I’ve been married now for twelve years, my wedding ring means as much to me today as it did the day my husband placed it on my finger. However, two weeks ago I was invited to a bridal shower. Upon seeing her sparkly new engagement ring I realized how dull and dirty my wedding ring had become.

 For something that means so much to me, I was surprised at how I’d allowed its condition to deteriorate. I was so sad at the neglected appearance of my ring. It had lost its sparkle and just seemed so dull. Although it was still beautiful to me it definitely didn’t stand out like it used to.

 I am always so careful about taking it off while doing the dishes or working in the garden but this was just years of grime. I knew I had to do something. I remembered back when I first got my ring I would take it to the jewelers to have it cleaned professionally and I knew the cleaning process the jeweler used involved steam.

 As soon as I got home from the bridal shower I plugged in my steam cleaner. While it was heating up I gathered some of my other jewelry that I had neglected, I even grabbed my husbands watch. When the light on the steamer came on I got to work. I threaded my ring over a microfiber cloth and began steaming away the years of grime.

 The jet nozzle blasted gunk out from under the setting which made the diamond shine like it was on fire. The microfiber dried and polished the gold until it was shiny and new too. You should have seen all the black stuff that got blasted out of the links on my husband’s watch. Who knew all that dirt was caught in between the hinges?

 The results were pretty impressive. My husband noticed my ring immediately and when I showed him his watch he thought I’d bought him a new band. I’ve had my steam cleaner for several years now and while I find it an absolute necessity for cleaning my home I was pleasantly surprised when I found one more thing this amazing machine can do.

 This process was so much easier than taking my jewelry in to have it cleaned professionally and the best part about It was that it was free! I could do it on my own time in the comfort of my own home. It only took about 5 minutes and WOW did it ever make my ring shine! It actually looked as shiny and new as it did the first time my husband placed it on my finger.

One of my most favorite things about Spring and Summer is looking out at nature through nice, clean windows. For some reason having clean clear windows just changes the feel of my home. Everything seems cleaner when the rooms are full of sunshine. The whole house seems brighter and cheerier.

 I do have a confession, though, in the past I didn’t wash my windows very often- in fact almost never. It was just such a daunting task. I have tons of them and they’re high – I couldn’t reach most of them without getting on a ladder. Not to mention how time-consuming it was. It seemed to be an all day long event.

 Worst of all was the lousy results after slaving all day long. I always ended up with streaks no matter which stuff I used – vinegar, Windex, alcohol – I tried them all.  None of them were very effective. I had to spray it all over and manually wipe it all off again. I think I covered every square inch of my window 17 times by the time I finished fighting all the streaks.

 It seemed pretty crazy as I thought about it – here I am smearing stuff all over the window when what I really wanted was nothing on the window.

 The sad part about this whole thing is I thought I’d just have to get used to dirty, dingy windows – I just didn’t have the time, the energy or the right tools. Then I found the tool I had been missing and the solution was so simple I couldn’t believe it.  I bought a steam cleaner and I’m so excited about it!

 Steam is just water so it doesn’t leave an oily film like chemical cleaners. The water is “distilled” in the machine so there are no hard water mineral spots left on the glass. The heat melts through sticky fingerprints, fly tracks, even doggy nose prints like magic. The shine is awesome and with no chemicals they even stay cleaner longer.

 My steamer has a squeegee attachment that’s so effective. I use the soft brush for scrubbing away all the weather and grime then I flip to the other side to squeegee away the moisture and dirt. That’s it! No endless polishing and no streaky residue left that just attracts more dirt. They’re streak-free and squeaky-clean in a single pass!

 I can even reach the high windows without climbing on a ladder. I just add extension wands so I can reach to the top while standing on the floor. I finish up any leftover water droplets with a microfiber cloth. Voila! Every window in the house is so shiny, streak-free and clean I can finally see outside again!

 Now I enjoy clean windows all the time. I can’t tell you what a difference my steamer has made. I can tell you I don’t miss how hard I had to work to get windows clean before my steamer. The whole house has never shined like this and with so little work it’s so rewarding. Yeah!

We were so excited for our first addition to our family! Priscilla the English Bulldog puppy! She was so adorable I could have eaten her with a spoon. And that face! Love at first sight. So cute I even forgave her for her 9th little puppy puddle. After the 19th puppy puddle I still loved her but didn’t think she was quite as cute. In fact I was beginning to wonder if we had maybe made a huge mistake.

