STEAM CLEANING KIT OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS MODELS: SC75 SC76 SC125 SC150 SC165 PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE USE Thank you for purchasing an Earlex Steam Cleaning Kit. In order to obtain the best results please read the instructions before commencing any work. Please also make a special note of the safety rules. EARLEX LTD. WILL ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT IF USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSES THAN THOSE DETAILED HEREIN. RETAIN FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. G G SAFETY RULES filler cap to refill boiler. Do not overfill. Allow to cool completely before emptying boiler. Do not stand on boiler or hose. Do not drag or try to move boiler by pulling with hose or mains lead. If fitted with castors, move with hose only. G Do not allow water or steam to enter light switches or power points. G Do not leave unattended. G Use only standard tap water. Never add detergents or chemicals. G Do not point the accessories at anyone. G Extreme care must be taken if the unit is used in bathrooms. Always be aware of danger of electrocution from stored water in baths or sinks. G Never change tools when the unit is operating. G Always store upright. G It is recommended that a RCD (residual current device) rated at 30mA is fitted into the mains supply socket for added protection against electric shock. G Use only genuine Earlex replacement parts. G G G G Keep equipment away from children and pets. Ensure boiler is placed on a flat level surface, and should the boiler become tilted in use - level again immediately. Failure to do so can result in severe overheating, complete element failure and void your guarantee. G Block boiler unit securely if using on stairs. G Always protect areas beneath the boiler likely to be damaged by heat. The boiler becomes hot in use. Move only by using the carrying handle. G Steam is produced at 100°C. Be careful, wear protective clothing and protect your hands with heat resistant gloves or mitts. G Never point hose or steam plate at anyone. G Always keep steam plate tilted away from face and body, beware of hot drips and regularly empty collected condensation from plate - especially when stripping ceilings and high areas. G Never remove filler cap or detach hose whilst unit is operating. G Never block the safety valve. G Never use outside when raining. G Switch off and wait for 2 minutes before removing PROTECT YOUR HOME! The heat generated by the boiler unit can mark carpets, soft furnishings, table tops, cabinets etc. To prevent this we recommend placing the unit on a wooden board, tray or other barrier - making sure it will not slip off one side or tilt during use. Dust sheets or newspapers are not suitable heat protectors for delicate surfaces. IMPORTANT NOTE Always check the suitability of materials before steam cleaning. Steam is being generated at 100°C. Do not use on any surfaces that cannot stand this temperature e.g. Draylon®, delicate fabrics etc. Always test a small area of the material - preferably a portion that is normally unseen - and allow to dry before starting the full cleaning task. Do not soak materials being cleaned. Only light application of steam is required. INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing an Earlex Steam Cleaning Kit. The uses around the home, car and garden are numerous and we hope you will find this product is in constant use to save time, improve the look of your furnishings and to keep everything spotlessly clean. When cleaning, the Earlex Steam Cleaning Kit will brighten and refresh the colour and restore carpet piles. When decorating, the Earlex Steam Plates (not included in all kits) will remove wallpaper extremely fast and can also be used to remove Artex®, vinyl tiles etc. CAUTION: Some textured finishes may contain asbestos which may be hazardous to health and which are subject to licensing controls operated by the HSE (Health & Safety Executive). The Earlex Steam Cleaning Kit is also ideal for disinfecting work surfaces, bathrooms, garden soil, etc, since steam will kill house bugs, fleas, insects and many bacteria. ABOUT YOUR STEAM CLEANER The Earlex Steam Cleaning Kit will clean most types of surface using the power of steam. The various tools supplied are designed for different applications. With these tools you can select the item most appropriate for the job in hand. Where towels are supplied dirt will be absorbed by the towel, which is washable and can be replaced as necessary. Packs of replacement towels are available direct from Earlex Ltd. The Earlex Steam Cleaning Kit does not require detergents, chemicals or other cleaners. It cleans purely by the action of steam. This action also removes any traces of powder or liquid cleaners previously used. CAUTION STEAM IS HOT! Please be aware that steam is produced at 100°C - so be careful, wear protective clothing and protect your hands with heat resistant gloves or mitts. 2 STEAM CLEANING KIT CONTENTS Please note: Not all of the accessories shown in this instruction booklet are included in every steam cleaning kit. To check the contents of your steam cleaning kit, please refer to the colour packaging (where supplied), catalogue or store where the unit was purchased. If you are unsure about the contents of your steam cleaning kit, please contact our helpline on 01483 454666. Component List Steam Boiler (not shown) SC75 SC76 SC125 SC150 SC165 Mains Lead with Plug 3m (not shown) Mains Lead with Plug 2m (not shown) Floor Cleaner Towel for Floor Cleaner Window/Tile Cleaner Jet Nozzle Scraper for Jet Nozzle Brush for Jet Nozzle Universal Handle 3 lengths of Handle 3.6m Steam Hose 3.6m Steam Hose (SC75)(not shown) i h j k a b c d e f g h i l g a m D87 W82 B44 F64 ST118 B17 C3P AC254 AC275 AC258 AC262 AC21 AC25 AC302 AC01 ST94 D14 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES (Not included in all kits) j Large Plate for wallpaper stripping k Small Steam Plate l Upholstery Cleaner m Towel for Upholstery Cleaner Sink Unblocker Tube (not shown) Castors (SC150 and SC165 optional) (not shown) D39 ST165 AC250 AC276 NRL/.5 F17 c e f d b ASSEMBLING THE ACCESSORIES The Universal Handle (AC302) is used in conjunction with the Floor Cleaner, Upholstery Cleaner, Window / Tile Cleaner and Jet Nozzle. Align the outline triangle on the handle with the triangle on the accessory. Push the handle into the accessory and twist so that the solid triangles on the handle and accessory are aligned (see Diagram 1). Over time, you