'm not sure about hers . .. . .(steam can work better than a brush since it has so little water.)

I would have loved to have gotten one last summer when I was detailing cars to sell . . . . but I forked out enough for supplies and a little green clean machine. (makes cleaning car carpet much easier. you can use it on fabric upholstery, not leather.)

I'm looking forward to trying it out  on grout.

[Pen]

3 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

OMG Bill @Spy Car I owe you a wine or fruit basket or something. This thing is LIFE CHANGING. My kids think I've gone nuts, but I am seriously steaming everything just about that doesn't breathe. I've done some grout, an oven rack, stainless appliances (no streaks than you very much!) and now I'm headed to try and clean the shower to see how it does on soap scum on a door. Woohoo!! Money well spent. I'll be back with more reports later, but for now I'm full steam ahead! 😂

 

 

Gives a whole new feeling for “full steam ahead”!!!🤣

[Terabith]

I misread this as cleaning with Satan.  Which had a very different connotation. 

[annegables]

On 12/2/2019 at 2:33 PM, Spy Car said:

Welcome to the forum. It is funny what draws people out of "lurking."

Bill

I know! Of all the things, I am not surprised it was a post on cleaning. To misquote Jerry McGuire (I think), "Shut up, just shut up. You had me at cleaning." I get a deep sense of satisfaction over cleaning. And I cannot wait to watch my kids clean their footprints and handprints off our walls. 

[annegables]

53 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I misread this as cleaning with Satan.  Which had a very different connotation. 

I think that is what my kids think when I make them deep clean the house. If ever TLC gave me a TV contract, this might be the title. In my defense, children are gross. And we live in a small house which concentrates the grossness.

[Spy Car]

5 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

OMG Bill @Spy Car I owe you a wine or fruit basket or something. This thing is LIFE CHANGING. My kids think I've gone nuts, but I am seriously steaming everything just about that doesn't breathe. I've done some grout, an oven rack, stainless appliances (no streaks than you very much!) and now I'm headed to try and clean the shower to see how it does on soap scum on a door. Woohoo!! Money well spent. I'll be back with more reports later, but for now I'm full steam ahead! 😂

 

Let's say that I was highly confident that you'd be happy.

I'll PM my address and my favorite list of wines shortly. LOL.

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

26 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Okay- so my initial review after going through two tanks of water. 

It definitely did a bang up job cleaning stainless appliances. Mine are really hard not to get streaky- the only thing that's ever worked is Simple Green. Everything else leaves streaks. I steamed the dishwasher, fridge, etc., then just wiped down with a dry paper towel and voila- no streaks. My dd17 was shocked. 

It definitely can clean a greased up oven rack. I only did one today, but I plan to tackle the whole oven at some point. 

I have a glass top stove and there were some spots that no amount of elbow grease and that ceramic cleaner was able ever to remove. Well, the steam did it. 

It cleaned the grout. I don't think my grout will ever be solid white again,  but considering it's 10 years old, and has to endure a houseful of people and three big dogs constantly coming in and out, it made a huge difference. 

It did clean the shower door, but for built up soap scum, it's not going to be my tool of choice. I think my Mom's trick of using dryer sheets to use on glass shower doors it still the way to go as far as removing soap scum. Now, maybe if I get it spotless and keep it that way, then the Neat will be able to take over. 

On wood floors, it did well and actually didn't streak as much as the Bissell. The Bissell does a great job of cleaning floors (not grout) but you always can sort of see a "fog" almost left behind. Not streaks, but I can always tell I steamed it instead of sponge mopped it if that makes sense. 

The cord is long, as is the hose, so that made it pretty easy to haul around. I do think it's awkward the hose reel is underneath, but it's not a deal breaker. 

For ease of use, I'm still keeping my Bissell for quick mop jobs.I'm going to order the replacement cap (hopefully the one they have is still available- mine is the original so it's been around a while).  It's heats up in about 60 seconds and is just easy, whereas the Neat takes I believe 8 minutes on the initial use and is just a much bigger contraption. But the Neat is so much more versatile and definitely comes in at a higher temperature. 

