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Best Carpet Steam Cleaners

Carpeting of any kind is an investment, something of value you’ll want to maintain. Bring on confused pets, enthusiastic children, or bumbling adults, though, and you could have a mess on your hands. The sooner you can clean up that disaster, the better, which is why you’ll want to also invest in a good steam cleaner.

Yes, you can go to your nearest brand-name grocer or big box store and rent a machine when the need arises, but how convenient is that? By the time you’re back with a device that’s been in who-knows-what before you, the spot has dried and become a stain requiring more than a little damp suction to remove.

That’s why you need your own carpet steam cleaner to keep that investment looking like new. A good rule of thumb is considering the grade of floor covering you used and buying at least as good a cleaner if not better. Here’s what you need to know to determine which is the best steam cleaner for your carpet.

 Steam Cleaners for Carpet Best Overall: Bissell Proheat 2X Lift-Off Pet Best for Small Areas, Pets: Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Best for Area Rugs, Budget Pick: Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Best for Pro-Level Cleaning: Bissell Big Green Machine Professional Best for Apartments and Condos: Hoover Power Dash Pet Best for High Traffic: Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3

Best Overall: Bissell Proheat 2X Lift-Off Pet bissell proheat 2x lift off pet

Ergonomics: B+ Cleaning effectiveness: A- Drying effectiveness: A Noise: C Accessories: A- Empty weight: 24 lbs. This machine cleans effectively, dries your carpeting well and reduces your keep-off time, making it our all-around favorite. Added benefits include a lift-off suction unit for use with your accessories, just as if you had a second but smaller spot treater.

Its Dual Dirt Lifter power brushes and pet hair collection basket set it apart, and if you use Bissell’s proprietary antibacterial carpet formula cleaning solution, it can even eliminate pet urine stains that otherwise would set.

Users remark that this machine is easy to maneuver and simple to use, even if it uses a lot of water to clean. With the right cleaning solution, it’s particularly effective to address those pet stains and odors on both carpets and furniture. Stairs are also easy because of the lift-off cleaning pod.

It includes accessories galore, with different-sized heads for different purposes. No significant complaints about design and manufacturing were noted, and the machine comes with a 3-year warranty. This Bissell has all of the best bells and whistles of the brand with the pod system as a special bonus.

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Best for Small Areas, Pets: Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution Pet Pro bissell proheat 2x revolution pet pro

Ergonomics: B+ Cleaning effectiveness: B+ Drying effectiveness: A Noise: C Accessories: A- Empty weight: 19 lbs. Rated as a good buy for those who need a lightweight, easy-to-steer machine, this Bissell covers about 32 square feet on one tank, which is a lot of space. The hose length falls in the mid-range at over eight feet, but since it’s light even when full, it can get around to the places you need to clean. Another bonus of this Bissell is its heating technology, keeping your clean water at a temperature that makes steaming it effective.

Users and the pros generally rate this machine as the best for those of us with pets, despite the pet-friendly names of some of our other listings. It has the Dual Dirt Lifter brushes and Heatwave Technology to keep your clean water hot with our previous listing, too. A selection of accessories ensures you have the right tool for almost any job.

One feature unique to this machine is the Express Clean Mode. This is for small areas with lighter staining, and the big advantage is that it dries in an hour. If you want to make a small impact on your problem but can’t wait for a longer drying period, this setting makes that easy. That’s like having two machines for the price of one.

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Best for Area Rugs, Budget Pick: Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe hoover power scrub deluxe

Ergonomics: B+ Cleaning effectiveness: B+ Drying effectiveness: B+ Noise: C Accessories: B Empty weight: 18 lbs. Compared to our previous listings, this Hoover is budget-conscious while being a well-functioning machine on all levels. It cleans about 33 square feet per reservoir with a hose length of eight feet. Its weight when full still makes it easy to move to those places a shorter hose can’t reach.

Heating air to aid drying is part of the suction process, so in addition to good water extraction, it speeds up evaporation of the remaining dampness. That’s a big difference from other models, and it means you’ll be able to replace your furniture faster. Users like the separate detergent tank, allowing the machine to mix the correct amount of solution to the clean water for application.

Proprietary SpinScrub brushes lift dirt and stains from all directions, packing a lot of power into its cleaning cycle according to users. The major complaint is an issue with a component in the brushes system rusting from contact with water. It appears that if the machine is left in a position to allow this area to dry, it’s not a problem, but it is a consistently reported complaint.

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Best for Pro-Level Cleaning: Bissell Big Green Machine Professional bissell big green machine professional

Ergonomics: B Cleaning effectiveness: A Drying effectiveness: C Noise: C- Accessories: B+ Empty weight: 43 lbs. It’s probably best to think of this as the professional level machine best fit for homes with large spaces that need to be cleaned often. It’s big, it’s heavy and it’s high-end, better than what you can rent at your local big box store. Cleaning on both the forward and backward passes, it pleases its customers on cleaning effectiveness, making deeply discolored carpets look like as clean as the day they were installed.

