Just wondering if anyone has one and if they're as good as the infomercials will have you believe?!

I have laminate and a little bit of carpet which really do take a battering this time of year (12 muddy paws!) I'm currently renting but have now bought somewhere and move in January, so keen to get this place as clean as possible before we leave.

Thanks :-)

Clare

I have two steamers and wouldn't be without them! No more bleaching out smelly mops etc. They are great for laminate although i can't coment on what they're like on carpets as i haven't tried.
I have an upright for laminate and the other is a cylinder with interchangeable heads for awkward places.
The only thing that niggles me is the need to frequently clean the towelling cloth that cleans the floor. I wish they came with spares so you could have one in use and one in wash!

Thank you, it's the laminate I'm most concerned about as it's very cheap and cheerful and was quite scratched when we moved in and even more scratched now!  As you can imagine tiny scratches are much more visible with the constant muddy traffic... I bit the bullet and ordered on from QVC (I really am turning into my mother!), 3 interest free payments and I can return it if I don't like it :-)  You can buy extra attachments for awkward places, including the oven!  I'll be a domestic goddess before long (well... don't bet on it!!).

They certainly don't work on carpets, that's for sure. Not sure if they are safe on laminate or if it would warp due to the heat and wetness? I use mine on vinyl and tiles, it's okay, quick, easy, saves time -but if the floors are really dirty, such as if it is muddy outside, or if a bitch is in season and drips blood, then you still have to use a normal mop and some liquid detergent as otherwise they just don't get really clean. Our usual routine is I use the steam cleaner in the living room and bathroom every week, in the hall once a fortnight, use the old fashioned mop in the kitchen and utility room every week (that's where you get the biggest muddy paws, living room has much smaller ones as my big dogs use the back garden and little ones use front), and once a fortnight my husband gets down on his hands and knees and scrubs the floor in the hall with a brush as by then it is very much needed.

my husband gets down on his hands and knees and scrubs the floor in the hall with a brush as by then it is very much needed.

Ooooh i say! Isn't he well trained! :-)

Thanks Goldmali.  Most steam mops seem to say safe for properly fitted laminate, so I'm hopeful it will be ok.  I guess it's still worth a try, knowing I can always send it back if it doesn't live up to my (high) expectations.  I suppose what I really need is to train OH too :-D