We went to the shops bright and early and asked an assistant to explain all the various features on steam irons. That was why we had gone out early, so that we could find an assistant who was not too busy, we wanted advise so that we bought the best steam iron.

She was really helpful and told us that for anyone who is forgetful, auto shut off is a must. Most irons have it and it means that if the iron is not moved the iron is automatically shut off. This feature is common because whilst it won’t prevent fabric being scorched, it will prevent fire.

The steam gauge was pretty obvious as it adjust the amount of steam or allows it to be shut off completely. You can also get an anti drip feature that allows you to steam at low temperatures without leaks.

A burst of steam button is also common, it just delivers an extra blast of steam to help with stubborn wrinkles and it also helps to flush the vents out and keep them clean. Means you don’t need a self cleaning system – seems these don’t always work too well over a long period.

She then moved on to water reservoirs. Some are a small tube and some are a large chamber beneath the handle. If you have a transparent chamber it is easier to see the water level. You can also get a removable water reservoir which is really easy to fill.

Lots of water fill holes now have covers. Some are hinged, others slide. The idea of this is to prevent leaking. You have to watch that the cover does not make filling the iron harder by getting in the way and also that it is easy to open and close.

She told us that it was important to have the controls in places that were convenient for you. The temperature control should be clearly marked and easy to use. She said that very often on the front of the handle was best although on some digital irons these could be caught and changed accidentally.

Lots of irons have a non stick bottom. Some budget models have aluminium and others have stainless steel. There is no significant difference between them if you use steam and non stick surfaces are easier to scratch when they catch on fastenings on clothing and then the iron does not glide so well. This is what had happened to my sister’s old iron I think.

The assistant then left us to have a look at the various models which all had labels showing the features and the prices. There were lots of familiar names like, Hamilton Beach, Black and Decker and Sunbeam but there were also some others not so familiar. Rowenta, Panasonic, Bosch etc.

We looked at GE irons, but whilst they are a value brand they were a little basic. Proctor Silex irons were similar, this is the budget brand of Hamilton Beach. The T-Fal irons have a non stick sole plate and one of these has an enamel coating on the bottom. I had one of these a few years ago and didn’t like the enamel coating at all.

Sunbeam irons had a great range of features and at reasonable prices – vertical steam, drip free features, definitely to be considered. Hamilton Beach irons are more expensive and they have features that include electronic controls and vertical steam whilst Rowenta is a really premium brand of iron. Some of their irons have a ‘platinum’ sole plate and their irons are more expensive.

Black and Decker turned out to be a major brand and they offer a wide range of irons with differing types of sole plates, even ceramic. Some of their irons have steam available at all temperatures and there are a good choice of digital electronic models with LED displays and even a multilingual option.

We started narrowing our choice more. The Kenmore Sears KS400 was a really good price and had good performance ratings but it was not quite what my sister was looking for. Then we discovered something really interesting. A lot of the steam irons had ratings on them due to some consumer testing and two irons were rated the same. One was the Hamilton Beach Professional 14970 and the other was the Rowenta professional DM890. Seems the Rowenta was not as durable as the Hamilton Beach Steam Iron but the Rowenta iron had better steam but their overall rating was the same. The interesting thing was that the Rowenta steam iron was more than twice the price of the Hamilton Beach iron.

In the end my sister fell in love with a reasonably priced steam iron, the Black and Decker Digital Advantage D2030. She loved it. It has a very easy to read digital display and an audible tone tells her when it is ready to use due to something called the SmartTemp system that ensures no guessing. There is vertical steam, variable steam, spray mist and surge of seam. She loves the stainless steel sole plate and the pivoting cord and the snazzy flip open water fill door – hey I would have preferred a slide door! My sister is happy, the price was good and I think she made a good choice, it is definitely the best steam iron for her.

Have you have seen the late night infomercials touting the benefits of owning a steam mop? Does your neighbor keep bragging that she is able to clean her house in half the time thanks to her new steamer? Is someone in your household sensitive to cleaners? Or are just plain sick and tired of dragging out the mop and bucket every weekend, and want to find an effective alternative?

There are several makes and models of steamer mops on the market. Though there are slight differences, these gadgets do basically the same thing. They clean floors using steam instead of soap and other detergents.

They can be used on several types of flooring surfaces, including ceramic tile, linoleum, and sealed hardwood flooring. Some even have an additional accessory which allows them to be used on carpet. They should not be used on unsealed wood floors. The hot steam can also be harmful to no-wax flooring. Although they can be used on linoleum and similar surfaces, the hot steam could have an adverse effect on the glue used to adhere these types of flooring to the ground.

