I happen to have created a website that’s based on steam cleaning, so you’re probably going to guess how the information will be portrayed in the following few words. However, you should know I’m not here to try and get you to buy a product that doesn’t suit you. I have a reputation to protect and giving bad information isn’t what I’m about.
That said, I must apologize in advance for my bias based on steam cleaning Vs traditional mopping. You see for me, it’s not very hard to know what the clear winner is, but I’ll do my best to as objective as I can.
Traditional Mopping
As we all know this involves a bucket of hot water, some detergent and a trusty mop. Traditional mops come in all shapes and sizes these days. You can get flat mops, sponge type mops, rope, dust and all sorts of others that will help to keep your hard floors clean.
In the “old” days, you would need a bucket with a section to ring out any excess water so your floors weren’t sopping wet by the time you had finished. Nowadays, there is little need for this because many traditional mops come with their own system for doing this which does save a bit of time when you’re cleaning and it also helps with the overall drying time.
Plenty of people like the idea of washing their floors in this way because there is nothing better than that fresh smell once you’ve finished, and believe it or not some also need to feel like they’ve just spent an hour in the gym to truly get the sense of a clean floor.
Steam Cleaning
Steam has been used for cleaning for some time now, and it was developed because people have less time to spend on household chores than they used to. There is no need to (repeatedly) get out a bucket, wait while it fills with water and then lug it about the home with you.
Another aspect of steam cleaning that lots of people don’t think about is that it gets rid of unwanted germs you can’t see. Steam is incredibly hot and a lot of the models of steam mops I have reviewed on my website will actually kill 99.99% of bacteria that can cause a variety of illnesses.
This type of cleaning is also eco-friendly, safer and cost effective. This is because most models don’t need detergent added.
General household detergents can contain ingredients that some of us react to. I should know because I’ve had my fair share of “dishpan hands” over the years! Not only that, these ingredients may get left behind on your floor which can be a potential hazard to small children and pets. Of course, I don’t have to tell you how much these cleaning products cost, and it doesn’t bear thinking about how much this amounts to over the years.
In Short
So just to recap, I’ve done a quick table below for you:
Steam Cleaning
- Steam cleaning will help get rid of invisible bacteria that traditional mopping cannot.
- Drying time with steam cleaning is far quicker because there is less water left behind.
- You don’t need potentially harmful (and expensive) detergents with steam cleaning.
- You only need one tool when you steam clean your floors.
- Depending on which model of steam cleaner you buy, you could also have the option to clean places other than your floors. Countertops or tiles for instance can be given a good clean without the need for another appliance (although you may have to change the extensions).
- Hard to remove stains, or ground in dirt can be removed without the need to “scrub”.
- It’s eco-friendly and safer for pets and small children.
Traditional Mopping
- Traditional mops are less expensive to buy, but remember you will need a bucket and probably a scrubbing brush or two (not to mention the detergent).
- If you like the smell of a freshly washed floor, standard mops will always give you this over steam models.
- If you’re the type that prefers to get a good workout when you clean your floors, perhaps traditional mopping is what you should stick with.
As you can see, the benefits I believe you get from steam cleaning outweigh those for the traditional methods, but it really is up to you which you choose. In fact, some people use both traditional and steam cleaning methods so perhaps that’s worth considering as well.
