How to Choose the Right Steam Cleaner or Carpet Shampooer

Steam Cleaners and Carpet Shampooers: Two Different Tools

Steam cleaners and carpet shampooers are both designed to clean beyond what a standard vacuum can do, but they work differently and are suited to different tasks. Understanding the difference will help you choose the right appliance for the cleaning challenges in your home.

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Steam Cleaners

How Steam Cleaners Work

A steam cleaner heats water to produce high-pressure steam that is applied to surfaces through a nozzle or mop head. The hot steam loosens dirt, grease, and grime, kills bacteria and dust mites on contact, and sanitises surfaces without the need for chemical cleaning products. The steam typically reaches temperatures between 100 and 160 degrees Celsius, which is effective at killing most common household bacteria and allergens.

What Steam Cleaners Are Best For

• Hard floors: tiles, timber, vinyl, and laminate
• Grout lines between tiles
• Kitchen surfaces: cooktops, rangehood filters, benchtops
• Bathroom surfaces: tiles, shower screens, toilet seats
• Upholstery and mattresses (with the correct attachment)
• Killing dust mites and allergens in soft furnishings

Types of Steam Cleaners

Steam Mops

Steam mops are designed specifically for hard floors. They look like a standard mop with a microfibre pad attached to the head and a water tank in the handle. They produce a continuous flow of steam through the pad as you mop. They're lightweight, easy to use, and well suited to everyday hard floor cleaning. Most steam mops are not suitable for carpet.

Cylinder Steam Cleaners

Cylinder steam cleaners (also called canister steam cleaners) are more powerful units on wheels with a long hose and a variety of interchangeable nozzle attachments. They can tackle a much wider range of surfaces and tasks than a steam mop, including grout, upholstery, oven interiors, car interiors, and more. They take longer to heat up and are heavier than steam mops, but they're the more versatile choice for thorough whole-home cleaning.

Key Features to Look For in a Steam Cleaner

• Heat-up time: Steam mops typically heat up in 20 to 30 seconds. Cylinder cleaners take 5 to 10 minutes. Faster is more convenient for quick cleaning sessions.
• Tank capacity: Larger tanks allow longer cleaning sessions without refilling. 300 to 500 ml is typical for steam mops. Cylinder models may hold 1 to 1.5 litres.
• Steam pressure and temperature: Higher pressure and temperature mean better sanitising and cleaning performance. Look for at least 3 to 4 bar pressure on cylinder models.
• Attachments included: More attachments mean more versatility. Look for nozzles for grout, a fabric steamer head, a window squeegee, and a floor mop head as a minimum for cylinder models.
• Continuous refill: Some cylinder models can be refilled during use without waiting for the boiler to depressurise. This is a useful feature for long cleaning sessions.

Carpet Shampooers

How Carpet Shampooers Work

A carpet shampooer (also called a carpet washer or wet vacuum) applies a mixture of warm water and cleaning solution to carpet fibres under pressure, agitates the carpet with a rotating brush, and then extracts the dirty water back into a separate clean/dirty water tank system. The result is a deep clean that removes embedded dirt, stains, pet hair residue, and odours from carpet pile that a standard vacuum cannot reach.

What Carpet Shampooers Are Best For

• Deep cleaning carpet in living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways
• Removing pet stains and odours from carpet
• Refreshing carpet before moving in or after moving out
• Cleaning upholstered furniture (with the correct attachment)
• Periodic seasonal deep cleaning of heavily trafficked carpet areas

Key Features to Look For in a Carpet Shampooer

• Clean and dirty water tank sizes: Larger tanks allow you to cover more area before stopping to refill or empty. Separate clean and dirty water tanks are standard on quality models.
• Brush roll design: Rotating brush rolls agitate the carpet fibres to loosen embedded dirt. Look for a model with a brush roll that can be switched off for use on hard floors with the same machine.
• Suction power: Higher suction extracts more water from the carpet after cleaning, reducing drying time. Adequate water extraction is important to prevent mould growth in the carpet backing.
• Attachments: A handheld hose and upholstery attachment lets you clean stairs, furniture, and car seats with the same machine.
• Heat: Some carpet shampooers include a heater that warms the cleaning water for better soil removal. Heated models generally produce better results on heavily soiled carpet.

Which Do You Need?

• Mainly hard floors (tiles, timber, vinyl): A steam mop or cylinder steam cleaner is the right choice.
• Mainly carpet: A carpet shampooer provides the deep clean that a vacuum and steam mop cannot match.
• Both hard floors and carpet: A cylinder steam cleaner with a carpet glider attachment, or a carpet shampooer with a hard floor mode, covers both. Alternatively, purchasing one of each gives you the best performance for each surface type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a steam cleaner on carpet?

Most steam mops are not suitable for carpet as the moisture can penetrate deep into the carpet backing and take a long time to dry, risking mould growth. Some cylinder steam cleaners include a carpet glider attachment that sits over the steam nozzle and is designed for light surface sanitising of carpet, but this is not the same as the deep cleaning that a carpet shampooer provides.

How long does carpet take to dry after shampooing?

With a quality carpet shampooer that has strong water extraction, carpet typically dries in two to six hours with good ventilation. Open windows and doors, run fans or a dehumidifier, and avoid walking on the carpet until it is fully dry to prevent re-soiling and mould.

Do steam cleaners replace chemical cleaning products?

For sanitising and removing light to moderate grime from hard surfaces, a steam cleaner can replace many chemical products. For heavy grease, mould remediation, or specific stain treatment, a targeted cleaning product may still be more effective. Steam cleaning is an excellent choice for households that prefer to reduce their use of chemical cleaners.

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Browse our full range of steam cleaners and carpet shampooers. You can also explore our complete floorcare collection, including vacuum cleaners and robotic vacuums.