Question from Mary Anne
Hi Debra – this is Mary Anne Stern in Los Angeles (the person who sent you the organic manicure/pedicure recipes). THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the help you give to us persons with MCS (I have fibromyalgia also). Anyway –
Can we pretty please get your “take” on the value or advantages (if there are any) to steam cleaners? I started looking into them and quickly got overwhelmed. There’s everything out there from $19.95 hand-held models that are supposed to sanitize your countertops clear up to models that are $2,000+ with a dozen or more attachments.
The advertising promises to do everything from sanitize your home surfaces to cleaning your rugs and drapes to mucking out the tracks in your doors and windows to killing dust mites in matresses; and of course all effortlessly, if you believe the ads. I keep wondering about the old adage about something that seems to good to be true . . .
Because of my medical conditions, I already make my own household cleaners with baking soda, H2O2, vinegar, castille soap etc etc etc. Would a steam cleaner do a better job? Thanks again so much! Mary Anne in Los Angeles
Debra’s Answer
Hi Mary Anne. I’d be happy to give you my thoughts.
I bought a steam cleaner a couple of years ago. It was about $150, so it’s the “middle of the road” model.
I think the idea is fabulous. The hot steam really does clean things without elbow grease. One thing we cleaned was a lot of green stuff that was growing on the north side of the walls of our house in the forest. It came right off.
But, to be honest, I hardly ever use it. I think the reason is that it isn’t “quick and easy.” It sits in my closet and I only think of it if I have a big cleaning job. But this is me. I don’t vacuum either (Larry does the vacuuming). Hauling noisy machines around isn’t something I enjoy. I’d rather sweep with my handmade broom with the nature spirit face carved in the handle than vacuum.
Also, you need to add water to make the steam, and when the water runs out you have to stop cleaning, add more water, and wait for it to heat up again.
I also don’t have a lot of attention on sanitizing my house. There’s only just Larry and me anyway and we’re exchanging germs all the time.
