The steamer doesn’t suck ANYTHING in. The hot water vapour softens the dirt, grease, bits of dogfood and so on (I have got dogs too, their dribble is like glue!) the towelling or microfibre “cap” that goes over the head of the steamer collects and lifts off the dirt as you wipe it over the floor. Dirty “cap” (or two or three if your floor is like mine) gets thrown in the washing machine. Fllor dries in a minute or so. If my floor is filthy then I pre treat it with a wet household spray cleaner. I use one of the Dettol ones that needs no rinsing because of the dogs, but only on my tile floors, on the wood floor, if I steam it I use plain water but more often i use a mop and bucket and specialist cleaner if my wood floor needs more than vaccuuming.