Steam cleaning old timber floors

[Jacob]

Plan A is to machine scrub with sugar soap solution. Dunnit several times it works well.
Someone suggested steam cleaners. Anybody have any experience of this? Would it be better than plan A?

 

[Max Power]

1

 

[Myfordman]

I don't understand what is going on with steam cleaning but it is becoming popular lately

The really difficult bit to get my head round is adding detergent of the water pre boiling. My knowledge of physics says that the steam will boil off leaving the detergent behind - so how does that work then?

For timber floors especially older ones, the physical scrubbing with a good grease dissolving solution like sugar soap sounds a better bet on an uneven surface.
MM

 

[Graham Orm]

Heat and steam on wood? Are you insane man?????? :shock: :deer

 

[Graham Orm]

Bought one of those steam cleaners off a shopping channel once. The one they show you dissolving baked on crud in an oven. Load of junk, wouldn't clean anything I pointed it at. Got my money back.

 

[No skills]

Do you mean steam cleaner like Grayorm mentions or hot pressure washer like Max power mentioned?

If the latter - its easy to get a striped effect (ie clean an dirty) if your not careful with overlapping the jet. I've only ever done ****** old container floors though so no expert. The thought of blasting some detergent chemical into a household floor that needs to take a finish afterwards sounds like a bad idea.

FWIW

 

[Max Power]

I

 

[Jacob]

Do you mean steam cleaner like Grayorm mentions or hot pressure washer like Max power mentioned?

I don't know anything about it - that's why I'm asking.
A hot pressure washer sounds impractical as the water has to go somewhere, or is it mop-upable as you go?
Whatever method you use presumably involves a dirty residue which has to be removed. It can't always drain away on a floor, especially if there are rooms below.

 

[Jacob]

Just bumping this.
It seems from the replies that it's either little, domestic, ineffective, or large industrial and perhaps over the top for interiors.
Is there something in between?

PS Steam mops have some sort of built in mop/pad which you replace or clean. Getting closer!

 

[Lons]

Just bumping this.
It seems from the replies that it's either little, domestic, ineffective, or large industrial and perhaps over the top for interiors.
Is there something in between?

PS Steam mops have some sort of built in mop/pad which you replace or clean. Getting closer!

Can't answer your question but after testing 4 different steam mops borrowed from friends, we've only last week bought a Shark mop (from Costco @ £100) having decided it's one of the better ones.
This is to clean our limestone coloured laminate flooring, 80 m2 or so, which it does very well and removes even shoes scuffs quickly. It also seperates to give a hand held for sinks, bathrooms etc.
I would have thought a decent mop would produce enough steam to do the job for you but we found a big difference between the cheap and more expensive models.

Bob

 

[Dangermouse]

What about hiring a planer and taking off a few mill to good wood again. I'd never put old floors and steam / pressured water together.

 

[CHJ]

...This is to clean our limestone coloured laminate flooring, 80 m2 or so, which it does very well and removes even shoes scuffs quickly. ...

What is the substrate on your laminate flooring, I would have thought that hot steam was rather risky , does it not penetrate the joins, or are you referring to continuous sheet material.

Just a thought brought on by having seen several kitchens after a few water spills.

 

[Lons]

Its maketed as being suitable for kitchens and bathrooms and water resistant though I doubt any floor would resist immersion in water, I recon that compared with my wife mopping the thing and taking ages to dry, the steam which drys within seconds can't be any worse. - Only time will tell

Bob