The Best Steam Cleaners for Pet Owners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber
Published on
March 29th, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Ben has over a decade of experience in cleaning projects of all types along the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. Ben’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician), WRT (Water restoration technician), CCT (Carpet Cleaning technician), as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Ben has managed teams involved in cleaning projects around the United States. Ben’s passion for cleaning and leading teams goes back as far as he can remember.

The Cleaning Institute

If you have a pet and wooden or laminate floors in your home, then you know firsthand how important it is to have a steam cleaner that is reliable and consistently works around the house throughout the year. In many cases, steam cleaning these types of floors is not just the most effective way to clean pet dander and messes off of them, but the only meaningful way to do as well.

However, as with many other cleaning products on the market, there is a variety of different steam cleaners to choose from, and each of them have their own personal pros and cons. How are you supposed to know which one currently on the market is the best fit for you and your home?

That’s where we come in. We make sure that every one of our reviews focus on two major components. The first is to make sure that they were written in a way that was simple, clear, and easy to read. The other was to make sure that all of our trials were conducted multiple times to make sure that if a product is working it is just a fluke. We treat product evaluation like a science, so we want to make sure that our results are always replicable in a controlled setting.

But what kind of criteria did we use to determine what steam cleaners were the best of the ones for pet owners? To make things easy for both our testers and our readers, we decided to focus on three main categories for this specific product: power, design, and durability.

To learn more about the specific criteria we used for each of these categories, continue reading the rest of this review.

Testing Categories

We wanted to look at three very specific categories when trying to evaluate steam cleaners and their ability to clean up after pets, which we’ll go into more detail for you here.

Power: If a steam cleaner isn’t efficient, then it isn’t worth your time, or your money, right? For power, we wanted to evaluate how long it took the steam cleaner to clean a designated area of flooring that was dirtied with pet messes. If it took longer than a normal cleaning session, we made a note of it in our review.

Design: One of the most important aspects of a steam cleaner is how well it is designed. Because you may need to carry the steam cleaner around to several different rooms in your house, we wanted to be sure that it was designed in such a way that it was ergonomic and easy to move around.

Durability: Steam cleaners are not exactly a budget cleaning item, and the last thing that anyone wants to have to deal with after purchasing one is having to replace it six months down the road. If there were any issues with the durability of the steam cleaner, we made sure to write about it here.

Top Pick

Shark-Pocket
Cleaner-
Steering-S3501

The Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off Pet Steamer has a sleek design and doesn’t use harsh chemicals to clean, which makes it great for pet owners or those with small children in the home.

Price Check

Most notable upside: The Bissell PowerFresh is an elegantly designed 2 in 1 cleaner that allows you to clean up pet messes both on and below your floors, which is great if the mess has already seeped in several hours later.

Biggest downsides: As excellent as the product is, we are not able to say the same thing about the manufacturer’s customer service department, which left a lot to be desired and was not particularly helpful when it came to answering questions.

Honorable Mention

McCulloch-MC1275
Heavy-Duty-Cleaner
Accessories

The McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner is sturdily built and comes with a two-year service warranty, so if something does happen, you can easily speak to an American customer service rep.

Price Check

Most notable upside: This well-constructed steam cleaner does not use any chemicals to clean the floors in your home, and the fact that it has almost two dozen cleaning accessories that come with it to help you clean is certainly an added bonus.

Biggest downsides: Unfortunately, the main issue that we had with this steamer was that the steam never seemed to get quite hot enough, and there were issues with the pressure of the steam as well, which would seemingly defeat the entire point of using the device.

Also Consider

LIGHT-EASY
Steam-Mop
Multifunctional

This highly versatile and pleasant looking machine is not only a steam cleaner, but it is a two in one product, as it can also clean sofa and cloth fabrics as well.

Price Check

Most notable upside: This product has a pleasant aesthetic to it, and the digital control panel on it allows you to customize how much steam you use in one setting, which is a very handy option to have, depending on what you are trying to clean at a given moment in time.

Biggest downsides: Unfortunately, there were definitely issues with the reliability of this machine, as several of the ones that we were testing seemingly stopped working out of nowhere.

All Our Picks

Steam Cleaners

Steam cleaners are versatile cleaning tools that can handle a wide range of cleaning chores inside the house. They can take on any mess your pet makes, whether it was intentional or not. They can clean a variety of surfaces, from hard floors, tiles, and windows to cooker hobs and even upholstery.

Steam cleaners use high-pressure dry steam to deeply penetrate surfaces, making it easy to blast away stubborn dirt your dog dragged in. Most steam cleaners work with water alone, so you don’t have to spend money on buying expensive detergents. You can also help the environment this way. A steam cleaner is the best way to keep your home allergen-free because it kills bacteria, molds, and dust mites.

Benefits of Steam Cleaning for Your Home

Steam cleaners are efficient and environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional cleaning methods involving mops, buckets, and detergents. Below are some of the wonderful benefits that steam cleaning can bring to your home.

Non-Toxic

Steam cleaning is proven to kill 99.99% of bacteria. The good thing about this is it doesn’t require the use of toxic and potentially harmful chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. Steam cleaners use only heat and water so your home remains free from any chemical residue and pollution.

Pet (and Child) Friendly

Steam cleaning is non-toxic in nature. Therefore, it provides a safer environment for your children and pets. A commonly used chemical in most cleaning agents is Sodium Hypochlorite that has corrosive oxidizing agents. If your child or pet touches surfaces that are contaminated with its residue, it could burn their eyes, damage their lungs, cause skin irritation or illness.

