Though you can live without one, a steam cleaner can shave a lot of time off your cleaning schedule and also reduce the effort or scrubbing power that is otherwise necessary to get an area really clean. And though you can't clean everything with a steam cleaner, they are very handy for a few household cleaning tasks. There are also some things that you should never attempt to clean with one.
Types of Steam Cleaners
There are several types of steam cleaners - small portable handheld or larger wheeled general purpose steamers, carpet steam cleaning machines, spot carpet cleaners and
steam mops. For purposes of these buying tips, we'll look at how to buy a general purpose steamer, with or without additional tools for cleaning various items around the home (or out).
Price - What Affects it
Power and performance can surely affect the price of a steamer, but the main thing that influences the cost is the inclusion of accessories or cleaning tools. These can increase the function of the steamer and make it more versatile for various applications. Capacity or water tank size can also affect price - you'll pay much more for a steamer that holds a larger water tank, but these are usually larger, wheeled machines. A small steamer bottle without attachments will usually cost under $60, but a unit with attachments will command a hundred or over.
Portability Matters
A handheld cleaning device is best for wandering around the home, steam cleaning or dusting as you go. You'll want to keep the weight down for this type of use, so a small water reservoir is ideal. Heavy duty steamers with wheels are wonderful for outdoor use, but make cleaning higher areas in the home, rather difficult. They're also bulkier to store inside.Power & Performance
Most general purpose steamers are in the 900 - 1500 watt range. A 1000W steamer might be adequate to produce a steam to loosen dirt on most household items, but the higher the wattage the better - giving you enough power for caked on dirt. If you want to use one to clean grease and dirt from the boat, motorcycle or garden tools, you'd want one with a heavy duty construction and the most power.
Have Reasonable Expectations
Don't expect it to clean everything to perfection with no effort from you. A steam cleaner has limitations and constraints. It can only clean sealed surfaces that can take heat and moisture - so that rules out many furniture items, including antiques. And for some caked on dirt, grease or black rubber marks, steam cleaning may not be enough to clean entirely. You may need to finish cleaning by hand the old way. You often also have to wipe clean (or dry) after the steaming process. And you need to prepare the surface first, by removing loose particles and dirt, before using a steam pocket or cloth.
What it Can't Do - Don't Try it!
Antiques generally have varnish or shellac-based finishes which cannot take any heat or moisture. Using a steamer on antiques risks marring the finish and decreasing its value. Also use care with any paper, cardboard or wooden composite and painted surfaces. If you linger too long with steam, you could blister the finish and damage these surfaces. When in doubt, choose the safe route - without steam cleaning. Nylon screens could also be damaged by hot steam which can deteriorate the fabric.How Can I Decide Which to Buy?
If you only want to clean your shower door track and ceramic tiles and grout, buy a small handheld unit, but it should have at least a small detail brush for grout work. If cleaning the door threshold and loosening dirt in the oven before cleaning is what you need, a handheld without tools would suffice. But if you'd like to clean lots of different surfaces including occasional fingerprints from walls, baseboards, shower or exterior doors - you'll need a steamer with accessories that include appropriate tools with cloth pockets or covers.
More About Cleaning Tools
While you're considering buying a steam cleaner, you may also want to consider upgrading your vacuum, give some thought to changing the way you wash floors and try a steam mop, or get a
carpet spot cleaner for those occasional spills. My appliance buying tips will help know what to look for, when buying appliances.
