First off, make sure you read all the directions before use! After getting through the short manual, I set up shop in the bathroom and intended to clean every surface. It took about 15-20 minutes with a full tank (48 oz) to be ready for use. I kept the bathroom door closed and locked because I was concerned about my children and puppies being curious and getting hurt. I understand why it takes so long to get going, but I was worried that one of my little ones would get into it. There really should be a lock on the trigger seeing as it has to be left for so long to warm up and all it takes is a second to get some major burns. That said, locking it in the bathroom did the trick for me.
Once it was ready, I started with the brass nozzle and cleaned my bathtub and shower. It worked very well with a bit of elbow grease to remove all the build up in the grout and around the shower head which are always a pain to keep clean. It was very easy to clean the areas around my faucet that are too narrow to clean with anything other than a toothbrush. I also did some polishing up of the toilet and the toddler seats and felt really great about the idea of disinfecting everything without chemicals. I had wanted a versatile cleaner like this for some time as my mother has a nice one that I've always been jealous of, but it costs her $40 every time she needs to refill the chemicals and they go pretty fast with regular use. As a result, she doesn't use it as much as she would like to. Not so with this steamer! I absolutely love that it's just tap water. So easy and simple. The manual does warn that over time you can get mineral build up from using non-distilled water but gives you clear directions on how to clean that up so I'm sure it won't be an issue when/if it happens.
Before finishing up with the nozzle, I found my own personal perfect use for the steamer. Cleaning my window screens! Several times a year, I have to take apart all our windows and haul the screens into the backyard to spray down with the hose. Not only is this time consuming, but it isn't all that effective. I still have to use up a ton of towels wiping them down to get them really clean. I decided to give the steamer a try on my bathroom screens and oh my gosh! Instantly clean. No scrubbing, no wiping, just clean. Even if I could use it for nothing else, I would use it for this. It will save me SO much time and headache in the long run.
Once I was done with the screen, I wanted to try the squeegee attachment on the windows and mirror. I am impatient and was annoyed that I had to wait 20 minutes for the attachment to cool before I could swap it out, so I used my oven mitt and easily took off the nozzle and replaced it with the squeegee. I'm very picky about streaky glass, and was VERY pleased that within seconds I had my mirror clean from top to bottom, even at the very top where I can't normally reach without a step ladder or climbing onto the vanity. It did leave little pools of water at the bottom but a quick wipe and it was cleaned up. And NO STREAKS!!
Finally, I put on the floor attachment and went to work on my tile. It was very quick and very simple. I left it to air dry as normal and the floor was clean in half the time with no chemicals. I love this steamer so much! It's making my family healthier thanks to being able to throw out the chemicals and it's saving me time and money. Does it get any better?!
My only gripes are the fact that there is no safety lock on the trigger for use when it's warming up and that there's no on board storage for all the accessories. I get that they wanted to keep the unit small and portable, but I have all this bulky accessories with nowhere to store them. Also, the cord is pretty short. I can imagine this is for safety reasons, but it's kind of a nuisance to keep moving it from plug to plug, even within a single room. Overall though, well worth the money!
Please note that I have posted before and after images for 2 different stains on cement floors.
The first thing I did when this item arrived is pour myself a tall cup of coffee and read the instruction booklet. Radically banal, I know, but I did this for 2 reasons:
1) Things that steam and operate under pressure wig me out a bit
2) Is it advised for use on my specific application? (Cement floor? Answer: yes)
My Main Intended Application (possible gross-out alert):
This steamer is marketed primarily for wall-paper removal. While my house does not have any wall-paper, it does have certain tell-tale signs that 4 cats live here. They have produced prodigious and near-permanent 3-D stains using every orifice available to them. Scrub-brushes, a garden hoe, bleach, TSP, Brillo pads ... NOTHING removes the stains that went undetected for more than a couple of days, especially on our basement's cement floor.
WHAT I LIKE:
1) Ease of set-up and ease of use not messy, though it did scare the cats, and required lots of paper towels
2) Attachments (1 jet nozzle, 2 nozzle brushes, 2 extension wands, 1 steam plate, 1 large cleaning brush, 1 squeegee)
3) Light-weight, easy to carry up and down stairs
4) 16 ounces of water heated in just a few minutes (max of 48 ounces will require longer time)
5) Results on cement floor outstanding!! (see my Customer Images) Just a few swipes with the cleaning brush attachment did the job (plus a whole lot of paper towels).
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE POTENTIAL HAZARD:
This steamer has no water-level indicator and you should use your own timer to prevent fire and/or electric shock from allowing the steamer to boil dry. The machine DOES have a thermal safety fuse reset capability for when the steamer is allowed to run WHILE dry (i.e. if you turn the machine on without filling the reservoir first), yet it does not seem to kick in if the steamer had been previously filled but allowed to boil dry. Thus, for safety, you have to be VERY mindful about your usage time based on how much water you have inserted (see "Good To Know" below). The manufacturers seriously need to add at least an automated timer to this machine and ideally an auto-shut-off feature.
WHAT I DID NOT EXPECT:
During my first 10 minutes of use, I had to stop and wait 4 times for the water to reheat. This is a bit of a pain for longer periods of cleaning, but I can get used to this. (I just have to remember to look at the indicator lights very frequently; when the light is red, the machine is working on creating steam, therefore you must wait for the light to turn green again, indicating steam is available for use.)
GOOD TO KNOW:
1) 16 ounces of water provides 15 minutes of steam time
2) 32 ounces of water provides 30 minutes of steam time
3) 48 ounces of water (max capacity) provides 45 minutes of steam time
4) Distilled water is recommended over regular tap water.
