From time to time, TTAC will highlight automotive products we think may be of interest to our community. Plus, posts like this help to keep the lights on around here. Learn more about how this works.
Every single gearhead reading this enjoys a clean car. Whether we take the time to actually remove lifeâs various and sundry detritus, well, thatâs a different story. We all know people whose engine compartments are tidier than their passenger compartments.
Hoovering the carpets and seats only removes so much dirt, as those ads for commercial-grade steam cleaner rentals used to so graphically demonstrate. These days, portable steam cleaners abound, meaning those of us who decide to give our car a really good scrub neednât venture to the Kroger across town thatâs really scary after 4 pm.
Keep in mind these units can be used in the house, too, in case your other half is questioning your financial investment on one of these things. Dirt begone!
(Editorâs note: As noted above, this post is meant to both help you be an informed shopper for automotive products but also to pay for our â90s sedan shopping habits operating expenses. Some of you donât find these posts fun, but they help pay for Junkyard Finds, Rare Rides, Piston Slaps, and whatever else. Thanks for reading.)
Sticking with a well-known name brand doesnât always work (witness the near-useless belt sander lounging in your authorâs tool box) but it is generally a safe bet. Bissell has been in the vacuum and steam-cleaning business approximately forever, or at least long enough that most of us can remember Rod Roddy describing the things as part of a showcase showdown.
This unit is about a foot square but only six inches wide, meaning itâs easy to plop on the seat while cleaning the interior of your beloved Lincoln Continental. Bissellâs heatwave technology helps maintain water temps during the cleaning process, meaning hot tap water is all thatâs needed. A nattily-named HydroRinse feature cleans the hose after use to remove built-up crap which could cause a lingering odor. Three tools of varying size are included to ensure you can reach every nook and cranny.
If all you need is a quick fix ahead of selling a car on Craigslist or getting the remnants of last nightâs party out of your parentâs Jag, this el cheapo steam cleaner might just do the trick. The listing says it includes nine pieces but, like that 390,982-piece socket set advertised at AutoZone, 75 percent of those pieces are small bits youâll never use.
Also, the seller notes it works best on hard surfaces, though it does specifically list car seats as a cleanable item. Donât expect it to perform the deep clean provided by more robust units like the Bissell listed above, however. Classified as a handheld pressurized steam cleaner, itâll probably even de-wrinkle your slacks.
This behemoth weighs nearly 20 pounds and measures 16 inches square. What it lacks in portability, though, it more than makes up for in usefulness. A true steam cleaner that forces water into and out of itself, twin tanks separate clean and dirty water which makes the task of cleaning a lot simpler.
A retractable handle and dual wheels remind your author of those oversized rollerboard suitcases that people invariably try and stuff into the overhead compartment of a CRJ airplane. Motorized brushing heads does the scrubbing for you, negating the need to build yourself up like Popeye before cleaning the car.
Similar in style but marginally more powerful than the cheap cleaner listed two units above, this unit will also do a good job of steam cleaning hard surface items and getting crud off the top layer of carpets. For a very deep clean of those rugs in the car, though, youâll probably want to keep reading.
A lockable steam trigger allow you to continuously blast through the task at hand, while its 6 oz. water tank heats up in three minutes and provides up to 10 minutes of continuous steam, according to the seller. No fewer than eleven accessories and a 15-foot long cord ensures you should be able to reach every crevvie of the car.
This steam cleaner is advertised as an efficient, ultra-reliable do-it-all cleaning and sanitation solution. Its sellers describe it as being designed for performance and ease of use to deliver the cleaning power of much larger professional units. It is designed to easily remove dirt, grease, and stains while killing 99.9 percent of bacteria.
A large capacity tank hold 54 oz of water (thatâs 1.6L in Roman Catholic) providing nearly an hour of cleaning time. Its retractable handle and white cube shape gives it a look of an iMac or some prop from a futuristic movie. That water will be heated to 275 degrees F, by the way, so use caution around this thing to avoid burns.
Here we find a steam cleaner that packs an adjustable steam temperature and a 33 oz water tank. Its corrugated-style hose measures very nearly five feet in length, meaning the actual cleaning unit can remain outside the car while you go to town on those Dorito and Cheez-It messes on the dashboard.
Two cleaning pads are included but more than a couple of users report that this machine benefits from extra steam cleaning liquid if one is trying to remove a rancid stain from a cloth surface (think milk spilled in the back of the car or something). Most customers seemed to use this on hard surfaces like removing rust from the inside of a dishwasher.