Allergies

People with health conditions like asthma and allergies will benefit significantly from the steam cleaning. As steam cleaning uses only water and heat to clean dirt and grime, it won’t aggravate allergy symptoms or cause respiratory issues.

Cheaper

Aside from its health benefits, steam cleaning can help you save money in the long run. Aside from the cost of its initial purchase, the only cost that will be added for steam cleaning is the water and electricity used to heat it. When compared with the repeated cost or purchasing detergents, cleaners and other products used at home, steam cleaning will always remain the most budget-friendly.

Mold Removal

The growth of mold, particularly in the bathroom can produce harmful and deadly mycotoxins that can cause health problems. In reality, bleach doesn’t actually kill mold. It just turns it into white so it blends it with the surface. On the other hand, steam cleaning can kill mold due to its high-temperature settings, while the bristles of attachments can remove it from the cracks and hard to reach places.

Which Type of Steam Cleaner should you Buy?

Generally, steam cleaners fall into four main categories: steam mops, handheld units, cylinder steam cleaners, and 2-in-1 steam cleaners that combine a steam mop and a detachable handheld unit.

In choosing which type of steam cleaner you need; we suggest that you check the size of your home and the cleaning tasks you need to complete. Most of the steam cleaner models come with a range of accessories and attachments, so you can use them to clean a variety of surfaces. Below are some of the descriptions of each type of steam cleaner.

Steam Mops

These are the most popular type of steam cleaner. They offer fast, effective and fuss-free floor cleaning as compared to the traditional mop and bucket combination. A steam mop looks and works much like a normal mop. The only difference is that it has a water tank attached to the handle. Many models also have a swivel and double-hinged head so cleaning around furniture is easy. There are also models that have adjustable steam control that can be used on wood and laminates, as well as tiled floors.

We recommend choosing a steam mop that can heat-up quickly in around 20-30 seconds, so you can start working quickly. Choose a decent water tank size too, so there’s less need to stop and refill.

Handheld Steam Cleaners

These are perfect for small areas and fiddly jobs such as cleaning tiles, hobs, and kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Handheld steam cleaners are compact and lightweight, making them easier to use and store. Their only downside is they have small water tanks, which means you’ll have a limited cleaning time before you need to refill.

Cylinder Steam Cleaners

They look similar to cylinder vacuum cleaners. They have a water tank in the main body and a bendy hose to use with various attachments for mopping floors and cleaning other surfaces. Due to their larger water tanks, they offer longer steaming times than steam mops with less need to refill. However, they are not as quick to heat up. They usually take from 4 to 10 minutes to be ready.

Two-in-one Steam Cleaners

They are multifunctional steam cleaners that offer the best of both worlds when it comes to steam cleaning. They usually come in an upright mop with the handheld steamer integrated into the handle. The versatility of 2-in-1 steam cleaners makes them a popular choice for steam cleaning. Some models even have a built-in vacuum cleaning too, which is useful when storage space is limited.

What to Look for in a Steam Cleaner

In looking for the best steam cleaner, we suggest that you take into consideration the following factors:

A durable, rust-resistant boiler

Some steam cleaners particularly the inexpensive ones have a plastic boiler that doesn’t heat quickly. These might also be prone to cracking which can lead to durability issues. For the best results, we suggest that you look for a stainless steel or aluminum boiler.

An extension hose and nozzles, with a long cord

The perfect steam cleaner has a long extension hose and nozzle to help you clean hard-to-reach areas, alongside with a long power cord to let you move around freely.

A good array of accessories

Most steam cleaners, even smaller models come with enough accessories for a wide variety of cleaning jobs, such as metal-bristled brushes for cleaning grills and other accessories.

The Best Steam Cleaners for Pet Owners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Shark-Pocket
Cleaner-
Steering-S3501

McCulloch-MC1275
Heavy-Duty-Cleaner
Accessories

LIGHT-EASY
Steam-Mop
Multifunctional

All Our Picks

Shark-Pocket
Cleaner-
Steering-S3501

McCulloch-MC1275
Heavy-Duty-Cleaner
Accessories

LIGHT-EASY
Steam-Mop
Multifunctional

Steam Cleaners

Benefits of Steam Cleaning for Your Home

Which Type of Steam Cleaner should you Buy?

What to Look for in a Steam Cleaner

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

The Best Steam Cleaners for Pet Owners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Shark-Pocket Cleaner-Steering-S3501

McCulloch-MC1275Heavy-Duty-CleanerAccessories

LIGHT-EASYSteam-Mop Multifunctional

All Our Picks

Shark-Pocket Cleaner-Steering-S3501

McCulloch-MC1275Heavy-Duty-CleanerAccessories

LIGHT-EASYSteam-Mop Multifunctional

Steam Cleaners

Benefits of Steam Cleaning for Your Home

Which Type of Steam Cleaner should you Buy?

What to Look for in a Steam Cleaner

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Shark-Pocket
Cleaner-
Steering-S3501

McCulloch-MC1275
Heavy-Duty-Cleaner
Accessories

LIGHT-EASY
Steam-Mop
Multifunctional

Shark-Pocket
Cleaner-
Steering-S3501

McCulloch-MC1275
Heavy-Duty-Cleaner
Accessories

LIGHT-EASY
Steam-Mop
Multifunctional