For the ladies, if you buy one and use it, be ready not to have hair and make-up done afterward. You'll be pretty engulfed in a cloud of steam while you are using it, LOL, and be a wilted flower when it's over. 

I also wish the wand extension was just a little longer. I'm 5'9, so what made me have to call it a day was leaning over to do the grout. I had to put some weight into to really scrub, so that's why I think after a while it was hard on my lower back. Of course my grout has never been steam cleaned, so it needed a lot of "elbow grease". I also pretty much smushed one of the scrubber brushes this first day, so I'll be ordering more of those for sure. 

But I am tickled pink and will definitely be telling some friends. 

On grout. My experience is not to "scrub" so much as to be patient and blast a small area, letting the stream do most of the work. I'd try scrubbing a lot less hard and see how that works. Do a section, then rest. It is the one job where have full power (the green light is on) seems to really help.

Grout cleaning is the one job that I imagine would benefit from having a professional level steamer. It is the hardest/slowest job IMO.

"Wilted flower?" I was thinking, "free facial." LOL.

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pen]

22 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Okay, despite my possible embarrassment at posting my dirty floor grout on the internet for all to see, I figured the good in doing so would be worth it for an IRL example for those interested of what this thing can do. And I'm not having anyone over for potlucks, LOL, so hopefully no one cares that my grout was brown. Bill is 100% correct on how cool this thing is. I've been using this on the highest traffic part of my floor- coming in from our sunroom/backyard-  over the past two weekend and holy crap. I'm telling y'all. This is worth a lot more than $150. 

Background- I have no idea how old this tile/grout is- the previous owners had it installed and I will say the grout was "mostly" white/cream-ish when we moved here 5 years ago. They were two old people whose kids were older than me, so I'm guessing it never saw a lot of traffic. Not to mention she was an extremely intense housekeeper as best as I can tell (I am clean, but I hold no candle to people who sweep vacuum tracks out of the carpet and mop daily. We are a lot of people plus cats and large dogs living on property. I vacuum every other day usually and mop once a week unless some misadventure necessitates otherwise. I have used a variety of mops on the floor over the years- including a Hoover Floor Mate; my most usual is the Bissell Steam Mop. Neither do jack crap for grout btw. But they do a nice job on tile. Every once in a blue moon I would do the hands and knees floor scrub, but mostly just in the kitchen and it never made a massive difference. Not to mention arthritic knees made it rarely worth the effort- I have over 3k feet of tile and hard floor, so yeah, scrubbing like that isn't happening IRL most of the time. 

Anyway, this is a before and after of one tiny section of my floor- I am not sure if it's the exact same section and the lighting is a little different making the marbling on the 1st pic look darker than it is, but anyway the effect is the same all over. The pictures honestly don't do it justice. It's made a MASSIVE difference on my grout. The whole floor is lighter looking. @Spy Car made a good call on this thing for sure. 

BEFORE: 

 

AFTER: 

 

That’s impressive!!!   Thanks!!!

we have no tile and grout here (old wood floors, wood countertop—where steam might even be harmful)  but I am considering it for other things... especially disinfection without chemicals 

[annegables]

I just used mine today for the first time and it is what all my cleaning fantasies are made of! My oven is at least 50 years old and there are parts I thought were brown. I decided to point the steam at it and nope, turns out it is stainless steel! 

As a bonus, my kids fought over who could clean the walls first with it. 

my old house has so many random nooks and crannies and this thing is blasting them all. I feel like we are finally making real progress in deep cleaning. 

I am excited to use this on my blinds. I hate removing them and washing them. Now I am just going to steam them!

[Spy Car]

8 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

 

Okay @Spy Car, how the heck do you store all the parts for this thing- any handy tips? Not that I'm ever going to finish the grout at this rate to need to store it LOL. 
 

