Steam cleaning glossary

Area rug

An area rug is a rug that covers part of a floor, as opposed to wall-to-wall carpet that is fitted to the whole room. Because it is loose, it can be cleaned on the spot or taken elsewhere, and its fibre decides what cleaning method is safe.

Carpet and rug cleaning

B

Baffle filter

A baffle filter is a range hood filter made of angled metal vanes that force the air to change direction, so grease drops out of the airstream and collects in the channels. It works differently from a mesh filter, which is a woven metal screen that grease clings to.

C

Colourfast

Colourfast means a dyed fabric keeps its colour when it meets water, heat or cleaning. A fabric that is not colourfast can bleed or fade, which is why cleaners test a hidden spot first.

D

Degreaser

A degreaser is a cleaning product made to dissolve or break up grease and oil. Heat does a similar job, because warm grease softens and lifts, which is how steam loosens it without a chemical.

Dry vapour steam

Dry vapour steam is steam made at high temperature with very little water in it, so it reaches a surface as vapour rather than as liquid. That is why it loosens dirt and heats a surface without soaking it.

Dust mites

Dust mites are tiny bugs, too small to see, that live in mattresses, upholstery, carpet and bedding and feed on human skin flakes. Their body parts and droppings can trigger asthma in people who are allergic to them. Steam kills dust mites on contact.

Sources: [1]

E

Enzyme cleaner

An enzyme cleaner is a product that uses enzymes, which are proteins, to break down organic matter such as food, urine and other protein-based soil. It is often used on pet accidents and other biological stains.

F

Floor mats

Floor mats are the removable carpet or rubber mats that sit over the floor of a car. They catch winter salt, sand, mud and spills so the fitted carpet underneath does not have to.

G

Grout

Grout is the cement-based filler that sits between tiles. It is porous, so it absorbs moisture and dirt, which is why grout lines darken and stain long before the tiles do.

Grout sealing

Grout sealing is applying a sealer to grout so it absorbs liquids and stains more slowly. It is a separate step from cleaning, and sealer wears down over time.

H

Hard water

Hard water is water with a high amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium picked up from rock such as limestone. It leaves chalky spots on glass and fixtures and reacts with soap to leave a film.

Headliner

A headliner is the fabric-covered lining on the inside roof of a car. It is usually glued to a backing board, so too much moisture can loosen it, and it needs a low-moisture method.

Hot water extraction

Hot water extraction is a cleaning method that sprays heated water and a cleaning solution into a carpet or fabric and then pulls the water and loosened dirt straight back out with a powerful vacuum. It is often sold as "steam cleaning", but it is the hot water, not steam, that does the work.

Carpet and rug cleaning

L

Limescale

Limescale is the hard, chalky, off-white crust left behind when hard water dries or is heated. It is made mainly of calcium carbonate and builds up on taps, shower glass, tiles and kettles.

Low-moisture cleaning

Low-moisture cleaning is any method that puts very little liquid onto a surface, so the surface dries quickly and is not soaked. It suits leather, delicate fabric and car headliners. Steam Shines uses a lower-moisture setting on leather and delicate fabric.

M

Microfibre

Microfibre is cloth woven from extremely fine synthetic fibres that trap and lift dust and grime instead of pushing it around. In steam cleaning, steam loosens the dirt and a microfibre cloth carries it away.

Mould vs mildew

Mould is a fungus that grows on damp materials such as wood, paper, fabric and drywall, and mildew is the everyday word for mould that spreads flat across a surface, often as a powdery or downy white, grey or yellowish film. Both need moisture, and breathing in or touching mould may cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. In porous grout, mould can grow below the surface where bleach does not reach, and steam kills mould and mildew on contact.

Sources: [3], [5]

Move-in and move-out cleaning

Move-out clean

A move-out clean is a thorough cleaning of an empty home after the old occupants leave, and a move-in clean is the same job done before new ones arrive. Empty rooms are easiest to clean because nothing is in the way.

P

pH-neutral

A pH-neutral cleaner sits around 7 on the pH scale, neither acidic nor alkaline. It is gentler on finishes that strong acids or alkalis can damage, such as natural stone, which acids can etch.

Pile (carpet)

Pile is the visible surface of a carpet: the yarn loops or cut tufts that stand up from the backing. Loop pile and cut pile trap dirt differently, and the pile type affects how a carpet should be cleaned.

Carpet and rug cleaning

R

Range hood filter

A range hood filter is the removable filter in a kitchen range hood that catches airborne grease from cooking before it reaches the fan. It is usually a metal mesh or baffle filter, and it fills with grease over time.

Residue

Residue is whatever stays behind on a surface after cleaning, such as a film of detergent or dissolved soil. It can attract new dirt, which is why steam cleaning, which adds no detergent, leaves none of its own.

S

Sanitizing vs disinfecting

Sanitizing and disinfecting both mean cutting down the germs on a surface, but the two words are not interchangeable. In Canada an authorized surface disinfectant carries an 8-digit identification number, assigned by Health Canada, on its label. Steam Shines describes its steam clean as sanitizing.

Sources: [7]

Soap scum

Soap scum is the dull, whitish film that forms when soap reacts with the minerals in hard water. It builds up on shower glass, tile, tubs and fixtures and holds on to dirt.

Steam cleaning

Steam cleaning is cleaning with the heat of steam to loosen grease and grime, which is then wiped or lifted away, and to kill germs on contact. The label is used loosely, because many machines sold as steam cleaners actually spray hot water.

U

Upholstery

Upholstery is the padding, springs and fabric or leather covering on furniture and on car seats. The padding underneath holds dirt, spills and dust mites that a surface wipe never reaches.

V

VOCs

VOCs, short for volatile organic compounds, are a large group of chemicals found in indoor and outdoor air, emitted as gases from certain solids and liquids such as paints, glues, composite wood and household cleaning products. Exposure to certain VOCs can cause headaches, nausea and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. Steam Shines uses steam and no harsh chemicals.

Sources: [4], [6]