Users comment that years of grime, cooking and body oils, and sticky dirt are no match for the Big Green Machine. A wide head with strong suction ensures it works fast without shortchanging the cleaning process, and it is surprisingly maneuverable for its size. A 10-foot hose makes reaching the more difficult spots easier and keeps the heavy machine in one spot while you do it.

Users comment that the machine is big, the power can be considered very noisy, its hose and accessories take up even more space, and it isn’t the lightest choice. It doesn’t seem to dry as effectively as its competitors, and it makes even more noise while it’s trying to do so. If your needs are pro-level, you might be able to overlook these issues.

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Best for Apartments and Condos: Hoover Power Dash Pet hoover power dash pet

Ergonomics: B+ Cleaning effectiveness: B+ Drying effectiveness: B+ Noise: C Accessories: C Empty weight: 17 lbs. Users really like the weight of this machine, both in pounds and in price. Maneuvering it around is easy, and the smaller, narrower head reaches under furniture and into tight corners without trouble. Storage isn’t a problem because of its compact size and light weight.

Its clean water tank size is about three-quarters of a gallon, which cleans about 8 square feet per cycle. That’s a drawback for many, along with the small head size. However, it is easy to use – no measuring of cleaning solution because marks on the tank tell you how much to put in.

A couple of negatives people mention are the lack of a hose and attachments, so you won’t be using this for the furniture or crevasses on the staircase. The short reach of the power cord means you might be moving that around quite a bit too. Available settings cover basic needs, best for use when you don’t have big spaces to clean.

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Best for High Traffic: Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 rug doctor mighty pro x3

Ergonomics: C+ Cleaning effectiveness: B+ Drying effectiveness: A Noise: C- Accessories: B+ Empty weight: 43 lbs. This is the machine closest to what the pros use, and best for people with lots of area to cover and planning to clean often. Water extraction is thorough, translating into no time for mold or mildew to develop. You can walk on your rugs in four hours or less.

Big suction makes for deep stain removal and fast dry times – but also big noise, louder than others on our list. That also means the motor is substantial, along with the reservoirs, so consider this a very heavy model. It can be difficult to figure out how much cleaning solution to add, since measuring is not simple.

Features include dual brushes that make fast work of dirt and stain removal. Hose length is close to 13 feet, which means you can leave the machine at one end of your room and probably touch the other. Tank size is almost three times the average. You can cover about 28 square feet before having to empty or refill.

Users say this is a user-friendly machine, despite some of its drawbacks. Size didn’t seem to make a difference in terms of moving the machine around. It’s heavy on accessories, like a premium upholstery tool for stained and odor-ridden furniture, so if you have the space to store this Rug Doctor, it can be justified as a good cleaning investment.

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The Complete Steam Cleaner Buyer’s Guide How a Carpet Steam Cleaner Works FAQs about Carpet Steam Cleaners Our Selection Criteria

How a Carpet Steam Cleaner Works Steam Brushes Suction Reservoirs If this part of our discussion sends you to snooze-ville, move on to the FAQs and machine characteristics sections of our article and pick your winner. Often, though, it helps to understand how something works so you know why a feature is important. This is where you find out why bigger is better when it comes to steam cleaning.

Bigger begins with more power. That power takes many forms, from heating to beating, size to suction. Add in drive and durability, and you have the full cleaning package.

Carpet Steam Cleaner Cleaning effectiveness Drying effectiveness Bissell Proheat 2X Lift-Off Pet A- A Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution Pet Pro B+ A Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe B+ B+ Bissell Big Green Machine Professional A C Hoover Power Dash Pet B+ B+ Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 B+ A

Steam Your cleaner will create steam, or as the manufacturers like to call it, vaporized water. Why? I haven’t a clue, but it sounds stronger than steam, doesn’t it? Add cleaning solution approved for your carpeting or rug type and you have an attack plan for the day-to-day dirt your flooring suffers from.

The more effective the heating elements in the water system, the hotter the steam can become (short of vaporizing altogether). Hotter steam does a better job loosening stains and dirt for removal. The more force used in spraying this on your carpet, the deeper the steam can reach, helping you remove even more debris.

The steam is delivered through nozzles that infuse it into your carpet. If the steam is not hot enough, you’ll soak the rug with little effectiveness other than to make a sopping wet mess, a common user complaint about some equipment. You want your machine to make hot steam and keep it that way while it’s being applied and manipulated by our next feature.

Brushes Back in the day, brushes in vacuums were called beaters, because they beat the fibers to release the dirt. The term beater hearkens back to eras past when annual spring cleaning included hanging the throw rugs over a line outside and beating it with a broom to get rid of the winter’s dirt residue. Take that, dirty carpet.

All manufacturers recommend you give your carpet a good vacuuming before you use your steam cleaner. You don’t want the machine clogged with loose debris that could easily be removed with suction alone. Too much of this kind of dirt means the cleaner can’t apply as much steam and that defeats the purpose of using it in the first place.

Even though the primary purpose of a steam cleaner is to push vaporized water into the fiber, machines also have a way to shake the dirt free. Today, brushes come in many forms, including rotating cylinder bars, circular heads, and interlocking spinners. These moving bristles add to the scrubbing power of your machine.