 This puppy potty training thing was a lot more difficult than we had expected. We were certainly not as prepared as I thought we were. I started wondering how that little body could produce so much piddle? Then I found a great book and her training started to shape up nicely.

Now I had time to focus on the mess she had made of my carpeting. I have two words for all new puppy owners – steam cleaner, I repeat Steam Cleaner (just in case you didn’t get it the first time).

 If not for my steam cleaner, I can say with certainty that I would not have kept my sanity. The carpet, the puppy or both would have had to go. Because of my steamer I can keep the carpet and the puppy.

 There are several reasons my steamer is perfect for this problem. One is because the temperature is so hot it actually kills the bacteria that causes odor. It doesn’t just cover up the smell with a perfumed chemical. Since it doesn’t smell where she went, she won’t go in that spot again. 

I also love it because renting a carpet cleaner or calling a professional service is a very difficult, expensive and/or time consuming job. But with my steamer handy I’m able to remove the pet stains myself quickly and easily before they dry and set. 

I just move the floor brush covered with a cloth back and forth over the stain. The steam pressure penetrates all the way to the carpet padding. Then as the heat rises, up comes the problem into the cloth. I change the cloth as it gets dirty and I know the problem is gone when the cloth comes up clean. 

Now I’m not stressing about my house smelling or thinking about replacing my carpet. I can just relax and enjoy the cute little puddle maker. In fact friends who come to meet Priscilla can’t believe it – our house doesn’t smell like a puppy.

My son is a senior on the varsity wrestling team. He and I have both come a long way since he first started wrestling during his sophomore year. When he first informed me he wanted to try out for the high school team, I had all the normal parental apprehensions -plus some.

 Yes, I was concerned about injuries but when my son brought home some documents from the coach telling us of the viruses, germs and infections that can be picked up on the wrestling mats and wrestling gear, I was mortified!

 We’re talking MRSA, Ringworm, Herpes Simplex, Staph, Strep, and Hepatitis B to name only a few. These infectious, contagious nightmares were not just on the wrestling mats. They live in the headgear, pads, equipment bags and most other hard athletic surfaces.

 Aside from the threat of unhealthy germs, there was an unholy stench coming from every wrestler’s gear! Nobody had ever been able to kill the schtanky miasma that permeated the whole gym.

 The coach promised the wrestling mats were always disinfected before wrestlers were allowed to compete. They used chemical solutions that were applied by the old mop and bucket method. This just didn’t cut it for me. First these kids are exposed to viruses and germs and now chemicals, and how were their gear and the other surfaces being disinfected?

 I had the answer to this problem, STEAM, I just wasn’t sure who to go to about it. I contacted the team mom regarding my concerns and asked if she would be willing to set up a meeting with the coach. She was all for it, apparently this was a big concern for all the parents. Even the coach was eager to find a better and safer solution.

 We all met in the gym Friday evening and I presented them with the perfect solution to all our concerns. My steam cleaner and it’s awesome assortment of attachments was once again going to save the day.

 I knew the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta recommends the best way to clean and sanitize a surface covered in contagious germs is with steam.  I had total confidence in steaming verses any other method they had tried but I printed off the page from the CDC’s website to convince the rest of the group.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5217a4.htm

 I showed everyone how to clean the mats, floors, headgear, pads and all the other surfaces in the gym. Sanitizing with steam was faster, more effective, there was no waiting time for the mats to dry and best of all, the steam cleaner uses absolutely no chemicals to completely eliminate all those germs, bacteria and viruses.

 I asked them how they felt about this method verses the old mop and bucket method and they unanimously agreed there was no comparison.

 Every parent in that room was so impressed with the results that within 30 minutes they had come up with enough money to purchase a steam cleaner for the wrestling team and a rotation schedule of volunteers to do the job regularly. Talk about peace of mind. My son may get a few bumps and bruises but he will not be infected with any of those nasty illnesses.

 Every parent should check out this steam cleaner – it’s amazing around the house and now it’s protecting my child at school. Go to www.sargentsteam.com to learn more about using steam to sanitize your son’s wrestling mats.

Entertaining friends at our home is something my husband and I both love to do. Last minute, thrown together dinner affairs are just such a great break from the norm. Seriously, he usually only gives me about 5 minutes notice that he’s bringing folks home for dinner.

 I’ve developed a talent for throwing together a great meal in a really short amount of time. We always end up laughing and enjoying ourselves. My secret, you ask? There are three and they all involve being calm and prepared. 

 The first is keeping my freezer and pantry well stocked. I make big batches when I have time and freeze the rest for just such occasions. 

