Critical Details: Lets Talk Steam Cleaners

[CriticalDetails]

There are definitely different classifications for steam cleaners: consumer, commercial and Industrial. Each which have their place. For personal use, a consumer grade steam cleaner will work just fine. However I would not recommend a consumer grade steam cleaner to a professional detailer. At times, I have spent well over an hour steam cleaning neglected door jambs with a commercial grade steam cleaner. The McCulloch steam cleaner (consumer model) has a maximum steam time of 45 minutes which means on the maximum setting you may see 20 minutes of steam. If I don’t refill my water reservoir and let the boiler drain, the 300CS provides about an hour of steam on the maximum setting. Continuous fill steam cleaners like the 300CS, do not list the max operation time because you will have an endless supply of steam.

The VX5000 steam cleaner seems to be the tipping point from consumer grade to commercial grade steam cleaners. The VX5000 costs roughly $800, and has a 4 liter boiler compared to the McCulloch which costs roughly $100, and has a 1.5 liter boiler. The VX5000 also offers 65psi of steam while the McCulloch only offers 35psi of steam. What manufacturers do not mention, is that the overall PSI rating, and the pressure will decrease to almost half the max listed PSI after the trigger has been pressed for close to a minute. The VX5000 is a great entry level commercial steam cleaner which is not to say it is inexpensive. A few hundred more dollars and you can pick up a steam cleaner that has more PSI and a continuous fill boiler, which the VX5000 does not have.

For the majority of professional detailers, a commercial grade steam cleaner ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 will be more than adequate. However there are some detailers that require an industrial grade steam cleaner such as an Optima DM. The Optima DM has a 20 liter boiler compared to the average 4 liter boiler found on commercial grade steam cleaners. The Optima DM also boasts an impressive 116psi which is 40psi more than most commercial grade steam cleaners. Detailing businesses that clean heavy equipment or provide exterior steam washes need an industrial grade steam cleaner.

Time is money but money is a definite consideration when it comes to detailing and purchasing a steam cleaner. A commercial grade steam cleaner will save you countless hours of labor and pay for itself over time.

[sproketser]

Great tips Critical . Love this thread .

[TundraPower]

Vapamore MX-1000 (not the 100).

[CriticalDetails]

Great tips Critical . Love this thread .

Thank you. I hope this article helps anyone in the market for a steam cleaner make an informed purchase.


Vapamore MX-1000 (not the 100).

I looked for the Vapamore MX-1000 and could not find such a steam cleaner. Did you mean the Vapamore MR-1000 and if so it looks like a very nice steam cleaner. The MR-1000 has a maximum pressure of 90psi and features a 3 liter boiler. If you can sacrifice a little mobility in exchange for extra power than the MR-1000 looks like a solid investment.

[sproketser]

Thank you. I hope this article helps anyone in the market for a steam cleaner make an informed purchase.



I looked for the Vapamore MX-1000 and could not find such a steam cleaner. Did you mean the Vapamore MR-1000 and if so it looks like a very nice steam cleaner. The MR-1000 has a maximum pressure of 90psi and features a 3 liter boiler. If you can sacrifice a little mobility in exchange for extra power than the MR-1000 looks like a solid investment.

I bet it will .

[rustytruck]

I'm afraid of my steam cleaner. Some day I will get brave. Although I never did master the gas weed whacker.

[CriticalDetails]

I'm afraid of my steam cleaner. Some day I will get brave. Although I never did master the gas weed whacker.

Are you afraid of damaging the surface or getting burned? I still get burned occasionally when I let off the trigger and the condensation drips out of the nozzle.