Suction This is one of the big differentiators between equipment. Once the steam loosens the stains, dirt and odors, you’ll want it to be whisked away. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends avoiding over-wetting a section as you’re cleaning and spending more time than you think you’d need extracting the dampness through the suction phase. The more you pull out of the carpet, the more of the yucky stuff that will come with it.

Suction power depends on the power of the motor in the machine. That creates noise, which is the chief complaint many people have about their steam cleaner. You’ll want to pay attention to the noise ratings if that’s something you’re sensitive to.

Carpet Steam Cleaner Ergonomics Weight Bissell Proheat 2X Lift-Off Pet B+ 24 lbs. Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution Pet Pro B+ 19 lbs. Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe B+ 18 lbs. Bissell Big Green Machine Professional B+ 43 lbs. Hoover Power Dash Pet B+ 17 lbs. Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 C+ 43 lbs.

Reservoirs Steam cleaners have two liquid reservoirs, one for clean water and one for the sucked up dirty stuff. The larger the tanks, the longer you can clean before you need to fill or empty them. Some also have a separate tank for cleaning solution which the machine mixes in the correct proportion with clean water during the cleaning setting.

But – and this is important to consider – water weighs something. A gallon equates to eight pounds, so a machine with tanks with a gallon capacity will weigh that much more, and that can make moving the machine around more challenging on some kinds of rugs. Think deep pile or texture and how hard it might be to roll the cleaner along as it weighs more.

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FAQs about Carpet Steam Cleaners How much traffic does my carpet receive? What kind of carpet am I going to be cleaning? What quality of carpet am I cleaning? How much carpet do I need to clean regularly? How much cleaning does my carpet manufacturer recommend? Is dodging furniture and getting tight against walls a factor? What’s the klutz factor in our household? How much storage space do we have? What healthy household issues do we face? How frequently will I be willing to clean the carpet? Carpet cleaners come in many designs, with some looking like sleek power rockets and others difficult to tell from your average vacuum. What’s the best one for you? The one you’ll use, rather than letting that stain become a permanent feature you attempt to hide with strategically placed furniture.

In reality, cleaners are divided into two big categories, home (occasional use) and professional (frequent use). Home cleaners usually have smaller reservoirs, fewer features, and less flexibility in steaming and suction. Professional versions come with more power, features and durability.

That’s not to say you won’t be fully satisfied with a home steam cleaner. It depends on what you can expect in terms of regular wear and dirt on your carpeting, and on what kind of carpeting you’re cleaning. Let’s look at what you’ll want to consider.

How much traffic does my carpet receive? Imagine an urban house with two working adults and one short-haired cat. The humans are gone for most of the day, and when they’re home, they tend to be focused on relaxation. The cat is, well, a cat all day.

Contrast this with a suburban setting, large yard, and two active kids and a medium-sized dog with those two adults (and maybe even the cat). The opportunity for dirt and accidents goes up exponentially with the number of people and critters and the amount of time spent tearing around. Wear marks can become obvious in a very short amount of time.

If you think you can keep your carpet clean enough with only the occasional spill to take care of, a portable machine designed to fix small messes might be adequate. If you have children with energetic feet and pets to play with, count on needing a steam cleaner you feel fine whipping out on a very regular basis.

Carpet Steam Cleaner Best for Cleaning effectiveness Accessories Bissell Proheat 2X Lift-Off Pet Best Overall A- A- Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Best for Small Areas, Pets B+ A- Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Best for Area Rugs, Budget B+ B+ Bissell Big Green Machine Professional Best for Pro-Level Cleaning A B+ Hoover Power Dash Pet Bests for Apartments and Condos B+ C Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Best for High Traffic B+ B+

What kind of carpet am I going to be cleaning? Think pile and texture here. A deeply sculpted wall-to-wall carpet has plenty of cracks and crevices in which to capture every leaf, stray piece of popcorn, and dust and dander. The dog might take care of the popcorn but think about the slobber.

Even if your carpet has a low pile, normal use grinds in dust and debris through the carpet if ignored. Along with capturing cooking smells and hair, rugs are magnets for anything in the air of your home. Think of the mold and allergens left behind.

Clearly you want to maintain wall-to-wall with more diligence than freestanding (what we commonly call ‘throw’) rugs. It’s permanent, for all intents, while you can roll up a throw rug and tote it down to your favorite commercial cleaner. But even throw rugs benefit from regular attention with a good steam cleaner.

What quality of carpet am I cleaning? Carpet quality equates to things like tightness of the weave and backing, stain resistance, and durable materials. Obviously, higher quality also can mean a bigger investment, and that translates into your need to have a bigger focus on keeping it in shape. You’ll consider two areas when you consider quality, the surface and what happens down below.

Your average carpet responds well to a good vacuum with decent suction and reliable beaters or brushes. If your carpet has a higher stain resistance rating or has been treated for stain resistance, you might be able to sop up the worst of accidents before they become semi-permanent. Something will still seep through, though, which means you want big suction on your cleaner to remove the hidden problems.

