Best steam cleaner for cars: How to clean a car with a steam cleaner
Cleaning a car with a steam cleaner is an easy and effective way to clean your vehicle. It is environmentally friendly, fast, and requires less effort than most other methods. In this blog post you will learn how to use a steam cleaner on your car in the best possible way. You will also find out what the benefits are of using steam cleaners and why they are so popular among car owners today!
Is steam cleaning good for cars?
There are so many benefits to cleaning your car with a steam cleaner! It is environmentally friendly, fast, and much less effort than most other methods of car cleaning.
It also leaves a shiny finish which means your car will be clean for longer without the need to scrub it down again or wash it with water. Steam cleaners are great because they remove all bacteria and allergens from surfaces in just one pass! When you use the proper techniques, steam cleaning can be one of the very best methods to clean your car!
Benefits of using a steam cleaner to detail your car
There are many reasons why steam cleaners have become so popular among car owners lately. Here are some of the most prominent reasons why steam cleaners are gaining popularity among amateurs and professionals.
- Steam cleaners can produce temperatures up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit meaning that dirt will easily come off even when traditional scrubbing would not suffice.
- The steam is so hot that it melts dirt and debris like butter, saving you time and energy.
- The chemicals used during traditional cleaning techniques can damage your interior over time but steam doesn’t do any damage if you use the proper techniques.
- Steam cleaners will save you money in the long run because you won’t have to continually purchase expensive car wash products or have an auto detailer do it for you.
- Steam cleaners will also remove any kind of bacteria and allergens that are typically left behind by other cleaning techniques.
- If your vehicle has a leather interior then the steam cleaner can be used on it as well because they don’t use chemicals at all!
- Steam cleaners are also environmentally friendly due to the fact that they use water and no chemicals. They clean surfaces just as well (if not better) than traditional methods but don’t leave behind any residue which means there’s less work for you after your car has been cleaned!
Is a steam cleaner expensive?
You may be wondering how expensive steam cleaners are and if they are worth it. The answer is yes! Steam cleaners are not expensive at all. In fact, they can be much more affordable than other methods of cleaning that require a lot of elbow grease and chemicals to remove grime from your car’s interior.
The average steam cleaner will range in price from $69-$200 but there are also some cheaper models available for about $40 if you don’t want anything too fancy or expensive. They usually come with an accessories package which includes hoses, brushes, rags, etc. so the initial investment may seem high but then it lasts for years to come without any added costs unlike buying products. My favorite steam cleaner is the Dupray NEAT. Keep reading to find out why!
Chemical cleaning products, especially the really good kinds that have great reviews can cost a lot of money, and if you have a car with leather seats it can be even more expensive because then you need to purchase products specifically for those materials. Steam cleaners only require water so there isn’t an excuse not to buy one.
Steam is also much healthier than other methods and doesn’t leave behind toxic chemicals as some chemical cleaning agents will. What’s even better is when using a steam cleaner, your car interior won’t soaking wet -it’ll just get hot- so no worries about getting everything soaked!
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What to look for when buying a steam cleaner to clean your car
There are many different things to look for when considering what steam cleaner to purchase.
You’ll want to look for a steam cleaner that has all the features you are looking for. This includes things like an adjustable nozzle, trigger and variable control settings depending on surface type as well as warranty information. You will also want to pay attention to how much water it holds so you know when it needs refilling or if there’s enough room in case you’re doing more than one car at once.
Tank Size
It’s important to consider how much water the steam cleaner will hold. If you have a larger vehicle, or you’re looking to do more than one car at once it’s good to consider getting a steam cleaner with an extra-large tank. If your vehicle is smaller and the tanks are typically small then having the capacity for multiple cars may not be necessary.
This will depend on how often you want to refill/fill up as well as if there is access from both sides of the car when cleaning (if so then filling while in use would be easier).
If those aren’t issues for you, look into what size tank they offer because this can save time and energy when doing jobs that take longer than just one surface at a time!
Auto-locking Trigger
You’ll learn pretty quickly that having a locking trigger mechanism can be a key feature, especially for long projects. If you’re detailing a vehicle, for example, your hand/finger is going to get tired extremely quickly if you have to hold down the steam trigger for too long. Having a trigger that locks relieves your hand from having to hold it down the whole time, making it much easier on you.
Power Cord Size
It’s important to purchase a steam cleaner with a long power cord. This will allow you to cover more ground on larger jobs without having to unplug and move the machine around. This is especially true for those who have a lot of potentially expensive tools they need in order to perform their job, such as detailing professionals.
Hose Length
The shorter your hose is, the more difficult it’s going to be to clean your car or other large surface. While a longer hose does mean you’re going to be carrying around an extra length of cable, it’s worth the trade off for how much more convenient and effective is can make cleaning your vehicle or any house appliances that are difficult to reach in certain areas.
Included attachments
It’s important to pay attention to the type attachments that your steam cleaner will come with. Some steam cleaners will come with basic attachments such as a mop head and squeegee, while others will have more advanced features that make it easier to clean your car. It’s important to consider what you’ll be using the steam cleaner for and whether or not any of these included attachments are going to help you achieve this goal before making your purchase.
Steam cleaner with wheels
This feature is more of a luxury, but having wheels on your steam cleaning unit while cleaning your car is a great idea. It makes it much easier to maneuver the steam cleaner around your car and get in those hard-to-reach places without having to constantly pick up the unit, carry it over there, then set it back down on a flat surface before using it again.
It’s also important to consider what water pressure is being released by your steam cleaner. Different types of cleaners use different amounts of pressure so if you’re looking for something with more force than others may provide this could prove beneficial as well.
What is the best steam cleaner for cars?