 The second is that I’ve given up stressing about whether everything is perfect. Being together with people we love is perfect. Stressing over insignificant details is not.

 The third, and maybe the most important necessity, is my secret weapon cleaning tool. The one thing that used to get me riled is that I typically had only seconds to make sure our friends didn’t see anything unsightly in the bathroom. 

 So I bought a steam machine that tackles pretty much anything dirty all over my house so fast and easily I don’t have to stress about any mess. 

 I got the warning call yesterday at 5:10 that the party was on for 6:00. I hung up, grabbed a salmon fillet from the freezer, checked the contents of the veggie bin and flipped on my steamer.

 I took my steam cleaner to the toilet, sink and mirror. I was almost finished when I caught a reflection of the bathroom door in the mirror. What were all those shiny speckles sparkling in the sunlight?

 Upon closer inspection I determined it was hairspray overspray stuck on the bathroom door and the painted wall behind it. Bathroom doors often have those beveled edges that collect stuff and sure enough, mine was caked with industrial strength hairspray. And from the looks of it, quite a bit of it. 

 I’ve trusted my steam cleaner on most every surface in my home with great results so I knew steam could get that mega super hold hairspray off my door and painted walls  safely with plenty of time left over for other party preparations.

 I wanted to tackle the wall first because I was so excited to see the results. I attached my diamond brush, covered it with the fitted cloth and chose a low steam setting. I began moving the attachment up and down with a good consistent motion. 

 It worked beautifully at melting through the sticky buildup without damaging the paint. I switched to the soft brush to get into the beveled corners on the door. Same thing here. The steam melted right through it and with a quick wipe, the door looked beautiful too.

 When I finished there was not one trace of hairspray anywhere to be found and the walls felt like they had actually been repainted. This cleaning tool ROCKS! It’s the biggest reason I don’t panic at last minute party plans. 

 Now all I had to do was throw together a yummy Greek salad to go with the grilled salmon fillet and fill up the ice bucket! 

 For more information on these amazing steam cleaners visit www.sargentsteam.com

I can prescribe a pain reliever, guaranteed to cure all those aches and pains associated with cleaning.

 Let me just rant and rave a minute or two about how physically painful cleaning can be. I’ll start at the top with your eyes, nose and throat. They get red, itchy, dry and sore from all the chemicals. Chemical issues go far beyond eyes, noses and throats. They’re also hard on the skin on your hands making them red, itchy and so dry they actually crack.

 Most alarming is what those harsh, dangerous toxic cleaning chemicals are doing to you internally. Laboratory test have shown that breathing in chlorine bleach sends your blood gases through the roof!  If you breathe it in it actually burns your esophagus and sinuses and it’s absolutely deadly if you mix bleach with ammonia in a small enclosed space.

 Moving down your body to your neck area which gets stiff and tense from being bent at so many weird angles while you try to reach into inaccessible nooks and crannies. Your shoulders hurt from mopping and vacuuming and reaching all those places up above your head like the ceiling, walls, light fixtures and tops of  appliances just to name a few.

 The worst is your back. Who decided that in order to clean it required you to bend at the waist for lengthy periods of time?

 Your wrists hurt from scrubbing, and how about the bruises on your knees from kneeling on the hard tile floors so you can reach places like the inside of the tub, behind the toilet, the base boards. And lets not forget the grueling pain of being on your hands and knees with bleach and a tooth brush cleaning the tile grout.

 Lets face it, cleaning can be a real pain. I know because I have been cleaning (and in pain) for almost 25 years.

 First I thought maybe my cleaning practices were flawed and I just needed to be taught the right way to clean. I invested in books, I went online to do some research and I even asked the professionals for some advise. Their advise was to hire a cleaning company. Honestly, if I could afford it that’s exactly what I would do.

 This was not working. I began dreading and procrastinating cleaning my house and the condition of my house was declining rapidly. Little did I know, when you don’t keep up on housework you also start collecting clutter. I needed a cure, and boy did I find one!

 I’ve been pain free for two years now. My pain reliever came in the form of a steam cleaner. Since I’ve owned my steamer I’ve never used any form of a chemical. I’ve not been down on my hands and knees since.  Tasks that used to require me to bend at the waist in order to clean, I’m now able to do standing straight up.

 I no longer clean anything with my arms above my head and my wrists aren’t sore from all that repetitive scrubbing motion. I let this machine do all the work and I feel better all the way around. I know this might sound a little sick but I actually enjoy cleaning now! The results I get from cleaning with a steam machine verses the old way is like comparing apples to oranges. No matter how hard I worked or how much pain I subjected myself to, I could never get the results I get now that I clean with steam.

