Steam Cleaning

February 20, 2010 11:11 AM

We have some 15 year old linoleum and hardwood floors that could use some cleaning, including some minor discoloration mopping won't fix. What steamers would be good for cleaning those floors?
posted by mccarty.tim to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

You should never use steam cleaners on hardwood flooring. If there is discoloration/staining that cannot come out using conventional cleaning methods, you will probably have to resort to resurfacing the hardwood flooring.

I'm not sure steaming would be applicable to linoleum either, as the heat and moisture could make it come unbound from the underlayment. You might have to replace the linoleum if it isn't cleanable by the usual methods.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:02 PM on February 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Seconding to never use steam on hardwood, and not a great idea for linoleum either.

For the linoleum, you can use vinegar-soaked rags with a cuban mop or other swiffer-eqsue contraption (or you can get on your hands and knees, if you want a little more exercise while you're at it.)

For the hardwood, I like Murphy's Oil Soap. The important thing is to keep the floors dust-mopped to reduce grit in-between cleanings.
posted by desuetude at 12:16 PM on February 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Okay, what would they be good for? My mom's friend suggested them for our hardwood floors, but we might also use it for some of the upholstery on some furniture.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:17 PM on February 20, 2010

Depends on the upholstery. Check the labels first.

You can use a steamer on vinyl floor tiles, usually. Anything vinyl, really. The vinyl part of windows, vinyl tub enclosures, etc. But I've never owned one; I've never been confronted with household cleaning that required firepower greater than scrubbing and mopping.
posted by desuetude at 3:32 PM on February 20, 2010