I, like most people, hate cleaning, especially when it comes to cleaning things like cookers and, even worse, toilets.
The process of cleaning such things always starts with a trip to the shops to buy the cleaning solutions, bleach, cloths, scrubbing brushes and anything else that claims to be able to make cleaning a lot more effortless. So by the time you get home you're not only skint from the ever increasing prices that shops are keen to implement on their goods, but your too tired to actually get any cleaning done anyway.
This was a bit of a ritual in my house until we started to use a device called a steam cleaner, which, as the name suggests, cleans things by using steam, and only steam.

Well a few months ago my usual little buddy steam cleaner somehow managed to break down and just didn't have the power to steam clean anymore, so I decided to stick with the steam cleaning process and went out to get my hands on another steam cleaner.
Whilst in the shops I spotted a rather fine steam cleaner, which, according to the lovely picture on the box, came with an array of accessories and was in fact a little more than your standard steam cleaner, it was in fact an all round steam machine that not only would clean away all that grime without the use of chemicals, but would also, in a way, steam the wall paper off your walls. And as the wife had been commenting on her need for a fresh new look in the house I decided that this would be ideal for more than just cleaning the toilet.
This particular steam cleaner that I went ahead and bought was in fact from a company called the Earlex, who make things such as spray guns, wet/dry vacuum cleaners and more, (it's amazing what google brings up isn't it?)

Anyway, when I got this home and had a look at it I was pretty amazed with all the little bits and bobs that were neatly packed inside the box, although I've never managed to get everything back into the box after I've finished using it.

** But here's a list of those bits and bobs...

* The steamer itself
* Three pronged mains cable
* 3.6metre hose
* Three plastic extension tubes
* Various brushes of different sizes
* Tile cleaner
* Jet Nozzle and scraper
* Universal handle
* Jet nozzle
* Brush and scraper for jet nozzle
* Large plate for wallpaper stripping
* Plughole utensil
* Floor cleaner and towel
* Upholstery cleaner and towel
* Small steam plate

Wow, I can here you say. That's a lot of bits and bobs, but believe me, you'll use everyone of them at some point if you ever get your hands on this steam cleaner.

The steam cleaner, or tank, itself can hold up to 4.5 litres of water and, when full, can produce enough steam to last a good couple of hour, maybe longer in fact, depending on what you use the steam for.
The mains lead is about 3000mm long and allows you to have the unit itself well away from any electrical sockets so that the steam can't get near them.
There is a safety cut off switch which, as the name states, cuts the heat off if the 'tank' becomes empty of water, which is a great idea in itself.


** What does it look like then...?

The main unit, or tank as I will call it, is made of a white plastic material, although when I say white I really mean that it is a clear white material and you can actually see the water that is inside the unit. The top of the tank is a black plastic with a little yellow cap covering the hole in which you pour the water into it, with the cap having a little pressure safety valve in the middle. In the middle of the black lid there is a very sturdy handle for carrying the tank around, although it does get heavier the more water you put into it.
The array attachments are all made of a sturdy black plastic which, although they do get hot, can easily withstand the heat of the steam as it blasts through them.
The hose is as flexible as a piece of string and as tough as old boots, which allows you to twist and turn it without any danger of it splitting. But if you want to make the hose solid, so to speak, then you just slide it through the three tubes and you have yourself a long pole for steam cleaning the floors or those high hard to reach places.

The only attachment that isn't black is the wallpaper stripper as this is a clear/white plastic but again is as sturdy and durable as the rest.

** How do you use it..?

This is pretty easy really, just unscrew the yellow cap which is on top of the water 'tank', pour in some cold water then screw the cap back into place, making sure it's screwed on tightly so as not to allow steam to leak out.
Then, to turn it on, as there is no actual on/off switch, you just plug it into the plug socket, give it a few minutes to get to heat, which on a full tank can take about 15 minutes to get there.
Whilst the water is heating up you can set the hose and attachment up as this may pass a bit of time.
Once the water gets to the right heat the steam should start coming out of the hose end and there should be a few hissing sounds as well. This all means that you're ready to get steaming, whether that be cleaning that exploded casserole off your cooker, scrubbing the dogs 'accidents' from the carpet or even stripping that horrid woodchip wallpaper off the ceiling

A couple of points to mention regarding safety are...