How much carpet do I need to clean regularly? If you’re cleaning throw rugs you use as accents in your rooms, a smaller machine (maybe even a handheld steam cleaner) will probably meet your needs. You can make a few sweeps of the machine over the area and you’ll be done. In a worst case scenario, you can lift the rug to clean underneath, or even turn it over and do the underside itself.

On the other hand, if you have wall to wall carpet throughout your house or condo, that’s a lot of square footage. You’ll want a wider machine (usually found in professional grades) with lots of power to suck up anything and everything. (Okay, everything is impossible, even when renting a commercial pro machine.)

The more area you have to cover, the more emphasis you should place on power and size in your decision. This means bigger reservoirs and tanks too, so you won’t be needing to empty or fill as often. Features such as a heater in the clean water tank and separate cleanser dispenser make shorter work of big areas too.

How much cleaning does my carpet manufacturer recommend? If your carpeting is relatively new, it probably came with a manufacturer’s warranty. Perhaps your installer offered an additional bump too. Refer to those to determine how frequently they recommend you clean your rug.

Many will also recommend a brand of cleaner, though that is just what it is, a recommendation. We’ve never run across a warranty that demands a brand, but that’s not to say they don’t exist. You’ll want to look at the features of what they recommend, because you want to find something close to those bells and whistles when you’re making your buying decision.

Is dodging furniture and getting tight against walls a factor? The downside of bigger cleaners is that you give up some maneuverability. Do you need to clean under low clearance sofas or tables? Wider heads and bigger machines make that harder to accomplish, which means you’ll want to pay closer attention to the accessories and attachments to reach those unreachable places.

Think too about how close you’ll need to come to walls, and how many transitions between flooring materials you’ll be coping with. Again, you might be able to suck right up to the baseboards if you have the right small-headed attachment to add on for the task.

What’s the klutz factor in our household? This one’s easy. How often do you or someone in your household spill something – over the carpet? Or how frequently does a pet have an accident?

If you believe you’ll be pulling this steamer out on a daily basis to keep up with messes, consider two machines, or a big machine with a lift-off smaller cleaner. You’ll need a full-sized steam cleaner to keep the whole space healthy. Even if your big machine comes with a spot treater attachment, you might not be as willing to pull it out and use it because it is attached – yes, you guessed it – to the big bulky behemoth.

For those little spots you want to tackle before you’ll be thinking of them as part of your décor, buy a portable machine defined as a spot treater. We’ve compared those elsewhere on this site.

How much storage space do we have? If your household is like ours, you put things like the carpet steam cleaner in the basement, only to see the light of day when there’s a pressing emergency need or when cleaning the rugs is on the regularly cycled to-do list. If you have a place to put the machine and all the things it came with and space is not an issue, you’re lucky.

Let’s say you live in a condo or apartment. Do you have a closet with enough room to house the monster when it lives in its cage?

What healthy household issues do we face? This is a biggie for many people, because carpeting attracts irritants, and I’m not talking about the material here. Pet dander might seem more plentiful than people dander, but what about pollen, mold and other nasties you can’t easily see? These microscopic motes and flakes gravitate to carpet like meat bees to your favorite steak.

If someone you care about suffers from allergies, you’ll want a more powerful machine to capture even more out of the carpet. The same could be said for those of us with pets that spend time outside, since all sorts of little hitchhikers come back in no matter how hard you try to keep that dog or cat clean. And if you happen to walk or jog on a public path or street, think of what your shoes track in unless you shed them at your front door.

In short, we all need to steam clean our carpets to keep the bad stuff out of our homes. Think of it this way – the fewer toxins, dust particles and germs we’re exposed to, the greater our chances of staying healthier. Even the healthiest among us don’t need the aggravation of an intruder we often can’t see.

How frequently will I be willing to clean the carpet? Come on, be honest now. Unless we’re obsessed with keeping our white rugs brilliant or have pressing health issues that require a Class 100 Clean Room environment, we won’t steam the rugs as often as we believe we will. It’s a fact of life that cleaning the carpet falls behind other priorities, like bathing the dog or having that root canal.

Longer periods between cleanings means more dirt and allergens accumulate. Stains set. Odors become ground in along with the dust and silt of everyday life.

You’ll need more power to clean it up, or more patience and fortitude to go over the same area multiple times. Even then, machines have their limits. It’s a good idea to buy as much power as you can afford (and then use it) to maximize the life of your carpeting.

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Our Selection Criteria for Steam Cleaners Ergonomics Reservoir size Width of head Power cord length Cleaning effectiveness Steam temperature Cleaning solution dispenser Spot treating Drying effectiveness Noise Accessories Usability for carpeted steps Furniture accessories Other accessories Weight There are plenty of features to think about when you buy your steam cleaner, and which model works best depends on your specific conditions. When you select a machine that better matches your needs, you’re more likely to use it, and that means you’ll enjoy cleaner carpeting and rugs in your home. Here are the features we analyzed in our comparison.

Ergonomics Many comparisons wouldn’t put ease of use and machine ergonomics first, but we include it first here for a good reason. If you find it difficult to use, you won’t use it. Why buy something you won’t use?

