Can You Put Fabuloso in a Steam Mop?
Cleaning your floors can be a time-consuming task. But what if you could make it easier and make your floors smell great by using Fabuloso? Can you put Fabuloso in a steam mop to clean faster without harsh chemicals?
This article will explore this question (the short answer is no) and provide alternatives to using Fabuloso in a steam mop. I’ll examine why people love Fabuloso and how its use with steam cleaning may damage your machine and your health.
I’ll also cover other multipurpose cleaners like Pine Sol, floor cleaners, and disinfectants. Let’s jump right in:
What is Fabuloso?
Fabuloso is a multi-purpose cleaner that has been around for many years, created by the parent company Colgate Palmolive, two popular toothpaste, dish soap, and body soap manufacturers.
It is made from various ingredients, including surfactants, water softeners, and fragrances. The active ingredient in Fabuloso is sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), which helps to break down dirt and grime on surfaces. This makes it an effective hard surface cleaner for hardwood floors, tile floors, countertops, and walls.
The attraction to Fabuloso is the long-lasting fragrance, which has been tested in controlled environments and is meant to last 24 hours.
What are the Ingredients of Fabuloso?
The main ingredients in Fabuloso are SDBS (sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate) which acts as a surfactant; water softener; fragrance; dye; preservative; detergent; emulsifier; stabilizer; pH adjusters, and other additives. All these components work together to create the cleaning power of this product.
You can buy standard Fabuloso or Fabuloso Complete, some of which have extra ingredients like Hydrogen Peroxide and Lactic Acid for additional cleaning power.
What are the Benefits of Using Fabuloso?
Fabuloso can be used on hard surfaces without damaging them or leaving any residue or streaks behind. It also eliminates odors quickly while leaving behind a pleasant scent that lasts long after cleaning your home or office space.
Additionally, its formula does not contain harsh ingredients and is pH neutral, which is why many people wonder can you use fabuloso in a steam mop.
What Types of Surfaces Can You Use Fabuloso On?
Fabuloso is a multi-purpose cleaner used to clean almost any hard surface. However, you should not use Fabuloso in a steam mop.
Let’s explore how you can clean your floors without chemicals and what alternatives are available for making your home smell like Fabuloso.
Can You Put Fabuloso in a Steam Mop?
Fabuloso should not be used in a steam mop or steam cleaner. You should never put anything other than water in steam mops and steam cleaners.
Using Fabuloso on your floors may have some benefits, such as leaving behind a pleasant smell and killing germs, but it also has drawbacks. It’s important to remember that using fragranced cleaning agents like this can cause health problems for those who suffer from allergies or asthma due to their strong fragrances.
Additionally, heating Fabuloso is not recommended. Chemical reactions can occur when the ingredients are heated, leading to harmful gases and fumes.
Key Takeaway: You should not add anything other than water to your steam mop. Fabuloso should not be heated. Harmful gases or fumes may be created by heating the product. Also, some ingredients may damage the inner workings of your machine.
Alternatives to Using Fabuloso in a Steam Mop
Using Fabuloso in a steam mop is not recommended as it can be damaging to the machine and potentially dangerous for your family. Fortunately, many natural and eco-friendly alternatives can help you clean your floors without using chemicals.
Essential Oil Diffusers
There are plenty of alternatives for making their home smell like Fabuloso without actually using the product itself. Try using a diffuser with essential oils such as lavender or lemon.
Add Aromas to Cleaning Cloths
If you have a damp microfiber cloth to wipe over surfaces, place 1-2 drops of essential oils on the corner. This is an all-natural way to freshen up any room quickly. Alternatively, you could use air fresheners made from natural ingredients instead of synthetic fragrances, which often contain harmful toxins that may irritate allergy sufferers further down the line.
Add Fragrance to Floor Pads
You can test and measure this (with care). I have tried adding a few drops of Lemon Myrtle pure essential oil to my microfiber pad. As the oil heated, it changed the fragrance. It was extremely strong and gave me a headache. Perhaps I used too much? I will test this with other oils and keep you updated.
Use Scented Demineralized Water
You can buy scented demineralized water for steamers that fragrance the air as you clean. Bissell Eucalyptus Mint fragrance is a popular choice. and My post on where to buy scented water will help.
Machines With Extra Detergent Tanks
Some steam cleaner manufacturers have extra water tanks where you can add detergents. I don’t see the need for this, as plain steam effectively cleans and kills germs.
If you have a floor cleaner with detergent capabilities, always use the cleaning fluids recommended by the manufacturer. They would have tested this as safe to use in a steam cleaner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions and answers about adding cleaners to your steamer.
Can you put cleaning products in a steam mop?
No, you should not put any cleaning products in a steam mop. Steam mops are designed to clean surfaces with just water and heat. Adding any cleaning product can damage the internal components of the steam mop and potentially cause it to malfunction or stop working altogether.
Can you put Pine-Sol in a steam mop?
Pine-Sol should not be used in a steam mop or steam cleaner. Like Fabuloso, Pine-Sol is not designed to be heated to boiling point and may release hazardous gases. Furthermore, some ingredients may not be suitable for the inner workings of your machine.
Can You Put Zoflora in a Steam Mop?
Zoflora is a concentrated disinfectant and is not meant to be used in steam cleaners. The manufacturer advises: “Zoflora is not suitable for use in electrical appliances, such as irons, steam cleaners, vacuum cleaners, and electrical diffusers.”
Can I Put Bona in My Steam Cleaner?
You should never add bona floor cleaner to a steaming device as it contains hydrogen peroxide and citric acid. Both are corrosive and could damage your steamer. Bona is a popular choice for wood floors and does a great job of cleaning and restoring shine. If you want to use Bona products, use them with recommended spray mops for timber.
How do you make a steam-mopped floor smell nice?
Steam has a naturally fresh smell, particularly when you steam it with distilled or demineralized water. You can buy fragranced demineralized waters that add aroma when cleaning. It is important, however, to never put essential oils, perfumes, or disinfectants in a steam mop water tank, even if you dilute them.
Can I put floor cleaner in my Shark steam mop?
No, you should not put floor cleaner in your Shark steam mop. Shark steam mops should be used with water and nothing else to clean surfaces. Adding a chemical-based cleaner could damage the machine or cause it to malfunction. Additionally, using only water and heat can help reduce allergens in your home without harsh chemicals that may trigger those with allergies or sensitivities. Using a steamer also helps conserve resources since no cleaning products are needed, and less water is used than traditional mopping methods.
What detergent can you use in a steam mop?
Unless the manufacturer recommends it, you should not put any detergent in a steamer. Some machines have separate detergent tanks. If this is the case, choose the product the manufacturer recommends using.
Conclusion
Using a steam mop is an effective way to clean your floors without the need for chemicals. The steam mop uses distilled water and heat to break down dirt, grime, and bacteria on hard surfaces. This makes it ideal for those who suffer from allergies or are looking for a more eco-friendly cleaning solution.
One of the main benefits of using a steam mop instead of traditional mopping methods is that you don’t have to use surfactants, cleaners, and chemicals to get your floors clean. Additionally, they require less water than traditional mopping methods, which helps conserve resources while still providing excellent results.
Combining a cleaning agent like Fabuloso, Pine-Sol, Bona, or Zoflora (to name a few) with steam is simply a waste of money. If you want to disinfect surfaces, an undiluted disinfectant must sit on hard surfaces for at least 10 minutes. Depending on the heat of your steam cleaner, you can disinfect surfaces in seconds, not minutes.
When you clean with steam, you don’t need fancy synthetic-scented cleaning fluids, no matter how nice they make your house smell.
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