Steam Handheld Vax S4 Grime Master

Vax S4 Grime Master Steam Handheld

Motor Power : 1200 W Upright/Cyclone : Upright Hard Floor / Carpet :Both

 

Vax S4 Grime Master
By M Low
I have borrowed steam cleaners from friends before but was delighted to get one of my own. I would say this is by far the most compact and easy to use steamer I have used. The steamer can be operated using one hand. (Some of them I have used required you to hold the steamer in one hand and a hose connected to it in the other which is very awkward). This allows you a free hand to steady yourself if you are reaching into corners or a free hand to clean with after using the steamer.

It comes with a range of attachments - these include a simple 15cm long nozzle, a small circular brush that fits on the end of the long nozzle, a window-cleaning attachment and a couple of elasticated flannel covers that fit into the window cleaner for use on furniture. Of course, you can also use the thing with no attachments at all. There is also a plastic beaker for measuring the correct amount of water that you can pour in to the tank (260ml).

For those of you who have not used steamers before it does not eliminate the need to use elbow grease but what it does do is make cleaning much easier and quicker. It is also great for crevices that are difficult to clean. The steam forces the dirt on allowing you to wipe it away.

I have used the steamer on tiles and shower screen in the bathroom. It is great for cleaning the scum of the grout. There is a round brush attachment that comes with the steamer but I always use an old toothbrush with the steamer for this job. It is also great for mirrors, sinks and toilets. What is does is removes the germs that you cannot see as well as they dirt you can see.

It great to cleaning the inside out outside of oven and grill doors but you cannot use it inside because of the danger with electrics and steam! I have also used the steamer to clean the kitchen tiles and the gas hob. It makes the job of cleaning anything greasy so simple, after a blast from the steamer you merely wipe away with a cloth.

The manual indicates that the elasticated covers can be used for mattresses as well as furniture. I found that the covers were of no use as it was not possible to make contact with the mattress. This would involve tilting the steamer forward which results in water dribbling onto the mattress. I did manage to steam the mattress without this simply by holding the steamer level and allowing the steam to fall onto the mattress. At least this freshened the mattress up and hopefully eliminated some bacteria.

I have a leather sofa so could not test this function out. I have used a steamer before to freshen my vertical blinds and this is the next item on my cleaning list.

A steamer is not a product that most people will use everyday. For some jobs it is invaluable and with the nice compact size, the S4 Grime Master is more likely to be used on a regular basis.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful.
Great Thing
By B. Anderson
It works. It's not quite the magic cleaning solution I thought it would be. But it's not far off. Plus, as a bloke, the only thing that can get me to clean is a cool machine that I can pretend is a ray gun..
817 of 874 people found the following review helpful.
"This product is not designed to be used at an angle" VAX
By kyta
The only reason I award one star is because no stars is not an option.

I ordered this a few days ago on free delivery and, as ever, Amazon excelled and it arrived this morning.

I had high hopes, not least because of the very favourable reviews hereon. I decided to try it out on our Ikea chair pads with white cotton covers. The result: after a lot of gurgling and spitting and some steam, not a steam-cleaned pad but a sodden pad, looking beige instead of white.

The steamer comes with a label asking that those with a problem phone VAX before returning; it's the first time I've seen such a sticker on an appliance. So, I phoned VAX and explained the problem. What I really wanted to know is this: did I have a faulty steamer and should I seek a replacement from Amazon? The answer I got from VAX astounded me: "The product is not designed to be used at an angle because the heating element is in the base." VAX didn't need to explain the technicalities, since I understood immediately: you lose steam power when you tilt the steamer and end up with a mixture of steam and gurgling water (and sodden chair pads!)

Amazon's photos show the steamer being used at an angle and Amazon's description states "1 × Matress (sic) / Upholstery tool". By contrast, VAX told me: "the machine is not designed to do this", despite VAX's User Guide, on page 5, containing a drawing of the steamer being used at an angle of 45 degrees to clean the arm of a sofa!

When I pointed out to VAX that the Mattress / Upholstery tool, when attached to the steamer, sits at an angle of 45 degrees, thereby making it impossible to steam the bottom of a chair without tilting the steamer itself 45 degrees, they still advised that the steamer is not designed to be tilted: "it must be held straight". (It also strikes me that if I wanted to steam-clean a dress hanging up, I'd need to tilt the steamer 45 degrees backwards with the same loss of steam.)

The lady I spoke with spoke with her manager and she certainly understood my point - she advised me to return the steamer to Amazon for a refund. I'll be taking her advice.

If Amazon read this and want the call reference, if they email me I'll send it to them. VAX have taped the call and I'm happy for Amazon to have the details. In any case, if what VAX told me is true then Amazon should change their product description.

I rather like VAX as a company and am looking forward to the arrival, from Amazon, of a VAX floor steamer. Please read this review in conjunction with all the very positive ones. I had hoped that VAX would have suggested I seek a replacement from Amazon - but, no, VAX state that the steamer is designed to be used straight, not angled - in which case VAX's inclusion of a Mattress / Upholstery tool is pointless.
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