Critical Details: Lets Talk Steam Cleaners

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 said:

Great tips Critical . Love this thread .

Click to expand...

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

TundraPower said:

Vapamore MX-1000 (not the 100).

Click to expand...

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.

rustytruck said:

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

Click to expand...

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 said:

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-KLEEN™

Click to expand...

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.

Pureshine said:

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

Click to expand...

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.

Calendyr said:

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.

Click to expand...

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.

rwisejr said:

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.

Click to expand...

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 said:

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

Click to expand...

With careful planning I too could probably get by with a non-continuous fill boiler steam cleaner. However I don’t want to have to monitor the minutes of steam left on each tank during a detail. I also use my steam cleaner to clean area rugs and hardwood floors around the house.

VP Mark said:

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.

Click to expand...

Hey as long as it gets the job done and your customers are happy with the results is more than fine. On more soiled vehicles you may see some time savings when comparing the McCulloch to a more powerful steam cleaner.

JSou said:

Nope. I use mine religiously and it's worked for the heavier jobs. I also got the 2 year warranty so if anything were to happen I'd just go back and get a new one. Solid product IMO.

I've used a Dupray Tosca as well and while it doesn't compare to the power of that machine...I'm fine spending 10x more time cleaning the interiors with the MC1275 than the 10x more expensive steamer.

Click to expand...

Most steam cleaners will get the job done it is just a matter of how long. I will upload a video shortly to show you what I am up against.

tnxm42 said:

Nope I love mine, If i had a shop pr a full time detailing business I would upgrade. Ive spent 100 dollars on alot less useful things

Click to expand...

HateSwirls said:

Using my steamer to clean a car - YouTube

This is my preferred steamer, as said the run time is about 45 minutes, good pressure and durable.
I've owned it for three years now without any issues.
I paid $125.00 at HF



The video show just how much steam this little compact unit outs out.

Click to expand...

For the price the McCulloch steam cleaner looks like an unbeatable value!