5 Surprising ways to use steam for a quick & easy new year clean-up

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When I did the 14 Days to a Tidy Home Challenge earlier this year, I discovered just how fab steam is for cleaning almost everything! Here are five different ways you can use your steam cleaner during your new year clean-up for brilliant outcomes…

CLEAN YOUR OVEN

I bet your oven has taken a bit of a battering over Christmas, right? Mine has never seen so much action as it has in the last couple of days! The traditional way of cleaning out your oven and cleaning up your stovetop is with a bunch of harsh cleaning chemicals, some steel wool, gloves and a hell of a lot of elbow grease.

But instead, you can use your steam cleaner to apply a steady stream of steam to the built-up dirt and grime. This should begin dissolving the mess, allowing you to gently wipe it away. It’s a great idea to do this every month throughout the year – the idea is to not let too much gunk build up so it’s an easy clean each time. Maybe that could be one of your new year’s resolutions??

YOUR COOKER HOOD

While we’re on the topic of ovens, have you ever noticed how your cooker hood can become a gross grease trap? That’s because its job is to suck up cooking vapours and with these come oil, grease and fat. Again, you’re probably used to using chemicals, gloves and clothes to deal with this. Like your oven, you can use your steam cleaner to loosen the grime and then just wipe it away – voila! Use scraps of fabric (cut up old towels or used sweatshirts) rather than kitchen towel for a thrifty way wipe up the mess.

KITCHEN WORKTOPS

Steam is a great way to sanitise surfaces so it might be a handy way to get your kitchen worktops super-clean. However, some materials might not be suited to being cleaned with steam so check with your granite countertop installers or wooden worktop suppliers before you get started with the sanitising.

CLEAN YOUR BATHROOM

Bathrooms need regular attention and cleaning but it’s especially important after Christmas, when extra house guests have used the room for showers and baths. All that moisture makes bathrooms a perfect breeding ground for mould – and soap scum will always build up in your shower and bath as well. So next time you’re due to clean the bathroom, leave the chemically-heavy mould spray in the cupboard and get out your steam cleaner. It will make light work of any mould, soap scum or other dirt. Here’s a pro tip too – you can also use a steam cleaner on your toilet bowl, seat and rim. 

FOR CLEANING YOUR CAR

Most people think they need to take their car into a professional cleaner for a thorough valet but, with a steam cleaner, you can remove stains and give your car’s upholstery a deep clean. Just remember to give it decent vacuum first, to remove any loose dirt and debris. The steam will do a great job, saving you a good deal of money – and you don’t have to leave your driveway!

DETANGLE TOY HAIR

Does your little one play with Barbies or Troll Dolls? Do they always ask you to brush out the tangles in their toys’ hair? A steam cleaner can act as a professional hair tool for toys. Use the steam in conjunction with a small brush and watch their hair turn from a bird’s nest into a smooth, silky salon-style do!

It just goes to show that your steam cleaner can be used for so much more than just cleaning your floors. What other cleaning hacks do you use steam for? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

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This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