Also, for other users- valuable tip! If you leave the trigger locked to release the steam when you hit a stopping point,  don't forget to release it before you refill/restart, or you'll end up with a massive puddle of water on your floor! (Ask me how i know.) 

Mrs Spy Car came up with sturdy drawstring sack that I put all the doodads in.

I hang the bag on a hook in the hall closet.

Bill

[Spy Car]

On 12/14/2019 at 11:47 AM, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Okay, despite my possible embarrassment at posting my dirty floor grout on the internet for all to see, I figured the good in doing so would be worth it for an IRL example for those interested of what this thing can do. And I'm not having anyone over for potlucks, LOL, so hopefully no one cares that my grout was brown. Bill is 100% correct on how cool this thing is. I've been using this on the highest traffic part of my floor- coming in from our sunroom/backyard-  over the past two weekend and holy crap. I'm telling y'all. This is worth a lot more than $150. 

Background- I have no idea how old this tile/grout is- the previous owners had it installed and I will say the grout was "mostly" white/cream-ish when we moved here 5 years ago. They were two old people whose kids were older than me, so I'm guessing it never saw a lot of traffic. Not to mention she was an extremely intense housekeeper as best as I can tell (I am clean, but I hold no candle to people who sweep vacuum tracks out of the carpet and mop daily. We are a lot of people plus cats and large dogs living on property. I vacuum every other day usually and mop once a week unless some misadventure necessitates otherwise. I have used a variety of mops on the floor over the years- including a Hoover Floor Mate; my most usual is the Bissell Steam Mop. Neither do jack crap for grout btw. But they do a nice job on tile. Every once in a blue moon I would do the hands and knees floor scrub, but mostly just in the kitchen and it never made a massive difference. Not to mention arthritic knees made it rarely worth the effort- I have over 3k feet of tile and hard floor, so yeah, scrubbing like that isn't happening IRL most of the time. 

Anyway, this is a before and after of one tiny section of my floor- I am not sure if it's the exact same section and the lighting is different making the marbling and grout on the 1st pic look darker than it is, but anyway the effect is the same all over. The pictures honestly don't do it justice. It's made a MASSIVE difference on my grout. The whole floor is lighter looking. @Spy Car made a good call on this thing for sure. 

BEFORE: 

 

AFTER: 

Very cool.

Great example. And imagine what it would take to get that level of cleaning by scrubbing.

It would be backbreaking work on hands and knees scrubbing if it was possible at all.

I love my Neat and for $150 or less, it is a steal.

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

On 12/14/2019 at 12:35 PM, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Fwiw, I had dh move the piano, so I could see what the grout looked like when we moved in and it's pretty close to the After picture. 

Bill is right to let the steam do the work. Last weekend I scrubbed the hell out of it while steaming and while it did get it clean, it gets it even cleaner if you just slowly go over it again and again. You barely have to put any pressure on the brush. It's insanely slow going, but it makes a huge difference, which is why I guess this worked so much better than just scrubbing it with a brush and a bucket of soapy water. My only complaint is when you run out of water you have to wait for it to cool down and add more, so it's like forced breaks. I'm about to be on my third container for the day and then I think I'll be finished for today. Maybe tomorrow- let me see how tired my hands are compared to last weekend, LOL. 

ETA- Did not make it through third full tank. I'm cooked, LOL. My hands and feet are both tired out, but my floor is looking like new! 

That's a lot of cleaning to go through 2+ tanks. I've never done that. Kudos on your work-ethic!

I am not posting this on the internet and advise that no one do this at home due to risks of burning oneself with steam, but cracking the screw ever so slightly to release steam makes refill times shorter if one is in a hurry. 

Bill

[Spy Car]

3 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

I never could get it that light with scrubbing- believe me, I tried! The steam does miracles that baking soda or Soft Scrub could not do. 

