Positively Parenting

By Celene McDermott

Hardwood floors are likely to take a beating this time of year, from setting up tables and chairs for holiday meals to providing a solid play space for children’s new toys. If you find that you are sweeping and mopping more often after all that extra commotion, try Bissell’s Steam and Sweep and save yourself a step. The cleaner allows you to sweep up dust and debris and activate steam to sanitize the floors at the same time.

I used the Steam and Sweep right after a particularly busy Thanksgiving weekend and was so pleased at not only the amount of time I saved (no buckets, mops, brooms, dust pans or harsh chemicals needed!) but also how beautiful the floors looked after they were steamed. The Steam and Sweep was fairly easy to assemble and the water heated up quickly in a removable water tank, which can be filled up with either distilled or demineralized water. Just turn on the Brush Switch to activate the swivel head, which gets under tight spaces and sucks up dust and debris into a removable dirt container. At the same time, a Steam on Demand trigger lets you release the steam over the surface area for about 15-20 seconds to sanitize the floors.

I found that holding down the trigger for steam allowed for better maneuverability, once the microfiber pad on the bottom got a bit wet. However, pulling the Steam and Sweep towards me while cleaning seemed to be easier than pushing it across the floor.  The swivel head and long cord made it easy, though, to clean the length of an entire room and even under cabinets in little time.

Bissell Steam and Sweep is safe to use on all sealed hardwood floors, as well as marble, stone, ceramic tile and vinyl.

Best Feature: Two microfiber mop pads are included and can be attached to the bottom via Velcro straps. At the end of cleaning, just toss each one in the wash to re-use!

Price: $129.99

Available at: Target, Sears, Lowes, Shopko, Meijer, or buy online at www.Bissell.com.

Products Editor, Celene McDermott lives on Long Island, NY. In addition to reviewing products for moms and kids, she writes about family, health and real estate for regional publications. When she is not writing, she can be found walking on the beach or reading books to her adorable niece.