Experience with ladybug and other similar steam/vapor cleaners
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
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Comments (4)what climate are you in? does your house have forced air? if you have moving air in the room that gets steamed, you can expect big wool stuff to dry out quickly. All vapor steam cleaners are not sopping wet except when the handle end is inefficient. It's never the fault of the tip end. Definition of handle end = operator holding the handle. Definition of quickly = not so slow as to upset the most tolerant people. Definition of big = boy oh boy do you ever have a lot of mass here. HTH -david...See Morevapor steam cleaners
Comments (8)LPolk and Jerry, thanks for your comments. I've had adventures in vapor steam cleaning since I first posted my query. A nice lady from Norwalk, CT came to my house and demonstrated the wonders of the Ladybug XL, which I did order from her. I think the on-site demonstration is very helpful, because there are definitely a few things to learn about how to use these things, and the hands-on demonstration helps. There's a video that comes along with the machine, too. Since I am of the opinion that one might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb, and since I have few other major vices besides my addiction to high-end home appliances, I bought some fun accessories as well: the (terrific) steam iron that can be run off the Ladybug, and the aromatherapy attachment (after cleaning the kitchen you can infuse the air with a favorite essential oil, like peppermint, or bergamot). I am enjoying the Ladybug very much -- it has added a couple of years to the lifespan of child- and dog-worn living room upholstery, and revived outdoor furniture cushions that I thought were beyond the pale, and I use it on all the rugs in the house, including some old vegetable-dyed Orientals -- they are significantly brighter and silkier/springier afterwards, and I don't see pigment coming out of the old rugs onto the terry towel that wraps the cleaning head, just dirt. I can clean my entire bathroom (limestone, stainless steel, porcelain, glass, and polyurethaned wooden floor) without using any solvents or paper towels -- the very hot vapor sterilizes surfaces. Afterwards, I wash any dirty terry towel wraps in a hot-water wash, dry them, and they're ready to reuse. I bought the cleaner because I wanted to be able to steam-clean mattresses to kill dust mites, to which my mildly asthmatic son is allerlgic. There is medical research that shows that vapor steam cleaning does significantly reduce the amount of dust mite and dust mite antigen on rugs and mattresses -- you have to follow the steam cleaning with a good vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove the dead mites and their residua -- but I haven't yet come across any medical literature that proves that this leads to significant improvement in clinical symptoms for those who are allergic to dust mites -- so it's too soon to make that claim. Still, I feel very virtuous as I steam clean the mattresses and pillows. The Ladybug can wash windows -- or i should say, YOU can wash windows using the Ladybug. There are other attachments like the "tough kit" for cleaning grills, or detailing the car, but I haven't done either of those tasks yet. I do clean my kitchen range, and that is deeply satisfying. In general, the Ladybug is a great tool in the kitchen. In fact, the hardest part is deciding where to keep it: near the bathrooms, or in the laundry room with the ironing board, or in the kitchen? I think the continuous refill feature is very important, because in the course of several hours of steam cleaning one might need to top up the reservoir at least several times, depending on how much steam one is using. I also like that the vapor steam is so dry that steamed fabrics feel dry to the touch soon after cleaning. I had one problem when an attachment broke -- I e-mailed the representative, who arranged for a replacement piece to be sent immediately, at no charge. It's cute, too, did I mention how cute it is? And it is very quiet, so while you are cleaning you can listen to music, or talk radio, or self-improvement tapes if you feel like improving yourself. Perhaps I should "get a life." But there you have my experience to date....See MoreBest steam mop/cleaner for floors
Comments (4)I've had a shark steam blaster and just recently got a ladybug. There's absolutely no comparison between the two. The Lady Bug was really expensive, but I use it every other day, it's VERY powerful and I expect for it to last for a long time. You can do a search here for Lady Bug or steam cleaners and get quite a bit of info. There was also a recent post called "Back to the bucket", I think it's on the second page (sorry, I'm not sure how to link a post) where I commented on the Lady Bug and what I've done with it. Good luck!...See Moreto all vapour steam cleaner users
Comments (10)I'm about to purchase a vapor steam cleaner. My top priority is the weight and size. I hope to be able to fit it under my sink in the kitchen. I want it to be easy to access so I will be more likely to use it often. Sorry you have had such a bad experience. My second priority is "stainless steel"boiler. i.e. no rusting. Third priority is continuous fill. I don't want to have to wait twenty minutes on those occasions where I have refilled the tank for it to get hot again. The best one that fits my criteria is Ladybug brand. It is expensive. I don't think I can get by for less than $1049.00, yow! The second one was going to be "Tidyvap" brand but they don't make it anymore. A local guy here tells me that Reliable brand will fit my requirements except it is 21 pounds and the ladybug is only 15. I hope to get to see one next week when he hopes to have one in his shop. Buying from a local shop would really be hard to pass up but I still think the weight of the machine is VERY important. If I decide on a Ladybug brand, I'm going to order from allergybuyersclub.com I haven't been able to find any local dealers for Ladybug. I think you can also get one from amazon.com for a little more but you might be able to expedite shipping. The TR5 looks like a pretty good price. I can't find where it says it is continuous fill but I'm not sure I have to have that. I did find where it says it is stainless steel. Saving $500.00 would be nice. Still looking and thinking. If you know of another vapor steamer that meets 3 criteria above but is less than $1049, let me know. Good luck on your search. Keep us posted....See MoreRelated Professionals
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