FORGET HAWAII, I'M STEAMING MAD OVER MY LADYBUG !!!

First of all, I am NOT a “clean freak.” I have friends who are and have admired their ability to make their homes sparkle. I just found really “icky” cleaning . . . well, icky. So, avoidance and denial prevailed. I would skim over and surface clean, then attack the mess with asthma inducing chemicals every few months.

This winter brought long asthma causing inversions to our area; plus my family kept passing around the same cold for the last few months. In my dreams, I would wage battle with the nasty germs that seemed to have taken residence in our home. With asthma now an issue, my “home-cleaning-chemical-parties” were a thing of the past. So my search for a better way began.

I became obsessed and surfed every site. At one point I determined to purchase a midrange model from a different company to give vapor cleaning a try. Fortunately for me, my purchase was back ordered in Italy. When I tried to call the company for more information, I got a temporary receptionist who could tell me nothing, a scenario that was repeated more than once. This made me nervous, and I eventually cancelled my order.

I determined that I needed not just a good steamer, but a company that would give me good customer service. I started to look local (I’m in Utah), and found two in my area, Sargent Steam and Vapor Technologies (www.vaportechnologies.com). Both had well informed and helpful representatives, and were comparably priced. But the similarities ended there. The LadyBug XL was without question the better made and performing product.

The LadyBug XL may seem a bit pricey. In fact, as my husband and I were driving home from the dealer with our new purchase, I felt a sudden pang and lamented that we could have gone to Hawaii for what I just spent on this cleaning machine. Less than a week later, he walked into the house and asked if I still wished we had gone to Hawaii? I said, “Absolutely not! And nobody is going to take my LadyBug away from me!” He was a little shocked, and in a way so was I. Am I becoming (gasp) a “clean freak?” My children were already telling me I had gone “steaming mad.”

For me, the best thing about the LadyBug XL is that it makes the really “icky” cleaning chores . . . almost fun. The grease and grime on my kitchen walls and ceiling were gone in one step with no streaking. The microwave (a formerly hated chore) doesn’t have a chance to get dirty, because it is so easy to blast it clean. Even cleaning the fridge isn’t a daunting chore anymore. The steam is so dry that food can be replaced immediately. My textured “tile look” laminate flooring cleans up great and is dry by the time I am done. No more waiting until midnight to mop so that little feet don’t track across a wet floor!

I have found every room in my house to be a new cleaning adventure. The first couple of weeks I spent a LOT more time cleaning than usual. Mostly because I was having so much fun with my new cleaning toy. (Is cleaning toy an oxymoron?) There is a learning curve, but with a little experience things get done sometimes before I’m ready to stop steaming!

OK, now I am sounding like a “cleaning freak,” but when my housecleaning tasks run out before I am through steaming, its time to get creative. I have cleaned make up brushes, jewelry, foam grips on exercise equipment, and children’s toys. I will go out in the garage and find something hopeless and bring it back to life. Getting started isn’t so hard either, the LadyBug comes with an instructional video. It is not the most entertaining cinema experience, but is very informative. And Dan Wade at Vapor Technologies is just a phone call or e-mail away.

The LadyBug XL comes with onboard storage and1500Watts of power. Both were a plus. But the clincher for me in choosing the LadyBug XL over the LadyBug or Tidy Vap was the optional iron attachment. It only works on the XL model and after using it, I couldn’t go back to my old iron. I did have to double pad my board because of the powerful steam, but that is a small price to pay for great results. I don’t even hate ironing anymore!

If the iron isn’t enticing, you could consider purchasing the TidyVap and adding on the attachments that come with the LadyBug XL. (See my review of TidyVap) I used one in my home for about a week and it did a fine job. The steam was a little wetter, and it took a little longer to heat. On those clean till you drop days it couldn’t keep up like the XL, but it is smaller and requires less storage space if that is an issue. I use my LadyBug literally every day, so having it easily accessible is a must.

You know, I still don’t think I’m a “clean freak” but with the LadyBug XL most days my house looks like I am. Even my kids notice the difference. In the end, I believe every woman deserves a LadyBug XL and the great customer service, like I got from Dan Wade at Vapor Technologies. I would recommend not settling for less.