 My house looks and feels cleaner than it ever has. Cleaning with steam is faster and way more effective. The benefits are endless but to me, the biggest benefit of all is I am pain free and my house looks fantastic!

 Go to www.sargentsteam.com to check out the best cleaning tool and back saver ever.

My husband is now an official steam cleaner team player. Truth is I new it wouldn’t take long before he would be using it as much as I was. He’s even attached his man lingo to it calling it a very useful “tool”.

 Let’s back up just a little so I can explain how this transition took place. I would give anything to have captured the look on his face with the video camera… it was priceless.

 You see my husband has always been very supportive of me but he just didn’t get why I wanted a steam cleaner so badly. So I sat him down and explained it to him.

 I highlighted all the benefits – like how easy it would make my life, the time and money it would save, how we could eliminate all those harmful chemicals, how every surface in our home could be cleaned and sanitized safely, and that he would love it just as much as I would. He actually said “That’ll be the day.” He did however follow that comment up with “Go ahead.”

 Fast forward two weeks later. I had spent the day cooking and cleaning, preparing for a weekend visit from his Mother. He had spent the day working in the yard. Everything was absolutely perfect. My Mother in-law would be a arriving within the hour so I told my husband he had better get in the shower.

 The next thing I heard was my husband groaning as he stood there looking into the tub and sink. Pools of water were collecting around the drains. I could see the irritation on his face knowing he wouldn’t be showering before his mother arrived.

 We’ve been married long enough that I also knew exactly what he was thinking. Crap! Now I need the plunger, pipe wrench, plumber’s auger, sewer snake, pliers and I hate plumbing problems! I knew we didn’t have time for all that and I didn’t want him making that kind of mess in my clean bathroom.

 As he went to go round up the tools he thought he was going to need, I grabbed in my steam cleaner. He approached the bathroom just in time to see me attach my plumber’s helper to the end of the nozzle.

 A plumber’s helper is an attachment that came with my steam cleaner. It’s about 2 inches in diameter and has a spongy seal. He asked just what did I think I was going to do with that? I calmly told him I was going to unclog the drains in the tub and sink in less than 2 minutes.

 “Impossible.” he exclaimed. “Watch me.” I said.  I simply placed the seal over the drain in the sink and turned on the steam. Whatever was clogging the drain couldn’t withstand  the 50 pounds of pressure and steam that reaches almost 290 degrees. I heard a pop and the pipe cleared in about 10 seconds. The water that had been pooling in the sink was now disappearing down the drain like magic.

 Then I moved to the tub and went through the same process on that drain. The clogs were gone in under my 2 minute estimate. I turned around and that’s when I saw the look on his face of disbelief and utter amazement. It was at that moment he became a steam cleaner team player.

 Since that day my husband has found many more uses for my steam cleaner. He details the cars on a weekly basis. His golf clubs are immaculate including the grip, which he swears will never need to be replaced again and our boat looks about 5 years newer.

 Converting him didn’t take as long as I thought it would. It makes me smile every time I hear him telling his friends about this amazing new power tool his wife bought for him and that it’s a must-have component in their arsenal of tools. He’s become the best word of mouth proponent ever!

 If you want your husband as happy as mine about something that makes me equally as happy visit www.sargentsteam.com

How many of you out there hate cleaning your painted walls so much you just don’t do it at all? Are you looking for a better solution or do you find yourself wondering what is the easiest and most effective way to clean these darn things?

I am here to tell you that your search is over!  I have found the quickest, simplest, absolute best way to clean those walls. Heck, you can even tackle the ceiling at the same time it is so easy. 

 How you ask – with the most amazing indoor power tool I have ever used. My steam cleaner. I am shocked at how easy it is to clean my walls since buying my steam cleaner. 

 I used to save this tedious chore for my once a year cleaning project. It was always a weekend long project and by the time I got around to it each year my walls were filthy! Seems like I was even having to bribe the kids to help and then listen to them complain the whole time! 

 What I hated as much as the complaining was that ridiculous bucket of dirty water that was putting grime right back on my walls and how that dirty water was constantly dripping down my arms.  Another thing that was irritating was having to go up and down that stupid ladder what seemed like a thousand times! Ugh!   

 With my steamer this chore is no longer put off for years as at time, in fact I would be willing to do it every week if it needed it. It really is that easy. I simply turn the machine on wait a few minutes for it to heat up. 

