Quick Tips: Steam Mop Q&A

How long does a steam mop take to heat up?

Most models take 30 seconds to 2 minutes. To check they are ready, you can briefly activate the mop, and strong steam should come out even when placed against the floor. 

Do steam mops require distilled water, or is tap water okay?

Manufacturer guidelines typically state that only distilled water should be used, the reason being normal water, especially in the UK where water hardness is high, will leave buildup inside steam mops and break them or make them much less powerful. 

Tap water is ok, but comes with consequences, with steam mops breaking or requiring descaling. The key consideration is that distilled water can be very expensive and cumbersome, so often it is more cost effective to forgo distilled water and simply attempt to descale or even purchase a new mop. 

I would generally recommend using tap water and periodically descaling with a 1:1 vinegar/water mix. Manufacturers state that nothing but distilled water should be used, but you may as well descale anyways if the steam mop is non-functional due to buildup. 

Steam mops are very effective, but unfortunately require a lot of babying. 

How often should I change the steam mop pads?

This depends on the level of sanitisation needed and how dirty the space is. It is especially good to check the pad periodically to understand how dirty things are, and work on a room by room basis, starting with the cleanest space. 

If the area is very clean and the pad does not discolour, you can use the same pad for multiple rooms. If the pad easily discolours, change frequently, once per room, or even multiple times per room depending on build up. 

For high risk environments like a nursery you will also want to change pads very often and make sure they are as clean as possible by the end of the cleaning session.