Swiffer cleaning fluids=toxic

[badger]

I've thought about steam cleaners, but I'm not sure what they'd be like in actual use. Does the cleaner loosen dirt (or soap scum or whatever), and then you wipe it with a cloth or mop?

BTW, I use Nature Clean products. They aren't easy to find in the US but the work really well and are supposedly as non-toxic as possible.

Pam

I've been using a steam mop for about a year now.

When I first got it, I was hoping the steam would dry the floor as it went, but it basically is just like mopping - only you end up mopping around dirt all over (instead of rinsing out the mop head). So it's best if you have 2 or three of those cloths.

I'm not crazy about it, but it IS easier than the conventional mopping, and it DOES take dried up mud or food off the floor. But I would also caution not to use it too much on wood floor as I've read the heat and water sometimes warps it. If you have a lot of tile, it'll be great. And if you live somewhere warm, even greater because then the water will dry quicker.

[OakLeaf]

I definitely would not use the steam cleaner on wood (or cork, or bamboo), but it's wonderful on tile, and also on the stovetop and oven. I wouldn't have thought it possible to clean an oven without lye or worse, but it takes the crud right off. For me, unless there's an extreme amount of dirt, a single wipe after steaming is enough.

[PamNY]

I definitely would not use the steam cleaner on wood (or cork, or bamboo), but it's wonderful on tile, and also on the stovetop and oven.

Oh, it does stovetop? How wonderful. That and bathroom use would justify the purchase even if I can't use it on my laminate floors. Does anybody use steam for windows? I read a description on Amazon of a steamer with a window squeegee attachment.

Pam

[DebTX]

Last night while watching TV, I saw an add for "Swiffer" (didn't know what it was before). Watching the ad I thought, hmmm, that looks kinda cool (I'm a marketer's dream).

Then I realized I saw a TE thread about it and here I am reading about whether I want to buy it or not.

Scary - TE is becoming the Wikipedia of my daily life.

[Irulan]

I have a swiffer dry w/ vac, that takes the wet cloths.

I found that while it's great for dust on the floor, I much prefer a microfiber dustmop with a real vacuum for true hard surface cleaning. The wet cloths were a total waste IMO, really smeary and not very effective.

I like what my son said about the swiffer : "looks like more junk that will last a year and then end up in a landfill". I do have issues with the disposable cloth aspect. At least with my microfiber dust mop I can wash it and re use it.