Selecting a Vapour Steam Cleaner In the interest of full disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with, employed by, have any vested interest, or in any way receive compensation from the sale or distribution of the product lines reviewed or the company that manufactures or markets it. These articles are not intended to warrant or guarantee any results with any of the products mentioned. No endorsement of companies or their products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar companies or their products not mentioned. The author does not provide, nor guarantee and is not responsible or liable for any third-party products or services. Brand, product and company names used throughout these articles are trademarks of their respective companies and are used for product identification purposes only. A sound understanding of the proper technique and the correct process will produce excellent results even with a mediocre product. A quality product used without the proper surface preparation or application technique will never obtain a satisfactory result. Using the proper methodology (surface preparation, using a quality product, along with the correct application technique) will ensure an excellent result. Skill Level / Experience Some methods described may be beyond the capabilities of the average detailer or enthusiast; in this case we strongly encourage the reader to consult a professional detailer or body shop concerning the matters discussed herein. Liability The writer assumes no responsibility, expressed or implied, due to misuse or misinterpretation of the information or methods used, or for any vehicle damage or injury that may occur due to the suggestions and information offered. Product Quality and Technique Proceed with this in mind; the products you use constitute a very small factor in the equation. Methodology and technique constitute 95%; the reasoning behind the choice of quality products is to eliminate any limiting factors, thus enabling you to place emphasis on technique used. Aesthetics The aesthetics- of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you. In the final analysis it all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application methodology and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder Configuration - Vapour steam cleaners come in several sizes and shapes. Most common are the hand held units and the floor canister types. We recommend purchasing a floor canister type unit as these are more convenient and easier to use than heavy handheld portable steamers. Canister units keep the boiler safely on the floor, which allows you to use the lightweight accessories and provide the highest temperature and pressure for satisfactory cleaning performance. Handheld units are heavy in the hand and bulky to use. Vapour steam cleaners are under pressure and although they have safety devices, it is best to avoid having a high temperature, pressurized device in your hand or close to the body should something go wrong. Pressure and Temperature - The cleaning power of vapour steam cleaners comes from the high temperature vapour steam and pressure. The high vapour steam temperatures break down dirt, grime and grease and the pressure penetrates into the dirt to dislodge it. Look for units with high temperature and pressure. Some cleaning tasks do not require high pressure, so a pressure control is desirable. Low temperature units, such as most handheld units, will allow the steam to condense below the boiling point of water (212ºF) at the output tip resulting in dripping hot water during use that is messy and can burn you. Capacity - The amount of water a vapour steam cleaner holds contributes to how long the vapour steam will be produced and available before refilling is required. Look for large capacity water tanks. Handheld units only store small quantities of water. Continuous dual tank vapour steam cleaners allow you to refill the unit at any time for non-stop cleaning. Construction There are two main construction details in selecting a vapour steam cleaner. The housing material and the boiler material, select a unit with a housing made of stainless steel or heat resistant thermoplastic. Stainless steel will not crack during a hard impact, but is a more expensive option than thermoplastic. Units with painted steel housings should be avoided as these can eventually rust due to exposure to water and moisture from use. Quality vapour steam cleaners use stainless steel boilers. Stainless steel will last longer and not react with water impurities like aluminium, as it can oxidize over time and react with impurities to cause pitting and make it difficult to clean the boiler. Using dry steam vapour A system that produces a high temperature, low moisture vapour that contains only 5% to 6% water and is much less dense than air, a steam vapour system is equipped to safely produce thousands of gallons of live dry steam using only about 1.5 quarts of water per hour. It is mess free with temperatures hot enough to kill bacteria and germs, emulsify grease and oil as well as other surface contaminants. These units are best suited for light cleaning (covered leather or fabric upholstery) maintenance, and spot removal. Apply a cleaner to a sponge, work up foam and apply to the surface, then pass the steamer just above the top of the area just cleaned and lightly agitate with a micro fibre towel, then wipe dry. Steam vapour helps to emulsify the grime, while the foam encapsulates it. One thing to keep in mind is that the vapour will not remove the dirt it just emulsifies it. One common error is that people use the vapour as a pressure washer. Steam when it cools turns to condensate (water) which helps to re-hydrate leather upholstery Steam Vapour advantages - •Can access areas that a carpet extractor cannot •Cleans between seats, consoles, dashes, cup holders, vents, door pockets, door jambs, seat tracks and more •Will not leave moisture to soak materials as the steam vapour only contain 5 - 6% water moisture •Steam-vapour dries very quickly (unlike a carpet extractor) and therefore will not cause mould or mildew to form. •A steamer will clean hard (vinyl, wheel and glass) surfaces that an extractor cannot •A steamer can be used to clean leather upholstery quickly and more efficiently than standard methods and without the use of chemicals Note- Steam can scald the skin so wear cloves, and don’t use with synthetics materials as it could cause them to melt Carpet Extractor: An extraction system process is the choice of professional detailers due to its cost effectiveness, performance efficiency and time saving over conventional methods. Extractors work by using a cleaning solution dispensed from a tank that heats the solution to 200oF+ and is sprayed at medium pressure, high volume from the machine via a cleaning wand; it is then filtered and re-circulated. Extraction also allows the ability to remove cleaning residues due to its high suction power (100-inch water gauge +). Rinsed fabrics look and smell cleaner and resist soiling better. Organic stain removal- quarter (1/4) cup Protein Stain Remover (topoftheline.com) / 1-cup 303™ Cleaner & Spot Remover / one gallon hot water let dwell for 5-10 minutes to enable cleaners to react Other stain removal / normal cleaning- 10:1 distilled hot water/ P21S Total Auto Wash, let solution dwells for 5-10 minutes to enable cleaners to react Note- Run a gallon of distilled white vinegar thru the extractor either weekly, or after every ten fresh fills. Vinegar contains acetic acid, an organic carboxylic that will help eliminate scale, mild mineral deposits etc. from clogging your extractor. Information resource Automotive Detailing Inside & Out; a Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist– by Jon Miller © TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved Detailing Articles This is one of is one of a series of unbiased and informative, knowledge based, subject specific articles, which are dedicated to the automotive detailing enthusiast or professional detailer in search of development and further education Copyright Protection and intellectual property rights-© This work is registered with the UK Copyright Service that supports international copyright protection by securing independent evidence that will help prove originality and ownership in any future claims or disputes. All original material is copyright, unless otherwise state (1) it may be copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes only provided that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original material, (2) the information is copied in full with no changes unless prior written agreement is obtained from TOGWT, and a reference to © TOGWT ™ is included, any unauthorized use of these materials may violate copyrights and/or trademarks
I use one that has mixed reviews if you search around the web but mine has been great with the exception that it didn't work one time and it was determined to be that the hose was not plugged in far enough. Mine is ideal for detailing as it is a steamer/extractor/vacuum all in one. It is also bloody incredible on what it will do on grout and an endless list of things in the home. I mention this b/c your wife will become as addicted to it as you will. Here's the link to mine.
Here's mine. It's expensive (not compared to some though) but well worth it. IMO anything less powerful than this isn't good enough to get the job done. It comes with tons of attachments too. Steam Cleaner - Steam Cleaners - Vapor Cleaner - Commercial Steam Cleaners