[CCC4me]

My next unit, 185 psi!:
Vapor Steam Cleaners, Electric Steam Cleaners, & Propane Steam Cleaners, Commercial Steam Cleaners, Industrial Steam Cleaners, High Pressure Steam Cleaners, Steam Cleaners from THERMA-KLEENâ„¢ (http://www.therma-kleen.com/vapor_steam_cleaners/vapor_steam_industrial_400.html)

[Pureshine]

I have the Dupray Tosca it cost $1k works great. I don't need a continuous fill boiler. But if you have a big shop one would be great I do one car a day. Great info Trevor :)

[Calendyr]

I guess if you use it for that long you are using steam for cleaning the whole interior of the vehicle.

I own a personal steamer, hand held model that has only 1 cup of water storage. I have never timed how long it can be used but from past experience I would say around 30 minutes of non-continious use. So blast clean then off while I use the microfiber towel to dry the surfaces and remove the dirty water.

I am seriously thinking about buying a high end consumer one that will hold more water. I do not plan on using it for everything. What I plan to use it for is: Nooks and crannies, stains, pedals. For the rest, APCs and other products seems a better choice. Steam cleaning takes longer than using cleaners.

[rwisejr]

Nice break down and explanation . I personally use a VX5000 I picked it up used a couple of years ago for 500.00 . I'm a weekend detailers and it more than fits my needs. Thanks for the info.

[CriticalDetails]

My next unit, 185 psi!:
Vapor Steam Cleaners, Electric Steam Cleaners, & Propane Steam Cleaners, Commercial Steam Cleaners, Industrial Steam Cleaners, High Pressure Steam Cleaners, Steam Cleaners from THERMA-KLEENâ„¢ (http://www.therma-kleen.com/vapor_steam_cleaners/vapor_steam_industrial_400.html)

That is some serious pressure! What is the cost on one of one of those steam cleaners? I couldn't find a price online but if I had to guess I would say around $3,000.


I have the Dupray Tosca it cost $1k works great. I don't need a continuous fill boiler. But if you have a big shop one would be great I do one car a day. Great info Trevor :)

Thank you. Dupray makes an excellent steam cleaner. I really wanted to buy the Dupray Super Inox but couldn't justify the extra money over the Daimer 300CS.


I guess if you use it for that long you are using steam for cleaning the whole interior of the vehicle.

I own a personal steamer, hand held model that has only 1 cup of water storage. I have never timed how long it can be used but from past experience I would say around 30 minutes of non-continious use. So blast clean then off while I use the microfiber towel to dry the surfaces and remove the dirty water.

I am seriously thinking about buying a high end consumer one that will hold more water. I do not plan on using it for everything. What I plan to use it for is: Nooks and crannies, stains, pedals. For the rest, APCs and other products seems a better choice. Steam cleaning takes longer than using cleaners.

I typically steam clean all interior surfaces except for the carpet and cloth upholstery. The door jambs are also steam cleaned as I work my way around the vehicle on an interior detail.

When cleaning leather and vinyl surfaces I apply APC and agitate with a brush before steam cleaning. I use the steam to blast out any crevices that may have been out of reach and remove any APC residue before applying a protectant.

I think that a more powerful and larger capacity steamer will help you save time compared to your current model. The increased PSI and heat will help blow out crevices and remove contamination faster.

[CriticalDetails]

Nice break down and explanation . I personally use a VX5000 I picked it up used a couple of years ago for 500.00 . I'm a weekend detailers and it more than fits my needs. Thanks for the info.

Thank you and you're welcome. I bought my steam cleaner two years ago and thought that I saw the VX5000 being sold for $500 instead of $800. That is quite the markup on a steam cleaner that appears to be unchanged over the years. The Daimer 300CS that I have looks nothing like the current model and yet the price remains the same.

[TopThatDetail]

I have the vc-4000c it's pretty nice I like the fact that its continuous steam, saves time.. I probably should of bought the vx and saved myself $400.. Oh well they don't accept returns :xyxthumbs:

[VP Mark]

Is it bad that I'm as happy as a clam with my $100 McCulloch from Harbor Freight? I eventually want to get a Mytee Firebird but could not see paying more than $300 - $400 unless I had a shop and was doing volume work.