Steam Cleaners - Quality Machines vs. Cheap Brands

What features to look for when evaluating steam cleaners?

Steam Cleaners - Overview

Steam cleaners are the latest, highly effective cleaning machines that have become increasingly popular for residential, commercial and industrial cleaning. The more powerful and especially useful steam cleaners create hotter, more forceful vapor steam that cleans much more effectively and faster than the weaker brands and models of steam cleaners sold on the market.

Relatively ineffective steam cleaners in the industry are easily identified by appearance and steam cleaner product specifications:

• Typically, they sell for under $350.00.
• These inexpensive or lower-quality steam cleaners come with fewer parts.
• Most of these steam cleaners include aluminum boilers, which are less rugged and more prone to failure versus heavier-gauge stainless steel boilers used in higher-priced steam cleaners.

Always look for heavy-duty plastic cases, stainless steel housing bases, or steam cleaner cases made entirely of stainless steel.

They are shaped like water cans, or can be identified by their smaller, all-plastic housing with 2 plastic rear wheels, and most often one plastic, non-caster front wheel. Higher quality steam cleaners use heavy-duty caster wheels.

Weak, less effective steam cleaners create pressure levels under 65 pounds per square inch (psi) and temperatures under 295°F. The flow of steam is relatively weaker, often not much better than that emitted by a kettle. The lack of vapor steam force means less cleaning power and more time to clean.

Steam cleaner hoses that are permanently attached to the steam cleaner. This type of steam cleaner is less expensive to manufacture, and the steam cleaner hose tends to be much more fragile than detachable steam hoses that are bundled with higher quality steam cleaners/vapor steam cleaners.

The problem is the lack of hose durability on these weaker steam cleaners means you must ship the entire steam cleaner back to the vendor or repair facility just because the steam hose failed. The result is a shipping expense you did not expect, and turnaround times of up to several months based upon industry research.

Disposable steam cleaners: Warranties are often shorter on these less expensive steam cleaners as the manufacturers and resellers appear to have less confidence in the durability of their steam cleaners. Warranties of up to 3 years are common versus lifetime warranties on higher quality steam cleaners.
One major problem is these cheaper steam cleaners are often not worth repairing when the warranty expires as the cost of parts and labor quit often exceed the original price and even the replacement cost of the unit. Product failures often lead to customers discarding the steam cleaner and simply purchasing another new steam cleaner. Unfortunately, many people sometimes purchase a number of these lower-priced steam cleaners within a couple of years. The result is they spend more money than they would have if they purchased a higher-quality steam cleaner from the outset. Don't base your steam cleaner purchase merely on price alone!

High-quality steam cleaners are referred to as vapor steam cleaners that have unmatched cleaning power versus lower-powered steam cleaners, and are excellent for those suffering from asthma and other chronic ailments. Vapor steam cleaners help to eliminate surface mold, dust mites, and other allergens and are very effective on stains, grease, oils, food particles, and so much more.

These high-quality steam cleaners are fantastic sanitizing and disinfecting cleaning machines that can operate for up to several hours of continuous use every day. Continuous-refill technology allows for non-stop use as the steam cleaner contains separate water and boiler chambers; simply add water without the need to turn off the system and reheat, and continue cleaning until the job is finished.

The best part about these vapor steam cleaners is they just need ordinary tap water and no harmful chemical solvents to perform the cleaning job. The fact steam cleaners clean with vapor steam and no harmful chemicals makes them environmentally-friendly cleaning machines; they also clean more deeply and quickly, and sanitize as well as disinfect remarkably well.

How is vapor steam created and what are the basic benefits of steam cleaning?

Water is added directly into a steam cleaner boiler, or into a water chamber that feeds a steam cleaner boiler in the case of continuous-refill steam cleaners and the steam cleaner is then plugged into a wall power outlet. The system power and boiler power buttons are then turned on. Water is heated to boiling temperature, and gets converted into vapor steam with over 1500 times the volume of water.

Vapor steam at high temperature and pressure is then applied to the surface that needs cleaning through a narrow opening or nozzle of the steam cleaner. Various attachments and brushes are used depending upon the surface that needs cleaning. The vapor steam helps to dissolve grease, grime, old, and most other substances as well as help eliminate dust, dirt, soil, and more that can be merely wiped or steamed away, depending upon the type of substance.

