Last month, I’ve decided it was time to refresh the upholstery. Not buy new ones because that would be expensive, but I was thinking of cleaning them up after years of abuse. I do mean abuse because with 3 large dogs in the family, our upholstery has been the unofficial beds of the family pets. Aside from fur shedding, our sofa is layered with dirt, grime and other unmentionables.

So I embarked on a mission to buy a hand steamer. What I found out is that just buying anything on sale won’t cut it. Here are some advices I can give on how to buy the best handheld steam cleaner for your needs.

Easy to Use

By easy to use, I mean find something that doesn’t require an engineering degree to assemble. Most easy steam mop also don’t require parts and materials that you have to buy off the store. Sure, you can purchase a replacement mop, but if you have to purchase expensive chemicals as well, it might be too much. Opt for something that runs perfectly with just still water – you’ll find that it still cleans but not as expensive!

Attachments

Look for something with attachments that come with the original steam cleaner. If you have to buy the attachments separately, it might cost more! The great thing about upholstery mop is that with the right attachments, it can double as a light carpet or car steam cleaner which would be perfect for your budget!

Multiple Uses

I think I’ve already covered this with attachments – but imagine a steam cleaner that can also clean the grill or oven! You’ll find that many cleaners in the market today advertise the fact that they can do this neat trick! Of course, multiple functions mean that the price adds up so take into consideration what you want done. If you’re sure it’s just for the upholstery then buy something just for the upholstery.

Read Reviews

Of course, don’t forget to read upholstery cleaner reviews (like mine!) before buying anything.  A review should tell you if the proposed “features” provide the promised results. There are currently dozens of sites where you can find this so I advise you go ahead and start browsing! Don’t forget to compare the prices to save a few dollars!

Pressure and Tank

High pressure cleaners are capable of providing more thorough cleans so if you need a heavy duty like me, try to find something with high pressure! The water tank also tells you how long it would take before you need to do a refill. The higher the capacity of the tank, the longer you can use it without stopping. Since you’re cleaning upholstery, large mop tanks aren’t really that necessary, but a high pressure is a must. Around 4-bar cleaning tool pressure would be great!

To wrap up this article, my final choice was a Mcculloch Steam Cleaner brand which I’m perfectly happy with. However, you’ll find that there are other stream cleaning products in the market that provides excellent results like the Haan and the Swiffer. It really depends on what you need so do your research first!

Be wise in selecting cleaning machine for upholstery.

Tags: floor cleaner, steam cleaner, steam mop, upholstery cleaner, upholstery mop, upholstery steam cleaner