Holy Neat Steam Cleaner, Spy Car!

[bibiche]

I spent the morning using a machine I didn’t even know I needed to clean dirt I didn’t even know was there. It’s impressive. Thanks, @Spy Car

[Alicia64]

Wait, I'm googling this now. The older I get the more I love good cleaning products.

I can't believe that I'm turning into the kind of adult that says, "I can't take how much the dog sheds!" (To be fair we have a German shedder.)

That comment is coming super close to, "Get off my lawn!!"

Thanks for the tip!

Wendy

[Spy Car]

1 hour ago, bibiche said:

I spent the morning using a machine I didn’t even know I needed to clean dirt I didn’t even know was there. It’s impressive. Thanks, @Spy Car

 

Yea!

I must admit that through a "phase" where the power of the steamer skewed my life-focus for a time. If one has any sort of latent obsessive-compulsive side to one's personality, this can be dangerous. Upside? The house will sparkle. Have fun!

Bill

 

[Frances]

Can someone please provide a link to the recommended steam cleaner? Thank you!

[Spy Car]

28 minutes ago, Alicia64 said:

Wait, I'm googling this now. The older I get the more I love good cleaning products.

I can't believe that I'm turning into the kind of adult that says, "I can't take how much the dog sheds!" (To be fair we have a German shedder.)

That comment is coming super close to, "Get off my lawn!!"

Thanks for the tip!

Wendy

More power to a fit young mom or dad who scrubs walls and floors (toilets) by hand.

I'm definitely getting into the "Get off my lawn!!" phase of life. That stuff wears me out

The steamer is a labor saving device that helps with the sorts of jobs that are "heavy" jobs. The kind that might get let go.

I consider mine "essential." Like owning a vacuum or a broom.

Not sure if they are still on sale @$149 but that a steal IMO.

Perhaps @bibiche will share some more of her impressions?

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by Spy Car

[Spy Car]

10 minutes ago, Frances said:

Can someone please provide a link to the recommended steam cleaner? Thank you!

 

It is called a Dupray Neat.

Here is a link:

Bill

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dupray-Cleaner-Multipurpose-Steamer-Floors/dp/B07C44DM6D/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5vb-BRCRARIsAJBKc6IxyLJKKshdmTuNkQF3pnVMpYLJVhGBF4qc9oLuASI1dRbAyfErqSQaArCMEALw_wcB&hvadid=409933802370&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9031190&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=2169404520027872506&hvtargid=kwd-336032598203&hydadcr=16074_11419918&keywords=steamer+dupray&qid=1608412770&sr=8-2-spons&tag=googhydr-20&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMVo2R0IySkVBRTM3JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzIyNzQ5M09GQllPRkdJMzlGSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDE1MjkzMkpIOTNLSUswNDBWMiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[wendyroo]

I am sorely tempted, but I am just having a hard time envisioning how it would practically fit into my life.

If a bathroom needs cleaning, I would get the Neat from where ever it is stored, which half the time would requiring walking to a different floor, check that it has water, plug it in, wait 7-8 minutes, etc. I could have just had the bathroom clean by then. And then if I walked straight to the next bathroom it would need to be unplugged, lugged along, replugged, more waiting, etc.

I guess I often only have ~5 minutes to work on a job, so my motto is to always keep cleaning supplies right where they need to be used to make the most of my time.

I can see where the Neat would be great for once in a blue moon jobs like the stove hood or washing a wall, but those rarely make it to the top of the priority list around here.

[Laura Corin]

Okay. I've never managed to stay on top of mould in shower stalls. Is a steamer what I need?

[Spy Car]

40 minutes ago, wendyroo said:

I am sorely tempted, but I am just having a hard time envisioning how it would practically fit into my life.

If a bathroom needs cleaning, I would get the Neat from where ever it is stored, which half the time would requiring walking to a different floor, check that it has water, plug it in, wait 7-8 minutes, etc. I could have just had the bathroom clean by then. And then if I walked straight to the next bathroom it would need to be unplugged, lugged along, replugged, more waiting, etc.

I guess I often only have ~5 minutes to work on a job, so my motto is to always keep cleaning supplies right where they need to be used to make the most of my time.

I can see where the Neat would be great for once in a blue moon jobs like the stove hood or washing a wall, but those rarely make it to the top of the priority list around here.

You may not require one. The imagined time factors you mention are pretty spot on.

These are not necessarily "necessary" for a quick sweep through.

Where they excel is in cleaning floors (no mop). Cleaning walls. Cleaning toilets/sinks. Pretty good on soap scum/showers (particularly with a good cleaner). Good (but slow) on grout. Great on greasy items like stove hoods that are near "impossible" otherwise..