Steam vacuum cleaners offer a wonderful benefit of extracting the residue and moisture without needing to wipe with a towel.

Conventional steam cleaners on the market offer no steam vacuum cleaner models, which are extremely handy and efficient for those wanting to clean large surface areas in the case of homeowners with much tile and grout. In addition, most professional cleaning contractors use steam vacuum cleaners as they can save hours a day over the more time-consuming towels wiping required with steam cleaners offer no vacuum or extraction. Many other markets and industries also benefit greatly from steam vacuum cleaners.

When you use carpet steam cleaners, a different technology from steam cleaners, the heat penetrates the carpets better, and simultaneously kills and extracts most germs, microbes, allergens, animal dander, etc. leaving them the carpet cleaner and fresher than after using more conventional carpet cleaning methods. Using environmentally-safe, soap-free carpet cleaning solution means no residue remaining on the carpet as well as better indoor air quality.

Difference between a vacuum cleaner and a vapor Steam Cleaner

Vacuum cleaners works on the suction principle and it pulls the dirt particles from upholstery and carpets. A vapor steam cleaner on the other hand involves the application of water and steam that loosens most substances that are then wiped away by a towel or vacuumed in the case steam vacuum cleaners as described above.

Vapor steam cleaners produce "dry" steam. The steam produced is termed dry because its moisture content is as low as 5 to 6 percent water. Low moisture and high temperature steam vapor of up to 360°F or so for industrial steam cleaners provides excellent cleaning results. Low moisture carpet steam cleaners offer outstanding results when full carpet cleaning is the goal. Daimer's XTreme Power® brand carpet steam cleaners offer drying times as low as 2 hours.

Steam Cleaners Buying Guide

Boiler Capacity: Steam cleaners contain boilers with varying capacities depending on residential, commercial, and commercial use. When researching steam cleaners, you should evaluate your specific needs, and then consider the capacity of the boilers. For example, a 3 liter boiler capacity may be ideal for residential cleaning while a 5 liter or larger boiler capacity may be perfect for commercial and industrial cleaning jobs.

Furthermore, separate refilling chambers allow you to refill the steam cleaner at any time for non stop cleaning. Daimer offer a variety of continuous-refill steam cleaners, including commercial steam cleaners and industrial steam cleaners, which may come with a 5 liter boiler, 10 liter refill chamber, 14 liter recovery chamber, 10 liter detergent chamber, and even steam vacuum depending upon the steam cleaner model. You can just simply add water to a non-pressurized water chamber, and proceed with cleaning all day if necessary! Imagine the time you will save!

Time is money, especially for commercial cleaning contractors whose goal is to clean as quickly as possible so they can proceed with the next job. The best steam cleaner configuration for professional cleaning people is one with continuous-refill and a vacuum, both of which will save up to several hours per day versus conventional steam cleaners with no vacuum or continuous-refill steam cleaner features.

Boiler Construction: The boiler is one of the most important parts of a steam cleaner. Pay special attention to the steam cleaner boiler construction material as a high-quality boiler material helps steam cleaners last long and perform well.

Avoid aluminum steam cleaner boilers at all costs as heating takes longer, the metal is softer, more prone to leakage, and aluminum pitting is very common with use! Make sure the steam cleaner boiler is made of heavy-gauge stainless steel as this metal is resistant to rust and heats quickly. A boiler made of materials other than steel may take longer time to heat, and will negatively affect the steam cleaner's performance.Performance plays an especially important role for most homeowners, commercial cleaning contractors, businesses, hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, commercial food service, non-commercial food service, organizations and most other markets where serious cleaning with reliable steam cleaning equipment is of prime importance.

High Pressure and Temperature: Superior steam cleaners should have adjustable pressure so you can increase or decrease it as per your requirement. At times, you need lower pressure and its associated temperature for certain delicate surfaces. High pressure and high temperature steam leads to liquefying and melting grease and other sticky particles leaving the surface cleaner. Residential steam cleaners must create temperatures of at least up 295°F, while above 295°F temperatures is ideal for commercial and industrial cleaning.