 Once heated I attach the extension wands so I can stand comfortably on the floor and still reach even the ceiling. I do not miss that ladder! I attach the rectangle brush with a cloth on it and begin to clean the walls in an up and down vacuuming motion. 

 Steaming means no more buckets with dirty water, ladders, mess and best of all no complaining from the kids. Although, now we do have fights over who gets to use this way cool steamer tool next!

 I love my steamer and so will you! check it out at www.sargentsteam.com

Recently my friend moved her elderly mother into a retirement facility. Even though it was a very difficult decision, she knew it was the best thing for her mother. The facility she was moving her into was much smaller than her mother’s house. She would have to downsize substantially.

Her mother had been a smoker for years and the thought of moving that smelly old sofa and chair into her new place was not very appealing. Buying new furniture was out of the question.

My friend did not need any added stress at a time like this so I volunteered my time and the use of my steam cleaner. She had her doubts but I knew my steamer would get the nicotine stains and smoky smells out of the furniture walls, ceilings and floors in no time. I knew she had to get this smoky old house ready to sell.

The steam temperature is so hot it actually melts through the tar and carbon that cause the smoky odor. When my friend started seeing and smelling the difference, her doubts about my steam cleaner faded quickly. The couch and chair looked and smelled beautiful.

We decided to start cleaning the items that were being moved to her mother’s new place first. Once the furniture was clean and moved out we tackled the walls, ceilings, floors and carpet. They came so clean we didn’t even have to repaint. It was amazing to see the color of the walls and ceilings change from yellow to white immediately and even the texture was once again smooth – not sticky.

I’m always surprised at how much quicker and easier it is to clean with my steamer. I could never go back to cleaning the old way. One of the things I like best about my steamer is what it can accomplish without any harmful chemicals. I’ve never once needed to wear gloves or a mask when cleaning with my steamer.

Most of the flooring was hardwood so it didn’t take long at all. They came shiny clean and looking like new again. By this time my friend was not only relieved but was a true believer in cleaning with steam. She even commented that if it removed the nicotine smells and stains it could do anything and she’s right.

If you would like more information on how steam can help you clean your home check out our website at Sargent Steam.   http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

Sargent Steam has been in business and been steam cleaning experts since 1993. We are the go to gals of the industry when it comes to cleaning and cleaning with steam. Let us help you with your cleaning challenges.

I love my birds. They are wonderfully entertaining creatures but I will admit they create quite a mess in and around their cages. Keeping the cages, trays, feeders and toys clean is a real tedious chore but dirty cages can lead to a host of serious health problems. Cleaning must be done frequently to minimize the chances of infections
and or death.

Taking care of a birds surroundings include daily and weekly cleanings. I found this to be quite expensive and overwhelming, but necessary. I did not want my birds exposed to bacteria, parasites and infections. I was also struggling trying to find an easy method to clean all those tiny bars, crevices and cracks that were breeding grounds for diseases.

In the beginning I experimented with many cleaning methods. I was told never to use harsh chemicals because of my bird’s delicate respiratory system. I wanted them to have  clean cage, not die from exposure to the crap I used to clean up after them.

I purchased several bird friendly cleaning products from the pet store. The cost for these items added up very quickly. And frankly, the stuff was really hard to use. I still needed a toothbrush for the bars and a toothpick for the cracks and crevices. This is a bird cage, not a dental office.

Sometimes I felt I was making a bigger mess than the one I started with. It quickly got to a point that I was not being as diligent with the cleaning as I knew I should be. I had to find a solution. I went to work.

After a lot of research I found a website that gave me all the insight I needed for this daunting task. All I needed was a steam cleaner and I was on a mission to find it.

Using a steam cleaner made this task so easy and fast. The job it did was phenomenal. The steamer I bought came with several attachments including many detail brushes and a pointy nozzle that were great for all those little crevices. The diamond brush with a cloth made cleaning the bars and the bottoms of cages a breeze.

Prior to purchasing my steam cleaner you could definitely call me a procrastinator. Now my family call me the “steaminator!”

I will never go back to cleaning my cages any other way. I’m confident there is no bacteria, parasites, insects or fungus growing in, on or around my bird cages after I hit it with all that hot steam. This gives me a lot of comfort and peace of mind, it saves me time and a ton of money!

If you would like more information on the steamer I picked out and love check out their website at Sargent Steam.   http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

Sargent Steam has been in business and been steam cleaning experts since 1993. We are the go to gals of the industry when it comes to cleaning and cleaning with steam. Let us help you with your cleaning challenges.