Continuous Flow and Vacuum: Higher Price Worth It?
Jun 11 '03
The Bottom Line For a growing number of allergy sufferers, the choice is clear: buy a vapor steam cleaner with a vacuum. For others, a lower priced model will clean and sanitize nicely.
I’ve spent a great deal of time researching vapor steam cleaners and I’m amazed at the different styles and range of prices to choose from. The saying “you get what you pay for” seems to apply when it comes to the durability of these remarkable machines. I purchased a Steam Vapor Vac online from the nice people at www.vapor-systems.com and while the unit is pricey, it is as sturdy as a tank. It does everything I could ask of it and more. But are the expensive features like continuous flow and ultrafine vacuum filtration offered by top-of-the-line vapor steam cleaners really required for everyday home use? Or is a lower priced vapor steam cleaner adequate for most users? The answer depends on what and how long you plan to clean.
From what I can gather, most homeowners purchase a vapor steam cleaner for one of two reasons: (1) to clean and sanitize kitchens and bathrooms without the use of harmful chemicals or (2) to eliminate allergens from bedding, couches, carpet, stuffed toys and old clothing. I am allergic to dust mites so I fall into the second category. But let’s begin with the first group.
Websites marketing vapor steam cleaners tout that the machines clean, sanitize, and deodorize using only a little water and a little electricity. They offer machines from around $300 to over $3000. So what’s the difference? Well, besides durability, one big difference is that the higher priced machines feature a second tank that lets you add water to the main tank, the boiler, without having to cool the vapor cleaner down. This is a lot like a car. We all know never to remove the radiator cap when our car has been running. The coolant (antifreeze) level can be inspected by a non-pressurized reservoir marked “engine coolant only” that feeds the radiator with coolant as it is needed. The more expensive vapor steam cleaners work on the same principal. They have a second non-pressurized tank or reservoir that keeps the boiler filled with water so that you do not have to shut the machine down to refill it. This comes in handy if you plan to use your vapor steam cleaner for more than two hours at a time. If you never clean this long, the continuous flow feature is a luxury you can do without.
This brings us to the vacuum feature. Since vapor is only 5% water, a vacuum is really not required when cleaning most surfaces because they are left dry almost instantly. However, the vacuum feature is a godsend for those of us that are sensitive to allergens, such as dust mites. According to Prevention magazine, killing dust mites is not sufficient for allergy sufferers. You must also remove their remains from your home. Unless you own a vapor steam cleaner like the Steam Vapor Vac this will be difficult to accomplish.
Dust mites are so small that thousands of them can fit on the tip of a pencil. Cleaning your mattress with any good vapor steam cleaner will kill dust mites instantly. But it’s not actually the dust mites people like me are allergic too. When dust mites grow, they shed their skin. The shed skin and feces are what causes allergic reactions in people — from itchy noses and watery eyes to severe asthma attacks. Vacuuming your mattress with a conventional vacuum will only put the skin flakes and feces back into the air. The only way to really control dust mites in your home is to suck them away after you kill them with a vacuum that features a filtration system capable of holding microscopic particles. Only the higher priced vapor steam cleaners come with such an ultrafine filtration system. In the case of the Steam Vapor Vac, the filter is a water-based tank separate from the boiler and reservoir. This third tank is easily removed and cleaned with a mild dishwashing liquid.
What all this means is that for a growing number of allergy sufferers like me, the choice is clear: buy a vapor steam cleaner with a vacuum. For others, who primarily want to clean and sanitize their bathrooms and kitchens, the higher price tag will likely keep vapor steam cleaners with vacuums out of their online shopping cart.
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kristen72
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