A few months ago I wrote a post telling you all about the steam cleaner dilemma that I was having. Should I get one? If I do get one, which steam cleaner is best for me? How much should I pay for a steam cleaner? With so many questions needing answering I knew that the only option I had was to go ahead and buy one.
Buying the steam cleaner
After scouring the internet and doing as much research as possible, I decided to try the Vax S5 Kitchen and Bathroom Master Compact Steam Cleaner*.
I bought mine from John Lewis* at a really decent price of just £63.99. I was impressed with the delivery service, it was quick and efficient, they even sent a text message on the day of delivery to let me know what time they would be calling round so there was no hanging around for days wondering when it was going to be delivered and hoping that they wouldn’t come when I was out.
Having said that I did notice today that Amazon* temporarily had the Vax S5 on special offer at £49.99 with free delivery, so it’s definitely worth checking out both sites to see which one is cheapest before you buy.
Getting to know my steam cleaner
I am definitely like a child when it comes to opening packages. I just can’t control my excitement! So you can imagine my delight to see how many accessories and tools come with the Vax S5. The steam cleaner has two tool compartments that help to contain 16 accessories! These consist of:
- hose and handle
- scraper tool
- grout brush
- detailer tool
- conc nozzle
- window and upholstery tool
- small brush
- large brush
- floor head
- 3 piece extension tube
- funnel
- measuring jug
- upholstery tool cloth x2
- floor head cloth
Once you have plugged it in and connected the hose you will need to fill the tank up the with 1.2 litres of water using the measuring jug and funnel provided, press the on button and wait around 8 minutes for it to heat up. You know that it is ready when the green light comes on.
There is a temperature control dial so that you can adjust the temperature according to what job you are doing. If it is something that is relatively easy then you can preserve more water by turning the temperature down. However if you are tackling something that is very stubborn then the hotter the steam the easier your job will be.
A little tip that I would pass on is to give the nozzle a good blast in a sink or out of a window before you aim it at the area you are wanting to clean as there can be a bit of water that can come out before the steam, so if you don’t want to mop up any water then doing this will prevent that. This is only needed at the beginning of each use.
Windows
The first job that I tackled was my windows. I used the window tool for this. I must admit that this isn’t the most effective tool for the windows. The rubber edge that you are supposed to go over the steam with is a bit too small and weak to do a proper job. So I use my own squeegee on this job. Cleaning with steam is fantastic though, it leaves a streak free glistening finish. I use this same technique on my mirrors and shower screen and they have never looked so good.
Floors
The floor head is great. It is a good size and very easy to maneuver. I have even used this tool on my bathroom ceiling as it is made of plastic tongue and groove and I really struggled to reach it to clean before, but now I can clean it easily with the 3 piece extension set. A great bonus for little old me!
Kitchen
To clean the oven I used the small brush tool and attached a scouring pad to it. This is a great tip for cleaning the oven door because you don’t need to apply any pressure and the finish is great.
To clean the racks I found it easier to put on a pair of rubber gloves (depending on how dirty they are) and give each section a thorough blast with the steam and then a light scrub with a scouring pad will just lift the dirt away. I would recommend cleaning these in the kitchen sink as it can get pretty messy. You can use the detail nozzle for a precise blast of steam for this job, this method works great for the sink drainer too. The window tool can be used to clean the tiles with ease.
I can honestly say that my kitchen hasn’t been this shiny since the day we moved in! 🙂
Odd Jobs
I know that the Vax S5* is classed as a kitchen and bathroom cleaner, but I use it for just about everything you can think of.
With all of the accessories it is amazing to think of the places it can clean that I just haven’t been able to get at properly. The radiators for example were a real pain. No matter how hard I tried to dust the inside of them I just couldn’t get in. But with the Vax S5 all I have to do is attach the detail nozzle and it will get rid of all of the dirt and dust that have collected inside the radiators over the years. I just put some kitchen roll on the floor underneath to catch any dust clumps and that was it. They are now super shiny.
The inside rim of the windows was another annoying place for me. When the house was being renovated it seems like they had the windows open while they were re-plastering all of the walls. So this meant that there was a thick layer of plastering grime inside the window rims and every time I opened them I was faced with muck! And as hard as I tried I just couldn’t get them clean, it felt like concrete. But with a simple blast of the steam cleaner and an old toothbrush and kebab stick to hand (for poking around in the tiny crevices) they are completely dirt free and sparkling white. I know that I am sad but I still get a real sense of pleasure when I open the windows now and see how clean they are.
Storing the Vax S5
The unit itself is very compact so it doesn’t take up much space. You can detach the hose and nozzle for easy storage too.
I had read reviews before purchasing the steam cleaner saying that there wasn’t anywhere on the cleaner for the cord to be neatly stored away. However I think that if the area where the floor head is attached to the side of the S5 wasn’t designed specifically for the cord to be wrapped around, it should have been because it works perfectly.
What do I think?
From the time that I have spent using the Vax S5 steam cleaner* I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is easy to use and very efficient. Every job that I have tackled it has done a fantastic job with. I haven’t used all of the tools yet, the grout cleaner being one of them but I don’t doubt for a minute that it wouldn’t do a good job.
It may not be the steam cleaner for everybody, but for what I want to use it for it is perfect for me, and at only £63.99 I think that it is great value for money.
Have you used the Vax S5 and if you have what are your thoughts about the product?
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