The amount of suction a powerful machine generates is great for removal of the wet stuff but can make some machines try to adhere to the carpet and therefore be unwilling to move.

Depending on their size and placement, wheels might work more effectively on one height of rug than another. Add in differences in brush heads, and you’ll understand why not all machines are as easy to move as others, depending on what you’re cleaning.

Ergonomics is a combination of multiple factors, including head width, reservoir sizes and others. We note if users generally found the selected machine as user-friendly as they would have expected. Here are the data points to consider.

Reservoir size We’ve already discussed how size matters for reservoirs. Manufacturers also note that some machines have indicators to let you know when you’re running out of clean water or when your dirty water tank is full. That dirty water side is nice if you go over the carpet more than once in an area to suck up debris.

Width of head A wider head means you can cover an area faster. If you have a lot of carpeting or rugs to clean, you’ll want something wider to finish faster. The trade-off to size is the places it can’t reach, though, so if you have tight spaces like under furniture or near walls, you’ll need to pass judgement on how wide is too wide.

Power cord length This may not sound like a big deal but consider this – electricity and water do not play nicely together. Consumer Reports recommends you plug the cord into a GFI (grounded) electrical outlet to be on the safe side. It’s a plus if this is somewhere you won’t be steam cleaning.

Cleaning effectiveness How well a steam cleaner works on your carpeting and rugs is a function of how hot the steam can become, how well you can treat spots without extra effort, and how easy it is to apply the right amount of cleaner. We’ll cover each of these separately here.

Steam temperature You’re looking for hot steam that stays that way, as we mentioned before, because otherwise, you’re only adding water to create a soggy mess underfoot. Not all machines have a feature to ensure clean water stays hot. You’re looking for something that steams as fast as you can move that machine back and forth over the carpeted area.

Cleaning solution dispenser In some machines, you add your cleaning solution directly to the clean water reservoir. While this might seem convenient, it also raises a risk of adding too much, making the carpeting sticky and more likely to attract debris faster.

At the same time, you might not add enough, which reduces the effectiveness of your cleaning process as well. Having a separate dispenser means the machine calibrates how much solution is required and adds it during the steaming process, plus it shuts off and allows you to rinse with clean water. Make sure you use the type of solution called for by the machine manufacturer in any case.

Spot treating Cleaners with separate dispensers and cleaners for spot treating can help you add more solution to those high traffic areas or work on those stubborn stains. You’ll need to be careful to avoid over-applying cleaning solution, though, because you’ll be spending more time applying clean water and suctioning it up to pull out what you’ve added. Still, having an applicator to add more suds when and where you need it is a useful benefit.

One important piece of information many people overlook in spot treating is that CRI and most steam cleaner manufacturers do not recommend using your big machine to remove pet pee in the carpet. Urine soaks into the carpet and padding quickly, and steaming it only sets it deeper and sets the odor – quickly.

For this issue, you need a pet-rated machine that has a special attachment for that task (or a small spot-treater machine only for that purpose) and a pet-specific cleaning solution.

Drying effectiveness A powerful suction motor is as vital as hot steam, because the longer the water sits on the carpet, the longer you, furniture and everything else needs to stay off it. In addition, too much liquid remaining in the fibers can seep down into your padding and the floor surface below, creating a new set of issues, like mold, and none of want that in our homes. The more powerful the suction capability of the machine, the faster and more thoroughly you can remove the dirt.

Noise There’s no getting around it, powerful motors in home or professional machines make noise. That’s the suction working for you. Decibel ratings are not always readily accessible for this equipment, and that’s probably no surprise since no machine could be called quiet by any stretch of your imagination.

Carpet Steam Cleaner Best for Noise Bissell Proheat 2X Lift-Off Pet Best Overall C Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Best for Small Areas, Pets C Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Best for Area Rugs, Budget C Bissell Big Green Machine Professional Best for Pro-Level Cleaning C- Hoover Power Dash Pet Bests for Apartments and Condos C Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Best for High Traffic C- Consumer Reports mentions using ear protection to save your hearing if you plan to use the machine for large areas or long periods. This becomes more complicated if you have small children to protect or pets that hate the whine and whine themselves. If you can put distance and doors between them and the noise, all the better.

Accessories The selection of accessories is one criterion you’ll need to consider based on your household. Do you have steps, lots of upholstered furniture, or delicate flooring where pets like to loll around? Consider if these reside on the machine or need their own storage area too.

Usability for carpeted steps Sometimes it seems like carpeted steps gather more dust and dirt than any other covered surface in a house. Couple this with difficult in cleaning those kinds of spaces and you can have a real challenge on your hands. You’ll want three things to avoid dragging the machine and balancing it behind or next to you – a long hose, a stair accessory, and a long power cord (pick the first two over the last if you must).

Furniture accessories Any horizontal surface in the home can accumulate dirt and odors, and that includes upholstery on furniture. Why not use the steam cleaner on them too? This is easy to accomplish if you have a furniture attachment (usually a small version of the big head on the cleaner) and a hose long enough to reach the corners.

