Alright, so I got this idea in my head to really give the floors a proper going over. You know, not just the usual quick sweep. I figured I’d try using the vacuum first, then follow up with the steam cleaner right after. Seemed logical, get the loose stuff up, then hit it with the steam.

Getting Started - The Vacuum Run

First thing, I hauled out the vacuum. It’s nothing special, just a regular machine, but it does the job. I started in the living room, going over the carpets thoroughly. Back and forth, you know the drill. Pulled up a surprising amount of dust and pet hair. Always does.

Then, I moved onto the hard floors – the kitchen tiles and the bit of hallway wood. Same process, vacuumed up all the crumbs, the dust that collects along the edges, everything. Making sure all the loose debris was gone felt important. Didn't want to just push wet dirt around with the steamer later.

Bringing in the Steam

Once the vacuuming was done, I put that away and got the steamer ready. Filled the tank up with plain old tap water. I don't bother with those special cleaning solutions, just water works fine for me. Plugged it in, waited for it to heat up – you know, that little ready light comes on, and it starts to make that slight hissing sound.

I started on the kitchen tiles first. Took it slow, moving the steamer over the floor, letting the steam penetrate the grime. You could actually see the dirt lifting off, especially on the grout lines. It’s pretty satisfying, gotta say.

• Covered the whole kitchen area.
• Switched the pad halfway through because the first one got pretty grubby.
• Then did a pass over the sealed wood floor in the hallway. Used the softer pad for that, didn't want to leave it too wet.

The whole cord situation was a bit of a dance, swapping plugs, trying not to trip. That’s always the annoying part with these things. And the steamer needed a water refill once before I was finished. It’s not a seamless process, more stop and start.

Was It Worth It?

Looking back, it reminds me of when I decided to repaint the garden shed last summer. Thought I could do it in one afternoon. Bought the paint, the brushes, everything. Started off great, sun was shining. Then halfway through, clouds rolled in, started drizzling. Had to pack everything up in a rush. Paint got slightly spotty. Finished it the next day, but it wasn't the quick job I planned. Just like this floor cleaning. You think it'll be straightforward, but there are always little things, like refilling water tanks or dodging cords, that slow you down.

But yeah, the floors? They looked really good afterwards. The tiles were definitely cleaner and shinier than usual, and the grout looked much better. The wood floor looked refreshed too. It took more time and effort than just doing one or the other, vacuuming or steaming/mopping. Switching machines is a bit of a faff. But for that deep clean feeling? Yeah, I reckon it was worth the extra steps. Felt properly clean. I’ll probably stick to this method for the serious cleans, maybe once a month or so.