One last question- do you drain all of the water out of it before you store it? 

I believe that you could not. I can imagine trying. And dying.

That's what makes these things essential. I can no longer imagine living without one. They are too good.

The only way I'd give up mine is is I had one of their Tosca steamers (about $1000) or one of their Hill Injection steamers (about $2000) and I don't see that happening in this lifetime.

I do not drain the water when I store. I think I would if it was going into long term storage. But I use the Neat almost daily.

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

Just now, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

I did two more tanks today! And now I am kaput, LOL. I am hoping with 1-2 more tanks I'll have the living areas done. Nice way to get some audiobook time in. 🙂

I hope you are appreciated.

Because I know how much cleaning that represents.

Bill

[Tiberia]

I bought one and got it today. Thanks Bill! 

So far, so good. I cleaned the knobs on the washing machine first (been bothering me for years), the bathroom floorboards, around the base of the toilet, and the fabric couch. It doesn't take all the stains off the couch, but it seems cleaner to me. It's kinda fun. 

[Spy Car]

56 minutes ago, Tiberia said:

I bought one and got it today. Thanks Bill! 

So far, so good. I cleaned the knobs on the washing machine first (been bothering me for years), the bathroom floorboards, around the base of the toilet, and the fabric couch. It doesn't take all the stains off the couch, but it seems cleaner to me. It's kinda fun. 

59839138300__5A9D7A83-AE6B-4948-9E09-219A1230105C.MOV

Very cool. I hope you love it.

I will usually blast the first second of steam into a towel to avoid the initial spit of water with jobs like this.

It is a great tool for hard to clean places. Enjoy!

Bill

 

[Spy Car]

28 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Oooh the washing machine!! I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe it will finally let me get the little spots by the hinges I can't get. 

When you are done with the brushes/small nozzle, throw them in the dishwasher utensil basket. Cleans them right up. 

I have given up on distilled water. I'm going through too much LOL. I'll just have to do the vinegar trick every so often. 

After using a zillion tanks now, I think for *just* mopping the floor, the Bissell is easier and so it's worth it to have both if you can store them, but for everything else, the Neat has already paid for itself. I can't imagine what it would have cost me to have someone come do all of the grout. 

I am officially done waxing poetic on Bill's discovery now. Happy steaming and happy holidays everyone. 🙂

💦Have yourself a steamy little Christmas 💦

Bill

[caedmyn]

I bought one of these too and am working on cleaning the very dirty grout and travertine tile that we have about 1000 sq ft of.  It is taking a good bit of scrubbing with a grout brush along with the streaming...just steaming isn’t enough for this stuff, and steaming alone dos nothing for all the tiny crevices in the tile where dirt has accumulated. When I finish it will all have to be sealed...ugh.  Here’s a picture where a section I've done runs into one I haven’t.  You can see how disgusting the grout is!

[Spy Car]

14 hours ago, caedmyn said:

I bought one of these too and am working on cleaning the very dirty grout and travertine tile that we have about 1000 sq ft of.  It is taking a good bit of scrubbing with a grout brush along with the streaming...just steaming isn’t enough for this stuff, and steaming alone dos nothing for all the tiny crevices in the tile where dirt has accumulated. When I finish it will all have to be sealed...ugh.  Here’s a picture where a section I've done runs into one I haven’t.  You can see how disgusting the grout is!

That's very beautiful stone. I love it.

I'm sure you've been experimenting with your technique.

I've found going very slowly (not really "scrubbing") and letting the steam do the work to lift the dirt out of the grout has worked best for me, but I don't have similar floors. And whatever you are doing, it looks great.

Bill

 

 

 

[Spy Car]

Anyone else happy they have a steam cleaner in their arsenal right about now?

Bill

 

 

[Pen]

21 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Anyone else happy they have a steam cleaner in their arsenal right about now?

Bill

 

 

 

Thank you for reminder!  Okay, I got it but now I need to really get on to using it!!!