There are so many different steam cleaners out there to choose from and while I’ve only used a couple of different steam cleaners before (and not all of them!) I can very confidently say that one of the best steamers out there to clean your car is the Dupray NEAT steam cleaner.
The Dupray NEAT steam cleaner takes full advantage of all of the features that I’ve mentioned above that allow you to have an easy, and even enjoyable time steam cleaning your car.
The NEAT has a large capacity tank that does continuous steam for 50 minutes without having to refill the tank, it has a long hose that makes reaching into the car much easier, it comes with TONS of attachments, it has a long power cord that rolls up into the bottom of the unit when not needed, it has an autolocking trigger and it even has wheels!
The biggest mistake I’ve used in the past when purchasing a steam cleaner is to purchase a small portable unit. The irritation of having to refill the steam cleaner tank, again and again, was just too much. Thankfully, the Dupray NEAT lasts an entire 50 minutes of CONTINUOUS steam.
How do you steam clean the inside of your car?
There are a few important steps to consider when steam cleaning your car that you may find helpful. First, you want to fill your steam cleaner with water and turn it on so it can gain pressure. While you’re waiting for that you can gather your other supplies such as clean rags and a vacuum.
Pull out the trash and other items that don’t belong
The first step when cleaning out your car is to pull out all trash and other items that don’t belong there. This will enable you to clean out your car and make it easier to do the rest of the cleaning. Throw away any trash, remove toys, empty cups from console holders or under seats.
Vacuum everything first
After you’ve taken out all of the extra items that don’t belong, the next step is to vacuum out the car. You want the car to be free of as much loose dirt and debris as possible before you start to steam clean it. Make sure that every inch of the car is vacuumed out, including in the seats and floorboards.
After vacuuming everything, remove your mats or anything else you have on top of the carpeting so they can be cleaned too.
When picking up any loose dirt, make sure that you get underneath the seats as best you can.
Work from top to bottom
This is a general cleaning tip that applies to all areas of cleaning, but it’s important to work from top to bottom. That way, if you have more dirt, debris or crumbs fall down (because of gravity) it won’t mess up your newly cleaned surface. It also helps to clean from top to bottom when steam cleaning a car because it will prevent you from touching or bothering the are that you just cleaned that may still be a bit damp.
Clean leather seats with a steam cleaner
The beautiful part about using a steam cleaner is that it helps to quickly lift the dirt up and away. Leather seats have very small cracks or ‘veins’ that can quickly get dirty from body oils and dirt. A steam cleaner will help to get those out.
To clean leather seats with a steam cleaner, start by vacuuming the seat thoroughly first so that it’s as dust and debris-free as possible. When steam cleaning leather seats, make sure to use the cloth attachment that allows you to use a cleaning cloth to gently wipe the leather seat while still enabling the steam to penetrate the dirt and debris. Use quick gentle circular motions to wipe down all parts of the seat. If a lot of water remains, you may want to wipe it down with an additional dry cloth.
**After steam cleaning please make sure to recondition the leather so that the leather remains moisturized and supple. Leather tends to crack over time when it’s not conditioned often.
Clean plastic and vinyl with a steam cleaner
When cleaning surfaces such as vinyl or plastic in your car, you can also use the steam cleaner attachment that allows you to add a rag to the end of the handle. This gives a gentle scrubbing surface that won’t damage the plastic or the vinyl of your car. You can also easily switch out the rag for a clean one when it’s getting too dirty.
Clean vents with a steam cleaner
Car vents can be a very difficult and tedious place to clean in your car. However, with a steam cleaner, you can easily attach a small brush to the end of the handle and scrub away at any dust or grime that has built up. The steam makes this otherwise tedious task extremely fast and simple.
Clean car windows with steam
You probably didn’t realize that you can clean your car windows with a steam cleaner, but you can! This will be especially helpful if you have kids and they are constantly getting their sticky hands on the car window.
With a little steam, you’ll be able to get rid of that sticky residue and give your windows an extra shine with very minimal effort. Simply attach the window cleaning attachment and wipe in a downward motion on your interior windows. Don’t forget to wipe the excess water with a dry microfiber cloth!
Remove carpet stains with steam
You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to clean your car carpets with a steam cleaner. Simply place the steamer nozzle at the stain and place a clean microfiber rag on the other side of the stain. The steam will lift the stain from the carpet fibers and blow it into the rag! Super easy!
What parts of your car can you clean with a steam cleaner?
The best part is that there aren’t any parts of your car that you can’t clean with a steam cleaner! That’s what is so great about using a steam cleaner to clean your car!
What to avoid when Steam cleaning your car
If you are planning on steam cleaning the headliner (or the roof of the car) with a steam cleaner, please take caution. The fabric adheres to the roof of your car with an adhesive. If you apply too much steam to the fabric, this softens the adhesive and leads to the fabric coming apart from the ceiling. The fabric will then droop and drag and the only way to fix it is to have it replaced! So be extremely careful when cleaning the headliner.
You can use steam cleaners on so many things other than cars! You can clean windows, bathroom fixtures and frames, your oven, grills…the list goes on and on. Some models even come with attachments that allow them to be used as carpet cleaners or small upholstery jobs like couches and chairs. Just remember that these tools work best when they are filled completely of water before use – which means if it’s a portable unit then there will need to be some kind of access point where refilling would take place without interrupting the job being done at hand.
You might be asking yourself “why should I use a steam cleaner for cars?” The answer is simple. Steam cleaners make the process of cleaning your car much easier and more efficient than using any other method available today. They are also less expensive in the long run because they last so much longer, you won’t need to buy chemicals and cleaners that will end up costing you money over time. If all this sounds good to you (and we think it does!) then go ahead and give one a try-you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.