They also freshen up beds and upholstered furniture really well.

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterPan]

2 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Great on greasy items like stove hoods that are near "impossible" otherwise..

My dh got one of those shark steam floor cleaner things a few years ago. I don't like using it, because I like fresh water for our high traffic floors. But I'm kind of amused at the idea of standing on the counters to use it to clean the stove hood. Getting the Neat might be safer. 

[Spy Car]

6 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Okay. I've never managed to stay on top of mould in shower stalls. Is a steamer what I need?

I live in a dry climate. There were some crooks and crannies in our shower/bath tile grout that discolored from some mildew type growth that grew where water tends to pool that I hated and that I could not get off with scrubbing and chemicals alone.

I was very tempted to remove all the grout in the stained sections and redo it. Instead I blasted it when the steamer came. It has been the one job I've used if for where I wish I had a $1,000 or a $2,000 professional steamer. It was a "process." But I knocked it out.

Can't say about Scotland.

Bill 

[Spy Car]

17 minutes ago, kand said:

I was looking at these after the wall washing thread, but I kept reading they shouldn’t be used on painted dry wall. Anyone have thoughts on that?

They are perfect on painted walls.

One should fold up a thick shop rag on the floor attachment and work smartly.

It would be a bad idea to set one against a wall and allow it to steam way. At some point the paint would peel, especially with no pad.

But going over a wall at a normal wall cleaning speed is no problem. It does a fantastic job.

We have a one especially problematic room. It is a small dining room that we've painted a beautiful deep "library" red. It is stunning IMO. But two issues. 1) The red shows dust. 2) You can't clean it without leaving streaks.

Hand washing the walls in that room are a multi-hour affair. Unless one can live with streaks. The woman who lives here doesn't favor streaks  in her "red room."

With the steamer, I go zip, zip, zip. Fresh clean walls. No streaks. An impossible job tamed into nothing.

Bill

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by Spy Car

[katilac]

3 hours ago, Spy Car said:

The woman who lives here doesn't favor streaks  in her "red room."

I haven't read Fifty Shades of Grey, but I've heard enough to know that it's probably preferable to not call it your wife's "red room" 😂

[bibiche]

5 hours ago, Spy Car said:

Perhaps @bibiche will share some more of her impressions?

Later. Can’t talk. Still cleaning. 

[sheryl]

7 hours ago, bibiche said:

I spent the morning using a machine I didn’t even know I needed to clean dirt I didn’t even know was there. It’s impressive. Thanks, @Spy Car

Where was the dirt?  Curious. Room?

[Laura Corin]

2 hours ago, sheryl said:

Where was the dirt?  Curious. Room?

Location and surface within room?

[Spy Car]

3 hours ago, katilac said:

I haven't read Fifty Shades of Grey, but I've heard enough to know that it's probably preferable to not call it your wife's "red room" 😂

 

I have no idea what that means...and I don't want to know  

Bill

[Spy Car]

2 hours ago, bibiche said:

Later. Can’t talk. Still cleaning. 

Believe me...I understand.

Try not to lose too much sleep. If you go through 3 tanks, you are possessed.

I did fail to warn about the addictive nature of these things. Oh dear.

Bill

Edited December 20, 2020 by Spy Car

[Laura Corin]

7 hours ago, Spy Car said:

I live in a dry climate. There were some crooks and crannies in our shower/bath tile grout that discolored from some mildew type growth that grew where water tends to pool that I hated and that I could not get off with scrubbing and chemicals alone.

I was very tempted to remove all the grout in the stained sections and redo it. Instead I blasted it when the steamer came. It has been the one job I've used if for where I wish I had a $1,000 or a $2,000 professional steamer. It was a "process." But I knocked it out.

Can't say about Scotland.

Bill 

Thanks. I stayed with friends in LA and, thinking back,  their bathroom was preternaturally dry.

How about for a new shower? We plan to re-do both our bathrooms next year - if next year happens in any kind of recognisable form. Would weekly steaming from immediately after the new shower is installed be likely to keep it lovely?

[bibiche]

My mad day of cleaning draws to an end, and I am taking my prune hands to bed. 
 

I cleaned bathrooms and the kitchen. I found that the machine’s running out of steam generally coincided with my running out of steam, so having to wait until the machine cooled down to refill it wasn’t a problem.

I did notice that by the end of the day (okay, night) the steam no longer seemed as hot and was putting out a lot more water. I did read some reviews that mentioned that the steam wasn’t hot enough, but they seemed to have this problem right out of the gate. I’ll try it out again tomorrow and hope it won’t be an issue.

