Best Steam Cleaner for Cars: Leave Your Car Spotless

To select these car steam cleaners as the top choices, I took a close look at the many options available. I considered every kind of steam cleaner, from big and bulky with car-friendly attachments to compact and perfectly portable. Those that were the most effective at tackling dirt and stains, including long-ago formed stains, were prioritized. I also compared these steam cleaners to one another based on details such as ease of use, size and weight, power source, tank capacity, cleaning accessory options, and the ability to use within the confines of a car.

Sturdy and powerful in the face of even super-stubborn stains, the McCulloch Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner is my pick for the best overall steam cleaner for cars. However, if you’re looking for something that offers a combination of great value and easy mobility, the PurSteam Handheld Steam Cleaner is another option I highly recommend. 

When we start shopping for tools and products, we never overlook the secondhand market. In fact, it’s usually the first place we look. Whether you’re scrolling through Amazon’s Renewed section, eBay for car parts or tools, or the pages of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, you have hundreds of thousands of used tools, parts, and gear ready to be shipped to your doorstep. Refurbished to like-new status, they’ll be willing to give you many more years of faithful service all while saving you money. It also has the benefit of you not having to cut open an Amazon box inside an Amazon box with bubble wrap around the part.

If those options above don’t have what you need, your local salvage yard is great for car parts, while swap meets are a great resource you should absolutely tap. Just Google either and head on down. 

To make your secondhand search easier, here are two tips to finding the best deals and making sure your new-to-you stuff wasn’t destroyed by the previous owner. 

What to Consider When Buying Steam Cleaners for Cars

Ready to start your search for an effective, easy-to-use steam cleaner for your car? Keep these all-important details in mind as you check out different models. 

These are built and designed to reach those difficult to clean areas like tight spaces and underneath pedals. They are lightweight and convenient to use, making them ideal to bring on long car trips. However, they don’t come with a lot of power, so you’ll have to charge them after each use. Their smaller form makes them quicker to heat up, so you can use them quickly when absolutely necessary. 

These are thicker and heavier modules built to fight the toughest of stains. Their water tanks are larger as well, giving you more power and extending the amount of time you devote to deep cleaning the car interior. This saves you time and energy by not having to constantly refill the water. However, while they are larger, they do tend to be quite heavy, especially when loaded fully with water. To help alleviate the stress of moving something so cumbersome, many come with wheels for mobility.

The size of the water tank is a major component of what makes up a car steam cleaner. Having a smaller one means you don’t get as long of a clean and will have to refill the tank many times before you’re finished. Getting a larger one means you get an extended cleaning time. If you have multiple cars to clean or a larger vehicle, opting for a bigger tank is the way to go.

Some steam cleaners are more portable than others. Smaller options tend to be lighter weight, so they’re easier to maneuver around your vehicle. Larger options may be more heavy-duty and provide a more thorough cleaning depending on their wattage. Also, the size affects how easier they are to store when not in use.

Finding a car steam cleaner with multiple accessories will help you reach those difficult-to-clean places. The more extender hoses, nozzles, and cleaning heads you have, the better prepared you are to tackle any stains.

One of the best parts about steam cleaners is they don’t come with any harsh chemicals. That means it is good for the environment and has no lingering smell or taste. However, you can get accessories that add chemicals like bleach and cleaners.

Pricing 

You’ll find a wide variety of car steam cleaners priced between $35 and $100. They are lighter and more compact with smaller water tanks. For $100 or more, you’ll find heavy-duty steam cleaners that also may come with various sizes of extension hoses and head sizes. 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.