Daimer's residential, commercial and industrial steam cleaning systems come with various pressure and temperature capacities. Pressure variations are up to 75 psi, 105 psi, 110 psi, 120 psi, 150 psi, and temperature levels are up to 310°F, 320°F, 346°F, 349°F, and 386°F depending on the steam cleaner model.

• Cost-Effective: The cost of a steam cleaner is also one of the main factors. Since such machines are not bought frequently, it is advised to pay attention to features and cleaning efficiency more than the price. If you are buying a steam cleaner for your commercial cleaning business, you must never compromise quality for low price as it can result in average cleaning jobs, unreliable cleaning equipment, downtime, unhappy customers, lost profits, and more.
• Parts and Accessories: Home steam cleaners, commercial steam cleaners, and industrial steam cleaners come with a number of tools and accessories that you can attach or detach according to cleaning needs. Certain cleaning jobs require specialized tools so when buying one also check for additional multipurpose attachments that are offered. There are extension wands, extra nozzles, and long hoses. Daimer's offers some of the longest steam cleaner hoses in the industry. All of our steam cleaners come with caster wheels for easy steam cleaner maneuverability.
• Warranty Period: Steam cleaners are the perfect cleaning tool for all those wanting healthy and clean environment. Steam cleaner boilers generally come with a warranty period, so always ask about the boiler warranty. Daimer' entire line of home, commercial, and industrial steam cleaners come with a fantastic "Lifetime Boiler Warranty".
• Safety Features: Make sure the steam cleaner is safe to use. Regulated steam and pressure controls make a steam cleaner convenient, effective, and safe to use. For safe use, make sure you use the steam cleaner according to user instructions. Most steam cleaners must use only water within its boilers, and no cleaning solutions as they can corrode the inside of the boiler, shortening its lifespan.
• Customer Service: Check the steam cleaner vendor offers reliable customer support from which you can get answers to your queries and concerns. Daimer's portable steam cleaners' customer queries can be sent to customerservice@daimer.com.
• Read Steam Cleaner User Reviews: If possible, you must read user reviews to get an idea about the effectiveness and usefulness of the product. Authentic user reviews and testimonials will give you a clear picture of the product. We notice some vendors use potentially deceptive videos appearing to be impartial customers, but appear more like product advertisements. Others create their own reviews that appear to be created internally to increase the sales volume of their steam cleaners. Good judgment and common sense must prevail.

Steam Cleaners Applications and Markets

Steam cleaners are used in various industries for cleaning and maintenance and also used by commercial cleaning contractors and janitors. They are some of the fastest and environmentally safe cleaning machines for their purpose on the market. Steam cleaners can be best used in educational institutions, government offices, retail stores, pest control in the food processing and manufacturing industry, movie theaters/cinemas, retail and commercial bakeries, residential cleaning, rehabilitation centers, budget and economy motels and hospitals, pet services - kennels, catteries, auto detailing/car detailing and car dealers, fleet maintenance, recreational vehicles (RV), truck maintenance, etc.

Steam cleaners can be easily used on many hard or soft surfaces. In addition, they can help degrease and clean vehicles. Here are a few vapor steam cleaner applications:

• Cleaning tile, vinyl/linoleum floors
• Cleaning tile and grout
• Cleaning upholstery/carpet stain removal, and hard water/rust stains
• House cleaning/home cleaning jobs like cleaning kitchen, sinks, windows and mirrors, restrooms, sealed hardwood floors and much more
• Industrial maintenance and industrial parts cleaning
• Cleaning counter tops, inside ovens, stove tops, refrigerators, barbecues and more in restaurant/home kitchens
• Auto detailing, cleaning inside automobiles, tire wheels, inside engines, seat covers, under seats, windows, mirrors, engine compartments for spot cleaning lighter greasy areas.

However, there are certain heat-sensitive materials like silks, delicate plastics, delicate upholstery that are not suitable for steam cleaning.

Steam cleaners help in improving indoor air quality by reducing chemical residuals and helping remove airborne particles. We encourage you to improve the quality of your family's, pets', employee's and your life by using steam cleaners.