As for where I was finding dirt... Mostly it was that surfaces that I had already cleaned suddenly looked cleaner. The machine did a very good job on the hood in my kitchen, and the oven, which was due for a deep clean. I’m pretty particular about the kitchen in general, but after I was finished with the steamer the kitchen really gleamed. DH came in and started singing the song “Shiny” from Moana. 😂

In the bathrooms I particularly appreciated the machine’s help in cleaning the toilets because I dislike that job intensely. Cleaning the mirrors was fun with the little squeegee attachment, it cleaned the walls and floors without problem. It cleaned the tile beautifully. 
 

So overall, pleased, but will keep an eye on the steam temperature and hope it isn’t an issue.

[Spy Car]

3 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Thanks. I stayed with friends in LA and, thinking back,  their bathroom was preternaturally dry.

How about for a new shower? We plan to re-do both our bathrooms next year - if next year happens in any kind of recognisable form. Would weekly steaming from immediately after the new shower is installed be likely to keep it lovely?

I would think so. A good sealer and regular cleanings. Doubt it would take once a week. Not here. Scotland, who knows?

I tried a few things that helped. One, Soft Scrub (do you have that? A preformulated bleach scrubbing paste). And two, hydrogen peroxide (I used both a spray and a paste made from the Oxy Brite powder. It is a go slow job to remove stains. Once clean, easy job.

Bill

 

[Spy Car]

15 minutes ago, bibiche said:

My mad day of cleaning draws to an end, and I am taking my prune hands to bed. 
 

I cleaned bathrooms and the kitchen. I found that the machine’s running out of steam generally coincided with my running out of steam, so having to wait until the machine cooled down to refill it wasn’t a problem.

I did notice that by the end of the day (okay, night) the steam no longer seemed as hot and was putting out a lot more water. I did read some reviews that mentioned that the steam wasn’t hot enough, but they seemed to have this problem right out of the gate. I’ll try it out again tomorrow and hope it won’t be an issue.

As for where I was finding dirt... Mostly it was that surfaces that I had already cleaned suddenly looked cleaner. The machine did a very good job on the hood in my kitchen, and the oven, which was due for a deep clean. I’m pretty particular about the kitchen in general, but after I was finished with the steamer the kitchen really gleamed. DH came in and started singing the song “Shiny” from Moana. 😂

In the bathrooms I particularly appreciated the machine’s help in cleaning the toilets because I dislike that job intensely. Cleaning the mirrors was fun with the little squeegee attachment, it cleaned the walls and floors without problem. It cleaned the tile beautifully. 
 

So overall, pleased, but will keep an eye on the steam temperature and hope it isn’t an issue.

On jobs that need "full steam," look for the light to go green. That means full power. If it goes amber, that's less than full power.

Some jobs really benefit from full power (groat, degreasing) and some don't (floors & walls). You will get the feel. If the light is green you will feel strong steam power. The very expensive steamers Dupray sells can evidently hold high steam pressure longer. But these Neat steamers are $149 not $1,000 or $2,000.

Tips:

Shoot the very first release into a cloth or sink or toilet, if "wetness is undesirable." The first pull tends to be "wet" for a second or two, then drier steam comes.

Refills can happen sooner if you just crack the seal (don't get burned).

When refilling, if you overfill the water so it backs up on the top, pull the trigger and it will suck the excess water into the tank.

Shiny sounds good! Congrats.

Bill

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by Spy Car

[bibiche]

I think I might need a 12 step program. I know you warned me, @Spy Car, but I thought I could handle it. It started with turning on the machine to get that one spot I missed, but then since I had it on, I might as well clean that old chair, and I’ve been meaning to take down that wallpaper and steam would be the easiest way. I knew it was bad when I  wailed a little bit when the machine ran out of steam halfway through a project. But I’m only stopping until it cools down enough to refill. I just need to clean a little more and then I’ll stop, I swear. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by bibiche

[Spy Car]

1 hour ago, bibiche said:

I think I might need a 12 step program. I know you warned me, @Spy Car, but I thought I could handle it. It started with turning on the machine to get that one spot I missed, but then since I had it on, I might as well clean that old chair, and I’ve been meaning to take down that wallpaper and steam would be the easiest way. I knew it was bad when I  wailed a little bit when the machine ran out of steam halfway through a project. But I’m only stopping until it cools down enough to refill. I just need to clean a little more and then I’ll stop, I swear. 

I've been where you are. I understand completely. I've in recovery.