Can you experts remind of hints and tricks?!

I got fearful of being burned.  

Obviously this is the perfect time to get the steamer full steam ahead!

[Spy Car]

18 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

Thank you for reminder!  Okay, I got it but now I need to really get on to using it!!!

Can you experts remind of hints and tricks?!

I got fearful of being burned.  

Obviously this is the perfect time to get the steamer full steam ahead!

You won't get burned.

The best tip I have is that if you overfill the water (which is easy to do) pull on the trigger and that will suck up what remains in the overflow area.

Any specific questions/concerns?

Bill

 

ETA: One other tip. The very first bit of "steam" that''s released is "wet," so if you only want dry steam shoot that bit into a sink or rag (etc) to avoid wetness.

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Spy Car

[HS Mom in NC]

I bought one on your recommendation a few months back and love it.  Thanks, Bill! The added bonus is you can have it set to continuously release steam in a small bathroom and it's a sauna! I always wanted a sauna.

[Spy Car]

17 minutes ago, Homeschool Mom in AZ said:

I bought one on your recommendation a few months back and love it.  Thanks, Bill! The added bonus is you can have it set to continuously release steam in a small bathroom and it's a sauna! I always wanted a sauna.

You are too funny.

Bill

[Ema]

I received one for my birthday a few months ago and am very happy to have it! The education wing in our church has a long, painted cinder block hallway that has painted handprints down the entire length. It has given me the heebie-jeebies since we came to this town 5 years ago—it is the dearest ambition of all kids up to grade 6 to find the handprint that best matches their hands! Took R2 (my name for steam cleaner) to church this morning and cleaned the ENTIRE WALL! Looks so much better! I told my DC, if you want to touch the wall, NOW is the time to do it! Am going to go in later this week and steam clean all surfaces in the classrooms, even though we have suspended our Wednesday School program for the time being.

So glad you recommended Dupay Neat!

[Spy Car]

12 minutes ago, Ema said:

I received one for my birthday a few months ago and am very happy to have it! The education wing in our church has a long, painted cinder block hallway that has painted handprints down the entire length. It has given me the heebie-jeebies since we came to this town 5 years ago—it is the dearest ambition of all kids up to grade 6 to find the handprint that best matches their hands! Took R2 (my name for steam cleaner) to church this morning and cleaned the ENTIRE WALL! Looks so much better! I told my DC, if you want to touch the wall, NOW is the time to do it! Am going to go in later this week and steam clean all surfaces in the classrooms, even though we have suspended our Wednesday School program for the time being.

So glad you recommended Dupay Neat!

 

Glad that worked out for you. Doing walls seems particularly easy with the Neat. 

Love the R2 nickname. Might have to steal that.

We took my mother in to live with us last summer.

I've never been a germ-o-phobe in the past, but understanding how vulnerable is makes me happy to have this tool in my arsenal.

I hope you all stay safe!

Bill

 

 

 

 

[vonbon]

Well, not to beat a dead horse...  I posted here too: https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/696808-disinfectant-experiments-old-thread-new-link/

But I spent an inordinate amount of time on this website last night (http://www.dranniesexperiments.com/steam-mop-testing) and thinking about all of the gunk I probably bring home on my shoes from the Library...the store...the gas station...   ...and the solution of steam mopping!  

So I really appreciate your recommendation.  😄  

 

[vonbon]

On 11/21/2019 at 5:56 PM, Spy Car said:

You are getting a Neat? Far out!

I know you will dig it.

Bill (who's having a 70's moment)

 

This is a very entertaining (and informative) thread!  Thanks!  😆

Bill, you've got a calling as a sales rep for this Neato gadget!   ...I'm still wondering if and how you're making a commission off of these WTM boards!  ?!  😄

ETA: M'Kay...I've read this entire thread and...wow!  That was both entertaining and convincing... I'm headed off to google the Neat!  Thanks!

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by vonbon