Hereâs an option from a manufacturer already profiled in this post. This time, they are offering a more robust steam cleaner, one thatâs definitely not handheld but certainly is equipped to get rid of dirt and grime. Its water tank is a healthy 48 oz, fully heating up in under 12 minutes according to the seller.
Twenty cleaning accessories are included although, like all good retailers, it is also recommended to buy a couple of extra items – replacement microfiber scrubbing pads in this case. Said to provide about 90 minutes of continuous steam, only the most ardent of car detailers will run out of actual steam before running out of steam themselves.
This reasonably priced steam cleaner makes no bones about its intended use, placing the word âautoâ right in its name. The SteamMachine (a great marketing flourish) uses pressurized, 290 F high-temperature steam to loosen and dissolve dirt, cut grease and grime, and disinfect your vehicle. The seller asserts that this steamer is versatile and can be used for a wide variety of car cleaning projects.
Speaking specifically to gearheads, the authors of the listing say that buyers can clean soft vehicle surfaces like leather and cloth upholstery while also tackling hard surfaces such as dashboards and windows. Eleven accessories should provide a tool for just about every job. Its 40oz boiler tank and 1500w heating element provides up to 45 minutes of steady cleaning.
I’m not sure how this list, aimed at “car guys”, omits probably the most popular and reliable steam cleaner available.
Vapamore won’t sell a million units, but they are most firmly set on making the gear that satisfy’s auto detailing and personal use.
The MR-100 should absolutely be on this list and at $300 it should be outperforming the list provided by Matthew. These units are rock solid and once heated, will steam the entire canister of nearly a gallon of water continuously and at full pressure. https://www.autogeek.net/vapamore-mr-100-primo-steamer.html
Maybe you linked to the wrong unit because 1.6 liters is nowhere near a gallon. Steam pressure of 3.5 bar is less than the McCulloch MC1375 (which holds about the same amount of water). The McCulloch is also half the price.
One of our Foster boys went down the dope head rabbit hole and we got stuck with his filthy 2016 Honda Civic parry car ~ the grey mouse fur seats are mottled black now with God knows what, I’ve scrubbed and vacuumed as best I can but it still stinks of weed from 1/4 mile away so before SWMBO will touch it or I want to drive it anywhere the seats need steam cleaning…
Some of these units appear to only have a steam nozzle ~ how do you get the crud off the cloth seats / carpets ? .
The Bissell and rug Doctor are not steam cleaners. I would think steam might be a slightly critical component of a steam cleaner.
I was going to say the same thing. The Bissel is a mini shampooer and not a steam cleaner. That doesnât make it useless, but it doesnât belong in this comparison.
OK, guys I understand that you have to pay the bills. But please, let’s just drop this “From time to time” charade and eliminate this bit of boilerplate. It’s just annoying when it shows up every day…
Not only is there no need to apologize/explain/pander to those who don’t understand economic reality, but the format of these infomercials (ie: allowing public commentary) actually makes them kinda useful.
If you guys HAVE to do articles like this, I’d be far, far more interested if you tested the products on your own.
Half of the stuff in these âreviewsâ is just probably overpriced Chinese junk which wonât last, and Iâm sure some of the âreviewersâ are just planted.
Itâs pretty obvious that these are simply done after an Amazon search for whatever product might be of interest, then the review is written using the top product and products related to it, again all on Amazon.
I like this article for at least four reasons, which I will post separately later, since my spouse wants me to head down to the beach right now.
Note to self: – Experience/expertise – Branding/licensing – Industrial Design vs. Styling – Efficacy/damage question
for me the best option has always been a washing machine. yes, the seats have to come out but most carpets can be put in a washing machine on gentle and will turn out as clean as theyll ever be. remove/replace backing as needed.
for the seats, garden hose, detergent, and scrubbing. then more water and days of air drying in the sun. might be brave enough to undo the hogrings and wash the actual covers w/ detergent and bleach but a backup plan is needed
I have never used an actual steam cleaning device – either for car or home. Questions for anyone with experience: – Do they work? – Do they cause any damage to the materials in question? (~9x more energy than boiling water; this has always given me pause)
I’d rather use my trusty wet/dry shop vac… just pre-soak with spray nine or something similar, then flood with hot water, then suck it up.
After vacuuming out all the loose crap I tried soaking, scrubbing, allowing to soak, everything I’ve learned in decades of used car cleaning .
Post time: Oct-12-2019