5) You'll most likely need an extension cord, and only a heavy duty 3-wire 3-prong (grounded) cord.
6) You'll need to use your own timer to avoid a hazardous boiled-dry situation.
BOTTOM LINE:
For cleaning nasty old 3-D pet-stained cement floors, I am positively pleased with this steamer. What this steamer was able to accomplish in just 10 minutes outweighs the concerns I mentioned above. I am looking forward to experimenting with all the attachments and getting to know this machine much better.
Buy Wagner 915 1,500-Watt On-Demand Power Steamer and Cleaner Now
I was very excited when this came in the mail today. My luck with a steam cleaner has not been very good lately. This can be attested to a steam cleaner (McCulloch 1246) I bought a few months back and after trying it on, provided extremely disappointing results, it was returned within the day I received it. Only a comprehensive evaluation of the Wagner 915 On-Demand Power Steamer would tell if my excitement will turn into exhiliration or disappointment, and I am proud to conclude, it has exceeded my expectations of what a steam cleaner should be in every way.
The Wagner 915 comes in a bright yellow-colored body and it is ready to roll right out of the box: fill it up with water, attach the jet nozzle, plug it in the outlet, wait a few minutes for steam and pressure to build up and voila! steam power at your command, ready to tackle the most demanding cleaning job in your household.
It comes with following attachments: the main jet nozzel, plastic and metal brush, attachment to remove wallpapers and the mopping attachment. My first order of battle for this steam cleaner is the bathroom. Once the red light indicator turns off, just leaving the green light, it means you're ready to wage your war on germs. I tried it first on the shower curtains and the superheated and high pressure steam blasted away soap scums like it wasn't there. The superheated steam softens the scum and the pressure blasts it away at the same time. The grout also proved no match for this steamer. Along with the plastic brush attachment, a gentle scrubbing motion was all it took to make the stain disappear on the grout edges. Since the steam was very hot, you can also sanitize the toilet without worrying about the smell of chemical cleaners or getting it on your skin. My second task was the stove top, oven and the microwave. Again, the superheated steam and both the plastic and metal brush, softened the baked in grime and stain and blasted it away with high pressure. All that needs to be done in the end is a simple wipe. You can also prefer to skip the wiping and just air dry it. I haven't tried the wallpaper remover attachment since there are no wall papers anywhere in my home.
Be advised though that, you need to have a little patience when using a steam cleaner. As you prolong the steaming, you release pressure from the steaming unit and it needs to build up again. This is the purpose of the red light indicator. If the red light is on, it means it is building up steam and pressure. It has exceeded my expectations in the sense that with the Wagner 915, this steamer MAINTAINED the superheated status of the steam for a much longer time compared to the previous steam cleaner I had, the McCulloch 1246. Maintaining the heat of the steam for a prolonged period of time is very important feature in my opinion as it gets your task done faster without the frequent waiting in between for the steam cleaner to heat up and build pressure again. The McCulloch 1246 failed miserably with this feature. (You can read all about this in my separate review for the McCulloch). Another nice thing with the wagner is that it has its own compartment where you can store the tiny plastic and metal brush. It can be stored there after using the steamer, eliminating the need to look for it elsewhere or misplacing it. Be careful though because it is also where the water tank opening is located and just after using the steamer, the tank cap can be very hot so avoid getting in contact with it right after use.
Other reviewers noted the short power cord. This is a minor gripe in my opinion as I can always use an extension cord. Overall, very impressed with the performance of this product and I just hope it continues to function well and not break down in the near future. Highly recommended!
Read Best Reviews of Wagner 915 1,500-Watt On-Demand Power Steamer and Cleaner Here
I purchased the wagner steam cleaner because the 1st one I purchased (McCulloch MC-1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner) broke after the 2nd time I used it. I liked the wagner because
1. The wagner steam cleaner is lighter and more sturdily built compared to the McCulloch.
2. The wagner emits a more powerful jet of steam compared to the McCulloch which is useful in cleaning the bathroom and fixtures.
3. The squegee on the Wagner left no streaks vs some streaks left by the McCulloch
4. The wagner came with a cloth/mop that was really useful in mopping the floors. You could use any small towel as well as there is space to pin a cloth onto the tool.
5. The wagner works with tap water whereas the McCulloch requires distilled water.
The only disadvantage to the wagner is that the electric cord is really too short. I have purchased the "Stanley 31536 Heavy Duty 9-Foot 110V Extension Cord, Grey" from amazon to compensate for the short cord on the wagner.
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My wife and I had been using a steam mop in the kitchen for the last year which died on us recently. I wasn't ever too happy with it it had a small tank which needed to be filled all the time and wasn't useful anywhere else in the house.
I started looking for a more durable replacement for it and none of the steam mops had that good of reviews.
This steamer, although it's not a dedicated mop, has served as a great replacement for it. It has a huge tank (it does take a few minutes to heat up), several attachments and feels much more rugged than the mop only models.
We probably use it for mopping 30% of the time, with the rest of it being spent cleaning everything from grout lines, messy kitchen appliances, shower doors and even stains on the carpet that have been there for years. For most everything, we have the small nozzle on it with the plastic bristles. This lets us scrub our grill and even clean pet stains on the carpet which I really wasn't expecting. It also comes with a squeegee attachment that quickly got rid of old mildew on our guest shower door.
This thing gets used almost as much as our vacuum and has done everything and more we bought it for. Very happy with it.
Highly recommended.
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While this product works much better than the multipurpose and window-type spray cleaners, the wipes are not as easy to use as I'd hoped. You see, you will need to actually clean the item first, then use these wipes to polish the surface. And by polish, I do mean *vigorously polish*. If you simply run these across a stainless surface, you will end up with milky residue/major streaks.
