In the past, if you wanted to steam clean your carpets, you’d need to get the professionals in to do it for you. You could also rent a steam cleaner for carpets, but the cost of doing this once or twice a year can become quite high. If you have a home full of kids and pets, I’ll bet you have to clean your carpets quite often and it may be a good idea to buy your own steam cleaner for carpets. This allows you to clean your carpets whenever the need arises. No need to collect the steam cleaner and return it when you’re done. In the end, you should save a lot over the years.
Carpet cleaners come in all shapes and sizes. You could go for a carpet shampooer, a spot cleaner, or a steam cleaner, which is, in my opinion, the best option. In your search for carpet cleaners, you may come across the term “full size carpet cleaners”. What are the types of carpet cleaners and what’s difference between the many options listed by suppliers? I’ll address this question after reviewing the products that we’ve selected.
We have chosen the top 5 steam cleaners for carpets. Each has its merits. It’s merely a question of choosing the one that best meets your requirements, at a price that suits you.
1. Steam Mop Cleaner ThermaPro
As promised, we’ve included one of the cheapest steam cleaners, that displays a good level of quality. The ThermaPro is almost unbelievable in terms of excellent value for money. Not only is this machine about as cheap as it gets, it does just about everything that anyone can expect from one of the most versatile steam cleaners. As far as brand reputation and quality goes, I’m not going to claim that the ThermaPro is up there with brands like Shark or Bissell, but you just need to look at the thousands of positive customer reviews to see that people are more than impressed with this product.
The price is a compelling reason for many to place the ThermaPro at the top of their wish list. When you start looking at all you’re getting for this small sum of cash, it becomes almost irresistible. It is advertised as a 10-in-1 steam mop. I can’t count all ten functions, but this is certainly is one versatile machine. It easily converts into a handheld steamer, which is a great advantage. Using the flexible hose, with any of the many attachments, the ThermaPro allows you to steam clean every inch of your home with ease. Whether it’s getting into your closet or steam cleaning your curtains, it will do this and a lot more.
Attachments include a window squeegee for cleaning glass, a straight nozzle, bent nozzle, scraper and great selection of brushes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The steam nozzles are very versatile and will, amongst other things, remove wrinkles form your cloths. It can be used with or without the washable mop pads to steam clean carpets, tiles, and every type of wood or laminate floor. In fact, it’s good for cleaning any surface in the home.
The general design is practical and versatile. As an upright steam cleaner, it’s slim and easy to use, weighing an incredible 2.2-pounds. The handheld steam generator easily unclips and slots back into position, with an 11.5 OZ water tank. Although small and lightweight, it has the power to compete with the big guys. It takes less than 30-seconds to heat the water, producing high-powered steam. You also have the choice of 3 different steam settings.
It’s easy to see why the ThermaPro steam cleaner for carpets and hard surfaces is one of the best sellers. It’s one of the cheapest you’ll find, yet offers just about all the features, functions, and accessories that you get from the high-end machines. A 2-year warranty is another big plus, many machines that cost twice as much don’t offer such a generous warranty.
2. iwoly M11 Steam Mop Cleaner
The iwoly Steam Mop Cleaner must be one of the best for cleaning carpets and hard floors. Though it doesn’t do much more than this. It is designed for superior cleaning; but doesn’t have any additional accessories and can’t be used as a handheld steamer.
If you’re looking specifically for a steam cleaner that will handle carpets and hard floors, with the least amount of effort, this may be the perfect machine for you.
A unique vibrate function makes the iwoly M11 better than most at cleaning any type of floor. A convenient foot-activated button will cause the cleaning head to vibrate, increasing the already powerful steam cleaning abilities. A carpet glider attachment slips onto the base, making it one of the easiest carpet steam cleaners to use.
This is a fairly large appliance and weighs more than most. Though, at 7.85 pounds, it’s not at all unmanageable. The 360° swivel head is a really nice feature, as is the automatic steam on demand function. When the handle is in the upright position, the steam automatically stops, resuming again when you tilt the handle into a normal working position. Unlike many other automated steam control functions, this one actually works. You don’t need to push the handle back and forth to activate the steam. It also has a high and low steam setting, selected by one of two touch controls.
This is one of the better steam cleaners for a larger home. It has a pretty large 14.2 OZ water tank, and with the automatic steam on demand function, a little goes a long way. The water tank is removable, making it super-easy to fill. It also has a conveniently long 16.4 foot power cord.