As I mentioned this doesn't have an on/off switch so when you plug it in the wall it instantly begins to heat up, then when you unplug it it turns off, so do remember to take the plug out of the wall when it's empty, or you're refilling or in fact you've finished with it.

And, when refilling the tank first unplug the cable from the wall and then allow a few minute for the tank to cool down before unscrewing the yellow cap as there will still be some very hot steam in the 'tank' and it will burn you if you take the cap of too soon.


** The attachments themselves...

The main attachment, which is the hose, is about 3 and a half metres long which gives you plenty of length so you don't have to carry the water filled tank up and down ladders or around the room as you clean or strip away. Then, using the three tubular handle type attachments, which all slot together with ease, you then get a 'standard' size handle which the hose slides through and gives you the stability to use it as a floor cleaner, like you would with a vacuum cleaner or brush.
If you don't use the tubes you'll just have a floppy hose.

The other attachments all have there own little jobs to do, such as the towel covered floor cleaner which allows you to steam clean your wooden floor without scratching them, the plug hole unblocker which blasts away all that 'gunk' that is stopping your water flowing down your drains. Then there's the jet of steam for blasting away the grease and grime on your cooker, or maybe add the scrapers which attach to the jet nozzles and narrows the steam jet to give that slight more pressure in a more direct way. You could even try the window cleaner attachment which makes light work of any grime stuck to your glass, such as bird poop on your windows, as the steam jets out underneath the head and straight onto the glass.

Suffice to say that all the attachments do a cracking job in what they are supposed to do.


** My opinion...

This is more than just a steam cleaner, this is an M & S steam cleaner... sorry, I mean this is an all round steamer as I don't think you can get it from M & S, although they should sell it there.
It not only helps clean up around the house in a none chemical sort of way it helps when you're pressured into doing a bit of decorating too.
It's pretty lightweight to start with, but it does get heavier the more water you add into the tank.

Each attachment slots into place without any trouble at all, allowing me to get the job done without the hassles of anything not connected properly, it's all just a matter of push and twist, simple really. And it's just as easy when disconnecting the attachments too, although it's twist and pull this time.

I have used the wallpaper striper pad several times since I first go this as I seem to have spent plenty of time stripping wallpaper either in my own house or at friends and families. This plate is a brilliant addition and saves hours when stripping paper off the wall, rather than the old fashioned method of using a sponge, a water spray bottle and a lot of elbow grease.
It's so safe to use, even though it pumps out very hot steam, as the steam comes out of the flat underside whilst you hold the comfortable handle on the opposite side, thus keeping the heat away from yourself, although when using it for stripping paper from a ceiling it can drip hot water onto your head so do be careful.
Plus there's the smaller stripping plate which is great for getting into smaller areas that need to be stripped.

The upholstery cleaner is another great little tool and has really helped clean such things as the curtains, cushions and more, which is very useful when you have a hyped up dog and a couple of even more hyped up kids all in one house.
But, as with the floor cleaner, it's best to attach the little towel supplied to get the best results as this stops any damage to your things.
In fact each little tool has come in very handy for some cleaning task or another.

The hose is so flexible and even though it has jets of hot steam flying through it it doesn't get that hot, and when you push the hose through the tubes you've then got a 'brush/mop' length type handle so you can go about cleaning the floors without breaking my back, or more the wife's back, (kidding).

In all, it's an all round cleaning machine which is great for the environment as it eliminates the need for cleaning chemicals.
I've used this all around my house, and even in the garden, on such jobs as the toilet, bath, glass, mirrors, sinks, cookers, furniture.... Well, you get the point. If it needs cleaning then this will clean it.

The one downside I have to add is the fact that it doesn't have an on/off switch so you do have to keep plugging it in and unplugging it. I mean, how hard would it have been to fit a little switch?

As for the price, this little steam cleaner. Nay, all round steaming machine, sells for around the £50.00 region which is great value for money for the results you get.