We were about ready to return ours until we figured out that the lower the steam setting (even lower than the instructions), the less water is left on the floor or item (when used on items other than the floor) and the Steamfast''s cleaning ability is not lessened by the lower setting. Also, if you are going to use it on both tile floors and wood floors in the same cleaning session and do not want to change pads, use it on the wood floors first at its lowest setting and then clean the tile second on medium. If you use the medium setting first, too much water will be left on whatever you use it afterward when you subsequently turn it down to low. Also, we have found that if you let the mop heat up on very low for a longer period of time, i.e., about a minute or so before using it, less water will be left on the floor. What would be great would be a setting that first heated up the mop with no steam.
However, it works very well getting our floors "squeaky clean;" and the floors seem to stay clean much longer. We are keeping it.
Now...what''s with this complaint about weak handles from some other reviewers! The handle is made from thick tubular aluminum and is screwed into a deep socket of reinforced ABS plastic. You''d have to drive over it with a Mack Truck even to bend it...and I''d be more concerned about damage to the truck.
We have also tried the clothes steamer. That also works very well once you figure out how much steam to use without leaving water drips on the fabric. Disconnecting and using it as a hand steamer for various tasks (accessories included) is not the easiest task, due to how well the handle is attached; so some improvement could be made for this feature.
Also, if the water reservoir needs to be refilled during one session, the process is quite awkward in that the the fill receptacle is near the bottom of the reservoir making it necessary to lay the mop down on its side if you want to refill it to its capacity. However, the mop will clean about 1200 to 1400 square feet of flooring on one filling at its low setting.
The mechanism for putting on the the supplied pads is also awkward and difficult to use. Get the Bissel "slip-on" pads. They work much better.
When we were deciding whether or not to return the Steamfast, we borrowed the Euro-Pro Shark Pocket Steam Mop ($119.00 at Target) and a better Hahn ($99.00 from Amazon) from two of our neighbors to see if either did a better job. The Hahn was very slightly better at not leaving water on the wood floor, and just as good, but no better at cleaning. It did not clean tile and grout nearly as well as the Steamfast. The Pocket Mop did not clean as well, period; and sometimes left even more water on the floor. Neither has the versatility of the Steamfast.
The Steamfast is not a perfect product. Neither are any of the others in this genre; but with a few minor improvements, it could blow the others away; and at $74, it can perform many jobs besides cleaning floors very well. We are looking forward to using the other features and attachments.
Update:
My apologies for extolling the handle. Ours broke too, but in the middle sliding part. Steamfast is correcting the problem and quickly sent us a replacement part, which was unnecessary as the handle is easily repairable with a short sheet metal screw.
I still rate the product a full four stars and perhaps a little more for its performance.
It''s easy to assemble. However, the pole/handle has the option to lengthen or shorten and mine was stuck. I almost sent it back, because when I pulled on it, it seemed like it was going to break. Eventually, it came out, though. Just be aware that it should get longer if you need it to.
I did the kitchen floor last night. I wasn''t "amazed" by the amount of dirt it picked up. It didn''t pick up years of mud and grime, or change the color of my floor or anything! In fact, I will probably re-use the cloth provided once more before I wash it. But the floors really feel clean today, so I''m happy with the results. AndNO SOAP or CHEMICALS!
I''m interested to see how the handheld steamer works on showers and corners and the like. I chose this steamer over all others because it DID include both the floor mop and the handheld option, so I hope I made the right decision!
The overall "FEEL" of the product is definitely reminiscent of infomercial quality... it just doesn''t feel like a Bissel or other household name would. But I''m willing to give it 30 days to prove itself to me. I''ll update this as I''ve used it more!
UPDATE: I used it over the weekend on medium-high to steam clean the glass shower door and frame in the house I just purchased. I cannot tell you how many years of mildew and mold and funk this thing blasted away from the frame of this door! I spent probably 2 hours cleaning the shower that day because I couldn''t believe how much of that stuff was built up in there. So it definitely earned it''s place in our house for that reason.
The clothes steamer attachment, which also houses the squeegee attachment, seem to leak down my arm while I am trying to work, which is pretty annoying. And to do the shower job, I went through probably 15 paper towels (too icky for a regular towel) and 1 hand towel for wiping up the wetness.