The iwoly M11 may not have all the fancy stuff that allows you to clean widows, or steam your garments, but it makes up for this in its ability to steam clean carpets and hard floors like few others can. It’s great for a large home where kids and pets trudge in dirt all the time.
3. Holife Steam Mop Floor Steamer Cleaner
The Holife steam mop and carpet cleaner is another machine that only cleans carpets and hard floors, with no other attachments. In many ways it can be compared to the iwoly (reviewed above) but is not quite as accomplished. Then again, the Holife is fair deal cheaper than the iwoly, so it’s minor short-comings can be forgiven, if you don’t want to spend too much.
The general design is great, it has a telescopic handle that can tilt a full 90°. So, you can get in under your furniture. The slim design also makes this a great carpet cleaner for getting into tight spaces.
You get two microfiber pads and a carpet glider, making the Holife ideal for every type of floor surface. Super-heated steam is generated in about 25-seconds, thanks to the powerful 1,100W heating element. The water tank is a reasonable size (10.8 OZ) and the power cord is 16.7’ long. With two steam settings, and a standard on/off switch, it’s fairly basic and very easy to use.
They provide a cup to fill the tank, which is great, because the tank does not detach. Though, other than this, the pads and carpet glider, you don’t get any extras.
Although quite basic, the Holife steam mop is great value for money. With an average customer rating on Amazon of 4.7-stars, it’s clearly a big hit with existing customers. Definitely one of the best cheap steam cleaners for carpets.
4. COSTWAY Multipurpose Steam Cleaner
The Costway Multipurpose steam cleaner has the power and capacity to almost match that of professional steam cleaners for carpets; yet costs less than $100. It’s a versatile canister-style machine with a huge water tank and heaps power, producing high-pressure steam.
With a power rating of 2,000W, the Costway is no average home steam cleaner. The water tank holds an incredible 1.5-liters (50.7) ounces. It takes about 5 to 6 minutes to heat the steam, which may seem like a long time when compared to the smaller machines.
You need to remember that this machine is heating 50.7 OZ of water to 226°F, which means you’ll get up to 45-minutes cleaning time once the machine is ready. When the steam is hot, and a pressure of 8.8 LBS is maintained, a green LED tells you that you’re ready to go. The variable steam setting allows you to set it for tough or gentle steam, depending on the job at hand.
The ergonomic canister design with a long flexible hose, makes this a very a versatile steam cleaner to use around the home. It weighs a fairly hefty 12.8-pounds, but it has wheels which makes it pretty easy to maneuver around the home. You also get a bunch of brushes and accessories that store neatly and conveniently on the machine. You can do just about anything with the Costway: clean windows and mirrors, clean grout, steam garments, your bed, or upholstery, and any floor or other flat surface.
The Costway multipurpose steam cleaner is similar to those large steam cleaners for carpets that you’d get from a rental company. Okay, it’s probably not quite as big, but does a very similar job and has the capacity to hold a lot of water. It delivers intense, high-pressure steam like industrial type machines, making it a cut above your average light-duty home carpet cleaner. It’s also a very versatile machine with a multitude of useful features and attachments.
5. Wagner Spraytech C900134.M Steam Machine
The Wagner Spraytech (C900134.M) can easily be seen as the ultimate steam cleaner for carpets and 101 other uses. It is similar in design to the Costway that I’ve just reviewed, being a canister style, high volume multipurpose steamer. Though, here the comparison ends, the Wagner out-performs all the others on every level and has an incredible selection of 20 accessories for every type of steam cleaning application. With all this going for it, you’d expect the Wagner Spraytech to be expensive. You’d be correct in this assumption, though it is not the most expensive. For a high-end steam cleaner, this one seems to be the best value for money.
The huge 40 OZ water tank, combined with super-heated (290°F) steam at a pressure of 55 Psi, makes this one of the most powerful steam cleaners for carpets. The extra long 6-foot flexible hose and unique triangular cleaning pad make this an exceptional steam cleaner on a multitude of surfaces. Then there’s all those accessories, too many to list here. You obviously get a complete selection of brushes of every description, fabric steamers, hard floor and carpet attachments, and a wonderful jet nozzle that can be used for everything from cleaning an engine to walls. You also get two extension wands for ultimate versatility.