may find that your steam cleaning accessories become awkward to assemble to the universal handle. This is due to the steam reducing the lubrication properties of the `O' ring seals. In this event, simply lubricate the `O' ring seals as illustrated (Diagram 2) using washing-up liquid or furniture polish. The Long Handle Attachment (AC01) is designed to be used when cleaning floors or hard to reach areas. To assemble, pass hose through each of the long handle sections, in at the small end out at the large end. Screw the hose nut onto the universal handle and push the long handle sections together and onto the taper on the universal handle (see Diagram 3). You can use one, two or three sections of the long handle. Disconnect in reverse order. If you have any difficulty in disconnecting twist the handles apart. Diagram 2 Seal Lubrication Diagram 1 Assembling Handle 3 Diagram 3 Fitting Long Handle Attachment CASTORS (MODEL SC150 AND SC165 OPTIONAL) The castors are packed separately. Turn the boiler upside down and insert the 3 castors. These should be pushed in hard until they stop. Once installed these remain in place permanently. FILLING SC75 (see Fig.1) Remove elbow filler cap and fill unit to Max. level indicator with clean - preferably hot water. Ensure that the `O' ring is seated correctly on the elbow filler cap and place elbow filler cap lugs into filler hole with the tongue pointing to the TWO O'CLOCK position. Turn the elbow filler cap clockwise to the SIX O'CLOCK position so that the tongue locks into place between the two teeth. SC76, SC125 & SC165 (see Fig.2) Remove filler cap and fill unit to Max. level line or indicator with clean - preferably hot water. Replace filler cap. SC150 (see Fig.3) Remove filler cap and fill unit slowly until the float lifts up in the filler neck, with clean - preferably hot - water. Replace filler cap. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 SC75 SC76, SC125, SC165 SC150 Do not overfill the unit or hot water will be forced up the steam hose. Screw hose onto threaded outlets of boiler and accessory, hand tight is sufficient. Do not over tighten but do check for hand tight fit from time to time during use. Connect mains lead from unit to power socket and switch on. It can take approx. 20 mins before steam is produced - depending on fill water quantity and temperature. Do not leave unattended and keep children & pets out of the room. Just before full steam production a small amount of bubbling and water will occur at the accessory. Beware of hot water discharge prior to steam emission. If the unit requires refilling, unplug and allow to cool for at least 2 minutes before removing filler cap - Beware of steam - and re-filling. When finished, allow to cool completely and empty unit. Always store unit empty. SAFETY CUT- OUT A safety cut-out is fitted to prevent overheating of the element if water boils below the Min. level. If unit stops boiling during use this may be the cause. Wait for 2 minutes before removing filler cap then re-fill with water. The cut-out will self reset and steam be produced again within 20 minutes. The cut-out will not protect the element if a part filled unit is tilted during use in a way which enables part of the element to be out of the water for longer than 15-20 seconds. CHANGING TOOLS Never remove the hose or change tools when the unit is plugged in. Wait 2 minutes after unplugging before changing tools. Screw the nut, which is on the end of the steam hose, onto the outlet of the tool - hand tight only. 4 FLOOR CLEANER IMPORTANT Some carpets have stain resistant treatments, which have varying active Iives before breakdown. Accordingly it is best to try a small area of carpet that is normally unseen, then allow 24 hours to check whether the steam has any unusual effects on the carpet material, e.g. white streaks. If this happens DO NOT CONTINUE USE - Check with your carpet supplier for further advice. Used correctly the floor cleaner will refresh your carpet by removing surface grime, pet hairs etc. leaving the carpet looking brighter. It is not a dirt extraction system, so cannot necessarily remove deep stains or grease. Attempting to make it do this by longer action of steam may result in watermarking or staining. Cleaning carpets Connect the universal handle and long handle to the floor cleaner head. Fit the cleaning toweI to the head by placing the towel over the floor cleaner head and pulling the drawstring tight. The drawstring can be secured at the back of the floor cleaner. (See diagrams to right) Before using the floor cleaner, use a vacuum to pick up the larger dirt and grit particles. Having prepared the area, plug the boiler unit in and wait for steam to appear at the accessory head. Beware of hot water discharge prior to steam emission. Now begin to move the floor cleaner head over the carpet at a steady pace. If there are stains on the carpet pause for a few seconds to allow the steam time to penetrate. Do not soak the carpet. Glide the floor cleaner over the surface. It is generally better, and easier, to pull rather than push the head across heavy pile carpets. Do not try to scrub the surface. The towel will collect the dirt. Both sides of the towel can be used. Used towels can be washed out and reused. Wash at 90°C for maximum longevity. Do not use bleach or fabric conditioner. Use only one third of normal soap powder to avoid clogging of the fibres. Spare towels can be purchased from Earlex. The Floor Cleaner can also be used on other types of flooring such as ceramic, cork, marble, linoleum, stone, parquet etc. If you have an area to clean which has joints (such as tiles) it may be useful to use the brush attachment of the jet nozzle in order to clean completely. Be especially careful with parquet - older oak floors are very tough but on some newer floors steam may cause the blocks to swell. Always take advice from the manufacturer of the floor covering before proceeding to use steam. One useful point to note is that steam will cause animal hairs to roll into easily removable balls. This attachment can be used on car interiors, motor homes, painted doors, walls, louvres etc. WINDOW/TILE CLEANER IMPORTANT - You should only proceed at your own risk. When cleaning exterior glass be extra careful not to pick-up any grit on the rubber blade - which could cause scratches. Antique glass and stained glass may be brittle and can crack under extreme temperatures. Do not use on glass at temperatures below 0°C. Connect the universal handle and long handle to the window/til ...