Bottom lineIt''s not the greatest product in the world, but I''ve found some very valid uses for this. No other brand right now offers the hand steamer/mop combo, and I think it is worth the money to have both options available and only one small product to store.
Update #2: It no longer works and is being thrown out with the garbage this week. I had it for about a year and a half. Don''t waste your money!!! I''m shopping a more reputable brand, and if I have to get a separate hand steamer from the mop, I guess that''s just what I have to do!
Buy SteamFast SF-292 Multi-Purpose Floor Mop and Handheld Steam Cleaner Now
This is the best product that I ever bought. The mop is wonderful and works extremely well. The pads could be thicker so I went out and bought a thick hand towel and cut it to fit. Now it''s perfect. I also love the hand steamer. I use it in the bathroom around the toliet and when my kids spilled sticky stuff in the fridge and didn''t wipe it up (of course!) I used the hand steamer and it came right off in two seconds! A must have if you have children!!
Read Best Reviews of SteamFast SF-292 Multi-Purpose Floor Mop and Handheld Steam Cleaner Here
This is the best product I have ever purchased! The steamfast was ready to go right out of the box, no tools needed, just a few twists and clicks and you''re off. I have some serious back injuries that prevent me from doing any deep cleaning. The steamfast has changed all that. First of all it is very light, no need to push down or scrub like you would using a swiffer or mop. Second it is easy to fill and operate. I first cleaned my wood laminate floors. I put it between low and medium, mopped following the grain pattern and the floors dried quickly and looked beautiful. If you have streaks when dry just use a lower setting. This is good enough for me and my family. The steamfast has a swivel head which gets under kitchen cabinets, furniture and behind the toilet. Next I steamed my oriental rug and chaise lounge, they looked beautiful. I changed from the mop head to the jet nozzel and cleaned the shower. I leave the handle on so I don''t have to stoop or bend to reach the edges or the bottom of tub then just rinse with the shower head. For the next big job I used the jet nozzel and the hard utility brush (not the wire one) and cleaned my vinyl siding! Two of my neighbors saw me doing this and both were amazed at how well it worked and plan on purchasing a steamfast. For vinyl siding first spray with a garden hose, then steam brush the house on high, spray again with the garden hose and the bugs and gunk are gone. Move on to the next section and when finished it looks brand new. I was a bit worried that when I lifted it above my head that the steam/water would run down my arm but it doesn''t. I used it on my bathroom and kitchen counters, stove and sinks with no chemicals! Today I will steam/squeegee my windows. I actually look forward to cleaning now. I did find the mopping pad to be too thin as some other owners had mentioned. I cut a folded dish towel using the enclosed pad as a pattern and use all 3 pads together when mopping. I also found when mopping that the mop head flips up on the backward stroke. I leant it to my sister who found this problem very frustrating. I simply taped a round weight on the top/front of the mop head which works perfectly. After several months of use the pole slips while mopping which is frustrating. I may purchase a replacement pole because this tool kicks #$$ !Eureka 169B Quick Up Vacuum,
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First I used it hand-held with the jet nozzle to clean the toilet. WOW! That was easy. I then proceeded to the faucet and it''s mirror to get rid of toothpaste, shaving cream and all the other junk that gets splashed around the toilet sink.......The sqeegie attachment made cleaning the mirror tooooo easy!The chrome sink faucet had a super polished look when I was done.
So I decided to attach the fabric attachment. I put the settingon low and took the wrinkles off a dress shirt in a few minutes. EASY!
The next day I put the mop attachment and handle on and cleaned the kitchen floor.
The floors were clean and odorless.
Once you understand how to use the setting for the job at hand everything goes without a hitch. This is the best investment ive made in a long time.
Now the only hing I have to look for is how long it last''s and if that goes well I will be one very happy steamfast user.
UPDATE!!! Used it on bathroom tile and got rid of al the black mildew and and black gunk that grows in between the tiles. I found this so much more effective than using scrubbing bubbles or tolex because it actually removed the black gunk. I have never seen the grout so white and clean.
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Where I live we have had a few notifications from our local water department of elevated levels of arsenic; NOT GOOD. So I''ve had it in the back of my mind to get an RO system for some time;
