Rebuild Handle on Steam Mop

We have a steam mop on which the handle was made out of cheap molded plastic. After a year of use, it broke at the base and we could not get a solid grip on the handle. I thought of all sorts of ways to fix it including duct tape, but I realized that the shaft the handle was on was almost the thickness of 3/4" PVC pipe.Using PVC pipe, I was able to build a replacement handle for under $2.00.

• Time to make this: 30 minutes
• Cost:less than $2.00

Parts List:

• 10" piece of 3/4" PVC pipe.
• 2 1.5" screws and bolts.

I was not sure if 45 degree couplers would be the right angle for the handle (I did not have any at the time), so I bent my PVC t the shape I wanted. Afterwards, I realized that they would have worked just fine for what I needed. If you are building a handle for something else such as a vacuum, you may not be so lucky to have the couplers work. If you want to use couplers, add this to your parts list:

• 2 45 degree 3/4" PVC couplers
• PVC Glue

Equipment needed

• Screwdriver and pliers

If you want to bend the PVC to the shape of the handle, you will need the following

• 2' rebar
• Heat gun

The first thing I did was to remove the handle from the shaft. I was not planning to save the handle afterwards, so I just broke it off with some pliers.

Making a new handle using PVC couplers

If you don't want to bend the pipe to shape the handle, you can use a couple of 45 degree couplers. wanted to bend the pipe because I was not sure if a 45 degree bend would work, but afterwards I realized it would work just fine.

Cut the Piece of PVC pip into a 2", 5", 3" piece. Glue the PVC pieces together in the order shown in the picture.

Bending PVC pipe is easy when you apply heat to it. I used a heat gun I purchased for under $10.

Using a piece of rebar and a vice, I placed the PVC on the rebar so the end of the rebar was about 3" from the end of the pipe, at the place where I wanted the first bend. Applying heat from the heat gun all around the place I wanted the bend and applying pressure on the pipe, it bent easily when it reached the right temperature. When it was bent to the angle I wanted, I placed the pipe in water so it would quickly cool in position.

Turning the piece of PVC around, I then repeated the process to bend the other angle about 2" from the end.

Using a drill, I drilled two holes in the 3" inch end of the PVC matching the holes in the end of the mop stem, where I was connecting the handle. I then screwed on the handle. If using couplers, drill the holes in the 3" piece.

The handle on the steam mop is now ready to use,