If you are concerned about the safety of using a steam mop on your floors, there are a couple of steps you can contact. First, you may want to contact the flooring manufacturer and ask. Second, you can test the machine on a small area that is in a low visibility area.

To operate your steam mop, you will want to read the detailed instruction manual that comes with it. However, to give you a brief overview of how they work, here are the basic steps:

1. Fill the water tank with either tap or distilled water. Most recommend that you use distilled if your water is hard.

2. Attach the cleaning pad to the bottom of the machine. Many models use machine washable, reusable cleaning pads. Some have disposable pads that can be thrown out after use.

3. Make sure your hands are dry. Plug in the machine and give it time to heat. For most brands, this takes approximately thirty seconds.

4. Start the steaming process. Some models are trigger driven, while others use a pumping motion on the handle to start this process.

5. Slide the mop head across the floor, adding more steam as necessary. To sanitize, read the manufacturer’s directions. Most recommend that you leave the unit in place for a set amount of time (for example, 10-15 seconds) for sanitizing.

6. When finished, turn off the machine and unplug. Also, do this any time you need to refill the water tank or replace the cleaning pad.

7. To store the machine, read the instructions. Most recommend emptying the water tank, removing the cleaning pad, and carefully wrapping the outlet cord.

As you can see, using a steam mop is a fairly easy process. You can achieve similar results as using a mop and bucket, but with much less hassle and effort.

Children and dirt seem to be magnetically attracted to one another. Cleaning them is a relatively easy task, hot water, soap and a short wrestling match and that’s taken care of. Your house, on the other hand, takes a beating, especially your carpets and floors. This is where owning a carpet steam cleaner comes in.

Young children, especially toddlers learning to feed themselves, tend to get more on the floor than in their mouths most of the time. Keeping your floors clean and germ free becomes a full time job at this point. A carpet steam cleaner insures not only the mess is gone but a much more sanitary clean than just wiping up or vacuuming.

As the children get older and play outdoors, nature takes its course and invades your home, leaving its mark just about everywhere it seems. Dirt, leaves snow and ice make their way into and on to your carpet and floors. A steam cleaner not only takes care of the carpet but also the hardwood flooring around your home.

Bissell makes a line of very affordable steam cleaners, designed to fit almost any budget. They also manufacture ones specifically for flooring. Ladybug makes a cleaner that is durable and comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer, any issues, your machine is repaired by them.

Having a professional carpet cleaning service come to your home can become quite expensive, especially if you have a very active family. By purchasing your own steam cleaner you can avoid these costly repeat visits. After three or four uses, you will find that it has paid for itself. The benefit of owning one of these machines is that it will help keep your house clean and create a healthier environment for you and your family.

People have an affinity for cleanliness. Wherever we are at any time of the day we either gravitate to a clean area or try to make the area clean so that we are more at ease. In our homes where we have more control on what we use or how we clean, cleaning products or equipment are points to ponder. What equipment or cleaning product we use is often dictated by the kind of dirt or stain we need to remove. A majority of us often partner our beloved mop or rag with powerful chemicals to do the job.

It is unfortunate that our love affair with chemical cleaning products has led to its own list of harmful side effects. A majority of cleaning agents have chemicals that are harmful to our environment. These findings from a multitude of research done over the years have sparked the need for alternative ways to clean and disinfect. The need to find a piece of equipment that can pick up dirt as well as disinfect, remove stains and is environmentally friendly seems like quite a challenge. It is however a challenge that Shark Steam cleaners will win.

If you are still not quite convinced to change your traditional cleaning methods and switch over to Shark steam cleaners, the following eye-openers may change your mind.

- Compared to vacuum cleaners, mops or brooms Shark steam cleaners are more efficient. Traditional cleaning equipment only remove the dust on top, Shark steam cleaners go deeper. The generated steam is able to unearth dust from surface “pores” which can then be wiped for a thoroughly clean area.

- Chemical free cleaning can still produce hygenic results. In The case of steam cleaners there is no need for chemical disinfectants because heat from th steam is able to kill bacteria and viruses. As there is no chemical used, your family will no longer be exposed to the harmful fumes that are often a by product of these cleaners. Cleaner air in our homes means a lesser probability or getting respiratory diseases and ultimately a healthier way of life.

- It is economical in the long run. Yes one will have to invest in a Shark steam cleaner unit however you will eliminate the need to buy chemical cleaning agents. In time you will reap the benefits of all the money you will be able to save.

- Another reason to buy Shark steam cleaners is its convenient because it can be used on different types of surfaces therefore eliminating the need to buy different types of cleaning equipment. Cleaning your pet’s pee will never result in an unpleasant odor again, and all that without chemicals.