Few steam cleaners that are the best for carpets are also the best just about every type of cleaning in the home or garage. You’re paying top dollar for this appliance but you sure are getting what you’re paying for. A powerful, highly capable steam cleaner with attachments that cannot be beaten.
Steam Cleaner Vs Steam Mop
Of all the options available to you, a steam cleaner is the best way to clean and sanitize carpets without using any detergents. Though you must not confuse these machines with steam mops, which are used to clean to hard floors. Fortunately, most steam cleaners that can handle carpets, will also function perfectly as a steam mop for hard floors. They will often do much more than just clean carpets and hard floors. Handy attachments for cleaning windows, grout, above floor surfaces, upholstery, and removing wrinkles from your clothes can be included in the kit.
Carpet Cleaner Vs Steam Cleaner
There seems to be much confusion surrounding the terminology used to describe carpet cleaners and steam cleaners. For this reason, I feel it necessary to provide some clarity on the subject, so you know what you’re buying and what the pros and cons are with regards to the various types of carpet cleaning appliances.
Conventional carpet cleaners, or carpet shampooers, use water and detergent to clean the carpet. Generally, these machines have a tank into which you add water and detergent. The detergent solution is then worked into the carpet fibers by means of brush roll and the dirty water is removed using suction. The water that is removed, is stored in a separate wastewater tank that needs to be emptied when you’re done.
Many carpet cleaners will use heat, either to keep the cleaning solution warm, or a by blowing heat onto the carpet to improve drying times. Though this heat is not used to produce high-temperature steam. Essentially, you’re cleaning your carpets, using warm water and detergent. Even machines that use hot air to dry your carpets require a waiting period before the carpet is dry enough to walk on. In warm, dry weather this can be as little as 20 – 30 minutes. However, in cold damp weather, heated air is not as effective for rapidly drying the carpets and it can take several hours.
Steam cleaners for carpets differ in that they heat the water to at least 220°F, often more than this. The result is a high-temperature steam that is almost dry. Because steam, at this temperature is so effective at removing dirt and stains, there is no need to use detergent and the machine doesn’t use roller brushes to scrub the carpets. Steam also kills around 99% of all known bacteria and is very effective when dealing with mold. Another advantage to using steam is that it also kills organisms, like dust mites.
Another advantage to using steam is that the carpets don’t absorb much water. In the best conditions, your carpets may be ready for use within a few minutes after cleaning. Though this is not always the case. In humid or cold conditions, condensation may occur, causing the carpets to become damp during cleaning. Though, even in the worst conditions, carpets dry much faster using steam, when compared to conventional water and detergents, under the same conditions.
There is a need to warn users that steam can damage delicate carpets or cause color fading, particularly when used on carpets with natural dyes. Though, this can be said for many detergents used for conventional carpet cleaners. The advantage of using detergent, is that you can select a detergent that is better suited to your carpets and cleaning needs.
You’re obviously going to be looking at price when buying a steam cleaner for carpets. Top-rated models can cost quite a bit. On the other hand, a cheap, poorly made carpet cleaner, can end up being a huge disappointment. That’s not to say that there aren’t some very reasonably priced options available to you. Ever conscious of your needs, especially when it comes to price vs quality, we’ve done hours of research to make sure we only recommend only the top carpet steam cleaners.
The best product, of any kind, can have different meanings for different consumers. For some, the best carpet cleaner is going be the top of the tops, often the most expensive offerings from a top-rated brand. For others, it may be about getting the best that we can afford. Here things can be tricky. So, even the cheap carpet steam cleaners that we’ve selected, meet our requirements for quality and durability. We’ve looked at brand reputation, good design, and ease of use. After shortlisting the best models available, we’ve also taken into account user experiences. By taking a good look at customer reviews, on various platforms, we’ve made an informed opinion as to which would be the best options for you, the buyer. Individual circumstances are not all the same. I know that some will want a quality carpet cleaner for pets, the best for a larger home, or the best cheap carpet cleaner for a small house or apartment.
Taking all these considerations into account, our list of the top rated carpet steam cleaners is quite extensive and should include something for everyone. Always with the reassurance that we’ve considered your needs (and budget) above all. You can be sure that, when choosing any of these steam cleaners, you’re not buying junk. If it made into this review, there must be a good reason.
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