Other accessories Depending on the brand and the model, your system might come with attachments for other purposes. My favorites cover the places my dogs venture, like the SUV seats and cargo area and the cushions on the patio furniture.

Tally up the many places we sit (dining room chairs), lay down (mattress) and walk (even bare floors) and you’ll realize that the right tools will come in very handy in keeping your environment as clean as the day it was built (maybe better).

Weight Machine weight is your starting point, and from there, add eight pounds for each gallon of water in the clean water tank. (We’ll assume you’re cycling through from clean to dirty in one pass.) If you have to move the machine between floors in your home or otherwise need to wrestle it around tight spots, consider that maneuverability factor.

Size relates to storage. The machine has a footprint, plus vertical space needed for the upright vac portion. If you don’t have closet or basement space to devote to it, consider where you can put the machine and its accessories.

As a final reminder, when things break down, each manufacturer has their own terms and conditions about the length of a warranty period and what it covers. Study these to determine what added value they bring you. Ditto on regular maintenance the machine may require.

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Best Steam Cleaner Reviews 2019

Steam cleaning systems are a revolution in whole-house cleaning. They’ve been popular in Europe for decades, and are now catching on here in the U.S. A canister system steam cleaner provides a balance between the versatility of a handheld steam cleaner and the coverage and convenience of a steam mop.

You’ll be able to clean your floors with extra power, including all the cracks, crevices, and corners that you might miss with a mop. Plus, you’ll have an attachment set to use on pretty much anything you can think of around the house and in your car.

There’s quite an overwhelming variety of options, so we know it can be pretty confusing to know where to start looking for the right one.

That’s where we come in! As your steam cleaner experts, we’ve combed through the benefits and drawbacks of dozens of different cleaners, and read thousands of reviews from buyers like you. We narrowed down the options to find three great cleaning systems that will help you all over your house.

Below, you’ll find full reviews of each of our top choices. We’ve explained all the key features, and boiled down online feedback from previous buyers to bring you everything you need to know about these cleaners.*Steam cleaner systems come in a whole range of shapes, sizes, and power. They range in price from $100-$1,000+, from budget models to industrial cleaning machines.

We’ve only included household steam cleaners here. There are industrial power models available to consumers, but we found them to be overkill in terms of power. They’re also a lot less convenient to store around the house.*

Be

r Reviews 1. McCullough 1275 Heavy-Duty Steam CleanerSave Click for Price

This McCullough system is one of the most popular cleaners available today. This is a heavy-duty cleaner that manages to fit right in your home. We love it for its versatility–we’re hard-pressed to think of anything you can’t clean with this machine. The best part is that it costs no more than a good steam mop! Previous buyers say they’ve gotten years of powerful service out of this machine.

Pros:

The heater in the McCullough is loaded with 1500 watts of power. That’s as good as it gets in this price range. The heater can get the tank up to full heat in 8 minutes. Once you’re at temperature, you’ll have enough capacity for 45 minutes of continuous cleaning.

The trigger features a lock mechanism, which lets the machine produce continuous steam without you needing to hold your finger on the trigger. That’s a great feature for when you’re mopping.

Of all the attachments, the jet nozzle provides the highest pressure and highest temperature. It’s great for blasting the toughest spots and sanitizing any surface. It’s also ideal for dealing with bedbugs. Reviewers loved it for sliding door tracks, faucets, windowsills, and other areas that are hard to reach with traditional cleaners.

You have the option of using small bristle brushes or the larger scrubbing pad for other surfaces. That means you can use the small, intense attachments where you really need them, and then do the rest of the project more quickly with the larger pad.

There are also a few types of brushes. The nylon bristles are good for grout, while the metal brush is strong enough to scrub grills and car parts.

There are also two extension wands, so you can adjust the length of your attachments as needed. At full extension, it’s long enough to use comfortably as a mop, without having to bend over. The mop head is extra big, too, so you’ll be able to mop more quickly than you would with other mops.

There are two mop pads included, which are good for any tile or wood surface. They’re microfiber, and are machine washable. The McCullough also gives you a bit more coverage than many mops, with a 13×8.5” mop pad.

The triangle brush helps you clean in corners, on flooring, counters and ovens. It’s compact. All the tools and the power cord can be stored onboard.

Cons:

The mop pads aren’t great for tile grout. We’d recommend cleaning the grout with a narrow nozzle before going over the rest of the floor. Also, you only get two pads, and they wear out quickly.

There isn’t a fabric attachment. You can use the wide head, but you’d have to use the mop pad to prevent fabrics from being damaged. Obviously, such a wide tool isn’t ideal.

It’s quite loud.

Reviewers said it wasn’t really up to cleaning engines, as advertised. While it’s certainly powerful enough to handle most things around the house, McCullough’s advertising is a bit optimistic.

2. Reliable Enviromate E5 Reliable E5 Click for Price

This Reliable canister system is a powerful, efficient solution for whole-house cleaning. While its price is high, it’s a well-designed, highly durable machine that we think is truly impressive. Its sheer ease of use and smart design make it an absolute bargain. It’s a good choice for people who know they’ll get lots of use out of their steam cleaner system, and will appreciate the extra quality–without spending $1K+ on a Ladybug.

