I recently purchased a steam cleaner for refreshing my furniture and carpet. I have rented a steam cleaner before, and it turns out that buying one is quite affordable. It’s also nice being able to use it whenever I want without having to pick one up at the supermarket and dealing with other people’s crud. I used it for the first time the other night, but I couldn’t tell whether it was actually cleaning the furniture or not. But then I emptied the dirty water tank, and it was filthy. There was even some sludge in the bottom. And when I looked at the chair I cleaned in the morning’s daylight, I realized that it had definitely improved. How did I know this? Because the spot I missed stuck out like the dirty streak it is. See it on the front left of the chair cushion?

While I definitely appreciate the newfound cleanliness the steam cleaner has provided, it wasn’t as painless to use as the online reviews made it out to be.  First, I couldn’t help but spray water all over the place. I was covered in cleaning solution, and so were the towels I put down to protect the floor. Second, the cleaner is incredibly loud! Poor Stella tried to escape the racket by curling up on the windowsill behind the curtains. So cute! I also felt a distinct ringing sensation in my ears when I was through cleaning, so I can only imagine what it was like for her!

Overall, I’m really satisfied with the results, and I’m looking forward to having my other pieces of furniture be just as clean. But I’m less looking forward to the actual cleaning process!