Although I am taking a break from steaming the shower. I realized it was time--thanks to this thread.

Gently cracking the seal (don't burn yourself, careful!) shortens the refill time considerably.

Bill

[Lady Marmalade]

I don't think my shower has ever been so clean. 

My Neat arrived yesterday but I didn't even have time to open up the box.  I forgot about it until I walked in the door after work today and dashed off to the shower- which is 100% why I bought it.   We have a stand up, tile shower tiled in blacks and greys with black grout, and two sliding glass doors that overlap.  Cleaning it is my most hated thing and I let it get super disgusting inbetween cleanings because I just. can't. 

Super easy to get going, though it took me a while to get into the flow with how to move the tool around, and going back and forth between accessories to find the best way to clean.

I definitely don't have the hang of the window tool, and apparently I have to go watch some videos because I can't figure out how to clean the toilet with the steamer. 

I feel like it was worth the purchase just for the shower.  I can't wait to see what else I can clean with it!

[Spy Car]

2 hours ago, Lady Marmalade said:

I don't think my shower has ever been so clean. 

My Neat arrived yesterday but I didn't even have time to open up the box.  I forgot about it until I walked in the door after work today and dashed off to the shower- which is 100% why I bought it.   We have a stand up, tile shower tiled in blacks and greys with black grout, and two sliding glass doors that overlap.  Cleaning it is my most hated thing and I let it get super disgusting inbetween cleanings because I just. can't. 

Super easy to get going, though it took me a while to get into the flow with how to move the tool around, and going back and forth between accessories to find the best way to clean.

I definitely don't have the hang of the window tool, and apparently I have to go watch some videos because I can't figure out how to clean the toilet with the steamer. 

I feel like it was worth the purchase just for the shower.  I can't wait to see what else I can clean with it!

Yippee.

You remind me I need to use the window attachment more.

As to the toilets, I use the wand with the soft bristle brush attachment and steam all around, and then wipe it down with a soft rag.

The tendency (mine anyway) is to think one needs to "scrub." Resist that impulse (on most items) and let the steam do the work, especially on grout.

Bill

 

 

 

[Laura Corin]

6 hours ago, Lady Marmalade said:

I don't think my shower has ever been so clean. 

My Neat arrived yesterday but I didn't even have time to open up the box.  I forgot about it until I walked in the door after work today and dashed off to the shower- which is 100% why I bought it.   We have a stand up, tile shower tiled in blacks and greys with black grout, and two sliding glass doors that overlap.  Cleaning it is my most hated thing and I let it get super disgusting inbetween cleanings because I just. can't. 

Super easy to get going, though it took me a while to get into the flow with how to move the tool around, and going back and forth between accessories to find the best way to clean.

I definitely don't have the hang of the window tool, and apparently I have to go watch some videos because I can't figure out how to clean the toilet with the steamer. 

I feel like it was worth the purchase just for the shower.  I can't wait to see what else I can clean with it!

Do you have silicone sealant, and how did it work on that? I'm wondering if it would melt.

[Lady Marmalade]

15 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Do you have silicone sealant, and how did it work on that? I'm wondering if it would melt.

I don't think we have sealant.

[bibiche]

1 minute ago, kand said:

I’ve done walls and grout with mine at this point, but I’m pondering kitchen cabinets. They’re painted, and they attract dust and dirt like crazy. I don’t think the previous owner used the right kind of paint on them (she told me when we bought it that she had painted them really quickly because she hated the old color and had intended to redo it properly later, but then decided her quick job was good enough). So, I’m kind of worries the paint will peel. Our range hood is painted wood as well. Would you use it on that?

 

I didn’t get perfect results on my grout, but it’s a big improvement. I tackled the worst shower first. Our master shower is mostly in good shape, so maybe it will work better in there. 
 

Can you change tools without waiting for cool down? I couldn’t decide how likely I was to burn myself that way. 

Try it out on a small area of the painted area and see how it does. 
 

I change tools while it is hot, I’m just careful and sometimes use a cleaning towel to protect my hand.

Im actually a bit miffed with Dupray at the moment. My steamer is taking significantly longer than usual to heat up, I descaled as they suggested but the problem remains. When I wrote to tell them that they replied breezily that there was nothing wrong with the machine. If any of my employees responded to a customer complaint like that heads would roll. 😠 

[East Coast Sue]

Just this week I used mine to clean the tile in the shower, the porcelain tub, the grout between tiles of the kitchen floor. I also used it to clean the trim along stairs, floor, and windows. I truly love it and btw I’ve only had it a week!