Pros:

It uses a pressurized system to provide consistent output at 58 psi.

The heater is powered at 1780 watts, even more than the McCullough! It provides more than enough power for anything you can think of. Previous buyers raved about its effectiveness on food grease, adhesives, and paint spills, to name a few.

There’s also enough power for tougher jobs like removing wallpaper and caulking. It takes nearly all the elbow grease out of redoing your walls or floors. Previous buyers said it makes light cleaning almost effortless, and really accelerates deep cleans.

It’s also guaranteed to be 220 degrees at the tip, not just at the boiler. Many other machines have lower-temperature water, which dips below 220 degrees by the time it emerges. This can compromise a cleaner’s function as a sanitizer and a bedbug-killer.

One especially smart feature is the automatic shutoff. If you’re in the middle of a tough cleaning job, you don’t want to have to keep eyeballing the water level. This handy function means you won’t accidentally damage the boiler by letting it run on empty.

The boiler system has a lifetime warranty. Other parts are easy to order, and affordable to replace. Thankfully, the boiler is the costliest part–and you’ll never have to buy a new one!

Overall, the build quality completely trumps its lower-priced competitors. The main hose is built from stainless steel, which won’t dent or break. The other parts and attachments are built from thicker, heavier plastic than many other cleaners.

The hose detaches for storage. With flexible steam control, you can adjust it to your needs on any given day (anywhere from 0-58 psi). That’s a big advantage over the McCullough, which is a bit industrial for some delicate household surfaces.

Cons:

It’s a lot more expensive than some competitors. However, it’s the closest you’ll get to the power of an industrial cleaner in a household-sized package without spending a grand or two for a Ladybug. Plus, it balances its power with versatility and adaptive power.

Some reviewers questioned how hot the water was when using both extension wands.

The power cord is quite short, at only 10 feet. You’ll probably want to use the E3 with an extension cord.

Because of the metal tank and wand, as well as the heavier plastic, the machine ends up being a bit heavier overall. It’s easy to roll around on the caster wheels, but it’s still a solid 20 pounds with an empty tank.

3. Steamfast SteamfastSave Click for Price

The Steamfast is a lightweight, less heavy-duty version of the McCullough. It’s a very similar design, with fairly comparable function. We’ve provided it here as a slightly cheaper option for budget buyers. While we don’t recommend it for frequent use, it’s a good budget option for folks who want to be able to use steam once in a while without spending a premium.

Pros:

It comes with a big set of 17 attachments. It’s basically the same set that you get with the McCullough and the Reliable. There are a few basic brushes, extension wands, a mop head with pads, and a window squeegee.

Our favorite attachment is unique to the Steamfast. It’s a corner tool, which can be outfitted with a sponge or scrubbers to clean into corners without scratching woodwork or grout. It’s the only corner attachment we’ve seen that isn’t hard plastic.

It’s almost as powerful as the McCullough, with an on-par 1500-watt steam unit. However, it’s a bit gentler on home furnishings. The steam is less aggressive on delicate wood finishes, making this one a good choice for you if you want to clean your furniture more gently.

It’s very lightweight, weighing in at just 8.5 pounds. It’s extremely inexpensive, and about the same price as the average steam mop. However, it covers even more ground. Reviewers loved it for a bargain-priced cleaning bundle, and we think it offers a lot of value for the price.

Cons:

The warranty is only for a year. However, customers generally had very good experiences with Steamfast customer service.

It’s quite loud. The steam is “wetter” than some more expensive cleaners (i.e., less hot). This means you’ll have more residual moisture to wipe up. The cord doesn’t wind into the canister. This makes storage a bit awkward.

There’s no attachment for cleaning fabrics or delicate upholstery.

The plastic brushes warp under full power. You’ll be better off alternating steam and scrubbing, so the brushes don’t build up too much heat. Other plastic parts, like the wands, aren’t really up to heavy use.

4. Ladybug Ladybug 2200S with TANCSSave Click for Price Our ultimate recommendation for a steam cleaner is the Ladybug. Specifically, we’re recommending the 2200S with TANCS. We think it’s the best balance of performance and value for the passionate homeowner who loves to clean with steam! While Ladybug systems are extremely expensive compared to others, they’re wildly better in terms of sanitation, cleaning, and residual moisture. We think this is the best thing on the market right now!

Pros:

It’s one of the only systems on the market to feature continuous steam! Continuous vapor systems allow you to top up the water tank before it’s empty, so you don’t have to take long intervals and wait for the whole thing to heat up again. The Ladybug can be refilled along the way, and heats up almost immediately. There’s no noticeable lag, so you can add water and keep on steaming!

It’s also more powerful than the Reliable, or any of the other systems we recommend. The Ladybug’s boiler hits a whopping 290 degrees F, and it puts out steam at 60 psi. Careful readers will note that it smokes our other picks in both departments! The effect of having so much more pressure and heat is that your cleaning moves along much faster. You’ll get far more done, and use less elbow grease to do it.

