For the purposes of a
I always fill my steam cleaners with distilled bottled water and a few drops of lavender essential oils. Tap water would be fine in a pinch, but minerals and such can eventually clog it up, so distilled water is best.
No. It is not recommended to add anything but distilled or filtered water to a steam cleaner. It could mess up your steamer and it is not necessary. As stated above, the water gets hot enough to disinfect on its own.
It is recommended to only use distilled water in your steam machine since tap water contains minerals (especially hard water). If for some reason distilled water is not available, filtered water would be a good second option.
Water type to use
Therefore, to prolong the lifespan of your iron or steamer it is recommended to use distilled or demineralized water (50% demineralized water mixed with tap water could be used too).
A: Anything other than water will likely burn itself onto the heater elements making them less efficient and eventually burning them out. Also, turning cleaning agents into steam will possibly change their chemical nature and could become harmful to your floors and dangerous to you.
Using any type of cleaning solution, perfumed oils or other chemical cleaner with your steam mop is not recommended. These products can damage your steam mop and defeat the benefits of chemical-free cleaning. We hope this information helps. Thank you for your feedback!
The Pro+ Steam Detergent by Pro-Kleen thoroughly cleans and rejuvenates all types of hard floors and is safe to use with all types of steam mops.
Using tap water is fine as long as you have access to soft or distilled water. If you live in an area with hard water, we recommend using our distilled Steam Water. For handheld steamers, remove the water tank from the steamer, fill the tank with water, make sure it is properly sealed and put it back in place.
Never put any cleaning agents / chemicals into the steam cleaner as this may cause damage to the machine and also the surface of the floor.
Pine Sol® products were not designed to be used in steam cleaners.
So, where does the dirt go when you steam clean? Actually, it doesn't go anywhere. Instead, the heat and vapour of steam cleaning ensure that all the unwanted substances or stains are fully broken down and easy to get rid of.
That probably depends on the quality of your tap water. Bissell strongly recommends using distilled water. If you have "hard" water, mineral deposits will most likely accumulate (eventually) in the machine and cause it to stop steaming.
All steam cleaners work best with distilled water.
Step-by-Step Steam Mop Cleaning Process
If you're cleaning the steam mop right after using it, wait for the water to cool down before pouring it into a bucket or sink. Dissolve 1.5 ounces of baking soda in 1 liter of water or prepare a descaling solution. Pour this into the tank where you just emptied the water.
Use tap water instead of distilled water to fill the steamer. (Tap water, especially in areas with hard water, contains minerals that build up in the steamer's water reservoir and nozzle.) Leave water in the tank instead of emptying it after each use.
Nothing but water, and preferably DISTILLED water and not tap water. You run the risk of having the mop plug up and stop steaming if you add anything else to the tank...and doing so will void the valuable 2 year manufacturer's warranty you get with this mop.
If too much cleaner is used, or if it's not suitable for your floor type, it leaves a sticky film that attracts more dirt. Another common reason is the mop itself. Using dirty water or not changing it frequently enough while mopping can spread grime rather than remove it, which leads to that unwanted sticky floor.
For the purposes of a clothing steamer, your best and safest bet is to use distilled water. Additionally, using distilled white vinegar can help clean the nozzle and fill the tank safely.
You can use any kind of non-foaming, good quality rug cleaning solution made for hot water extraction: Simple Green, Rug Doctor, generic, etc. The machine really doesn't "know" what you are using.
You shouldn't put cleaner in your steam mop. Most steam mops are designed to use water to generate steam. Adding chemicals can cause a number of issues. Most manufacturers including Shark actually tell you not to use any cleaning solutions, detergents, or chemical cleaners in their steam mops.