Vax S5 Kitchen and Bathroom Master Compact Steam Cleaner

The lean green cleaning machine!

The S5 is a compact but powerful model with an accessory for every cleaning job around the house (see product details). This was my first steam cleaner so I had high expectations and a very dirty house. The instructions were fairly straightforward, although it is worth being patient when unpacking all the bits and working out how to operate. Everything excluding the carpet cleaner and extension tubes can be attached to the main unit for storage which is helpful if you are short on storage space. The S5 comes complete with a measuring jug and funnel so having filled the reservoir just wait for the green light to get started. This takes about 10 minutes. Don't forget to unlock the safety catch, then squeeze and go.

It was very effective in lifting burnt on dirt on the cooker, and the bathroom is sparkling with the added bonus of not reeking of toxic cleaners. All in all an excellent buy if you want a clean home and a clear conscience.

This little machine is marvellous. It comes with loads of accessories to enable you to clean the smallest area up to carpets and upholstery. The instructions are fairly basic but easy to follow. Maybe a little more information could be included to explain things like how close you hold the nozzle to the object to be cleaned and how long you hold it there for and what results you might be able to achieve etc. Probably just for first time users of a steam machine! The machine carries all but the carpet cleaning head and extension tubes so it is all very handy and not heavy. It is also on wheels so easy to pull around and has a very long plug cable. Once filled up, using the included measuring jug and funnel, and switched on, it takes about 8 minutes to heat up. A green for go light comes on, you unlock the safety catch on the nozzle, squeeze the trigger and the steam comes out. Each accessory twists on and off so you can change them easily. There is a dial to vary the amount of steam but it usually lasts a good half hour. There is no water gauge on the machine but this has not been a problem. Once it stops steaming, the water is gone!

I have been trying to use all of the accessories in different areas of my home just to see what results I can achieve. I started on my hob and using the brushes and detail nozzle I was able to remove the grease which had built up around the rings. I believe with further applications I may be able to remove the really bad burnt marks which have been there forever! I also used the scraper tool on the glass on the inside of the door but went back to the brushes as they were more effective to remove the splashes of grease on there. I think the scraper is more for the grill/oven racks but have not tried it on that yet. I then tried the carpet cleaning tool which you attach to the extension tubes so you are standing upright, like using a hoover. I did find the extension tubes to be a little bendy as they are plastic, so don't push down too hard! I used it on a couple of small marks and they did fade a bit. Our carpet is fairly new so doesn't need much cleaning but I did notice that it was dry almost immediately after using the cleaner on it. The carpet cleaning head uses a cloth over it but you take this off for hard floors. I used it on laminate flooring and it is so quick to clean the floor. It is obviously wet afterwards just as it would be had you mopped it - but this is much less hard work! Moving on to the window head I tried it on the conservatory windows. They came up a dream! It was so easy to run the head down the windows - no cleaners, sprays, vinegar, newspaper etc! I just wiped them down after with some kitchen towel and they were smear free. Up in the bathroom I used the concentration nozzle around the taps. It blasted out some nasty limescale and then I just rinsed it away. Window head back on again to do the shower screen and again it came up well, clearing most of the water marks. Finally I used the grout brush and this was absolutely brilliant. It gets all the orangey limescale/shampoo/shower gel bits out so easily, just by brushing it past. Beware if you have painted tiles though as the steam is quite powerful! The steam cleaner also comes with cloths for upholstery which fit over the window cleaning head but this is the only thing I have not used.

Once finished with the machine you just turn it off and release the remaining steam from the trigger. Let it cool down and empty out any remaining water. I guess it would be nice to have some kind of cord storage but with so many accessories on board, there is really no room for them to fit one!

All in all it is a great little machine, which helps you do those horrid jobs like cleaning windows and makes light work of it.

I've been looking to buy a steam cleaner for some time - having been seduced by all the teleshopping adverts on late at night! The Vax S5 certainly seems to offer everything that anybody could want with a large capacity tank that steams for up to 30 minutes and all necessary tools included with the machine.
My first thoughts about the S5 were surprise that it was quite so large and more surprise that it was quite so heavy. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who struggles with an average-weight vacuum cleaner as it is rather cumbersome to pull around. However, it does have a wonderfully long cord so it can be plugged in far away from the area of use without having to mess around searching for extension cables etc.
With the exception of the floor cleaner and filling jug, the other accessories all fit inside the body of the machine, which is really handy when you are using it. The tools switch around fairly easily although they are a little fiddly. For anybody with dexterity problems, you might find that you need a bit of help. I suffer with rheumatoid arthritis in my hands and I did have a bit of a struggle getting some of the tools to lock into position. I also found that the knob to fill the tank was a little fiddly also as you have to push down and turn it at the same time - a bit like a child-lock on a medicine bottle but with far more threads to screw!
The steamer works quite well at loosening dirt and grime - especially on grouting and build-up around taps. Be aware though that it does not just blast the grime away - you still need to give everything a good rub and wipe down to clean up afterwards.
Using the brush attachments is really the only way to go about cleaning soap scum etc from baths and sinks. Simply spraying with the steam concentrator nozzle doesn't seem to have any effect at all.
I'm also still trying to get the hang of the mirror/window cleaning attachment as I find that I am left with streaks no matter what I do.
In all, I must confess I found the handle and steam tubes quite unwieldy. Maybe it is because I am left handed but I found that I was having to twist my arm in unusual positions in order to get the attachments to scrub the areas I wanted. There is only one "lock" position for the attachments so you can't simply place them where feels most comfortable for yourself.
All in all I am fairly pleased with the Vax S5 although it certainly hasn't performed to the standard I was expecting. The steam pressure doesn't seem strong enough - even on the highest setting. I also found it rather strange that there is no water level indicator on the machine. Not only does this increase the likelihood of overfilling by mistake but it also means you have no idea how much steam you have left during use!
Given the amount of time it takes to set up, plug in, heat the steam etc, this is not really an item to be used for a quick daily once-over of the bathroom or kitchen. It loosens dirt and grime and cuts down scrubbing time - but you do still have to put some effort in to scrubbing with the steam and then you need to wipe everything down afterwards.
I will probably use this once a month for a deep clean and also for its antibacterial properties. I have used it on the cat litter tray and the rat cage because I try to avoid using any chemical products around my animals.
It does feel as though the design has let down what could have been a far better product. Everything is just slightly too flimsy and fiddly and "plasticky" and isn't quite if the standard you would expect from a Vax product.
However, given that all the tools are included, it is good value for money as you won't need to pay out for anything else once you have this machine.