Another benefit of using the Ladybug is that you’re left with very little residual moisture. Since the steam is so hot, it mostly evaporates rather than pooling behind you. That’s why this is so good for grout, carpets, and other areas where mildew can be a problem. You can use it to disinfect and kill dust mites without worrying about moisture!

This Ladybug features the company’s TANCS technology. It’s a chemical-free  (made from nanocrystals) innovation which sanitizes as well as industrial chemicals! It’s actually EPA-listed as a disinfectant, even though it doesn’t contain any of the harmful chemicals usually used to sanitize.

Between TANCS and the ultra-hot steam, the Ladybug sanitizes and kills pests (dust mites, bed bugs, etc) like a beast! You don’t have to hover for 15 seconds, like you would with a steam mop. It disinfects almost instantly.

It comes with a 13-piece accessory set. Right out of the box, you’ll be well-equipped to clean all your floors, as well as lots of other household surfaces. The 2200S is also available in a number of different kits, so you can choose the toolkit that’s best for your home. Just follow the links above to see them all!

It’s made in Italy and has a spotless reliability record.

Cons:

The only real downside of the Ladybug is the price. It costs many times what you’d pay for a Reliable, or any other midrange steam cleaner. This is only a purchase that makes sense for someone who’s going to do the majority of their cleaning projects using steam and will get their money’s worth.

It also takes a bit longer to heat than the Reliable. That’s the trade-off of having a larger boiler, though!

Conclusion Which steam cleaner is right for you?

The Reliable is ideal for people who expect to do most of their cleaning with steam. It’s not nearly as expensive as the Ladybug, but it still outperforms the McCullough and Steamfast by a long way. We think it’s the best choice for the average buyer.

The McCullough is our recommendation for anyone who wants to spend less than $200. It’s extremely popular, so there’s quite a bit of feedback about it online–most of which is overwhelmingly positive. It’s very inexpensive, and will clean just about any surface well. Plus, it comes with a huge accessory set to help you with each job. However, it’s not as industrial as advertised, and it won’t last as long as the Reliable.

The Steamfast is our choice if you’re on a budget and will be using it for light household cleaning and the occasional deep-clean. Reviewers said it’s capable of cleaning most household messes, and is reasonably durable. However, since the McCullough is only slightly more expensive, we’d recommend spending a little more for a nicer machine.

Finally, the Ladybug is our recommendation to those committed steam users who want the best of the best. There’s simply no competition between this thing and the rest of the market. It’s more powerful, more user-friendly, and more effective! Don’t buy this if you won’t get your money’s worth from it, though.

Buying Guide Weigh Cost vs. Cleaning Power:

More expensive steam cleaners are more powerful overall. They produce higher-temper

Buying Guide aves less residual moisture. They also build up higher pressure in the boiler, so steam comes out with more force for cleaning. They’ll also have more complete attachment sets. Generally, these all include the same tools. However, cheap brushes don’t last long, nor do thin plastic hoses. Higher-quality machines will have better accessories in the package.

You can also expect better durability from top-of-the-line cleaners. They’re built better, and backed by longer warranties.

The price difference between the cheap ones and the decent ones isn’t huge ($100-200), but then there’s a big jump from decent to very good ($500+).

Depending on your house and your other cleaning equipment, you’ll need different attachments. If you have grout, for instance, or want to clean a grill, you’ll need higher steam pressure and metal brushes. Make sure your steam cleaner will cover everything you need it to.

Tips for Steam Cleaning: 1. Make a Day of It

It can be quite a long process to get a steam cleaner up and running, and it takes just as much time for it to cool down when you’re done. You’ll want to make a list of cleaning jobs before you start cleaning, so you’re not wasting any steam time. If there’s one obvious spot to clean, there’s probably a few more hiding just beneath eye level!

2. Check Warranties and Test A Spot

While steam cleaners are meant to work on just about any surface, you will want to make sure the surface is intended to be steam cleaned. Check the warranty on your carpets and hardwoods before you start cleaning. You don’t want to void the warranty or cause unintended damage!

It’s also a good idea to steam clean a small patch of a carpet or upholstery somewhere that’s hard to see. That way, if it changes the appearance of your furnishings, you won’t have ruined the whole thing. Some carpets may only need dry cleaning so know the difference between dry cleaning and steam cleaning.

3. Use Distilled Water

The vast majority of steam cleaners will recommend using distilled water in the manual. That might seem expensive, given the tank size on some of the larger canister models. However, this preserves boiler life by preventing mineral buildup and deposits. And you’re saving lots of money on cleaners and rags, so a few gallons of distilled water is a worthy investment.

4. Use a Bit of Elbow Grease

Steam cleaners can work wonders, but steam won’t do the whole job by itself. You should expect to do a bit of scrubbing work on tough jobs, even with the best steam cleaner.

If a spot won’t come clean, hold the steam over it, then try wiping it away. You can also try alternating steam and scrubbing. This stops moisture from building up on the cleaning surface, and prevents the brushes from warping under constant heat.