A good handheld steam cleaner will cut through the grease on a grill, remove wrinkles from clothes, and loosen the toughest stains on carpets and upholstery. The heat from the steam also kills germs and bacteria, which means that you can use your steamer to sanitize surfaces and fabrics where ever you go.
Handheld steamers are perfect for smaller jobs, like steaming a few clothes or a stain on the carpet. But if you plan to clean an entire kitchen or bathroom, a handheld steamer will probably not be large enough or long lasting enough. For larger cleaning tasks, it is better to buy a larger, more powerful steam cleaner such as a McCulloch heavy-duty steam cleaner.
Our top choice is actually a combination steam mop and handheld steam cleaner called the Light ‘N’ Easy Multifunctional Handheld Garment Steamer. Here are a few highlights of this awesome steamer:
- Steam mop with detachable handheld steamer
- Cleans clothes, floors, windows, metal stove tops, and grills
- Eliminates 99.9% of germs and bacteria
- 3 modes for delivering optimal steam cleaning functionality
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How To Use A Handheld Steam Cleaner On Clothes
There are many different brands of handheld steam cleaners, but most of them are built with one purpose in mind: steaming clothes to remove wrinkles, sanitize, and humidify fabrics. But if you have never used one before, then you might be wondering: how do you steam clean clothes with a steam cleaner?
We’ve got you covered. Here are our top tips for steam cleaning clothes and instructional video for all of you visual learners out there:
- Where are you going to do the steaming? Put a hook on the back of your bedroom door to hang clothes, or hang them in the bathroom.
- Use distilled water from a grocery store because it doesn’t have minerals that will build up inside of your steamer and clog it up.
- Power the steam up for a few minutes and then test the steamer before using it to clear everything that was left in there from the last time you used it. Wait until there is no more sputtering before you begin steaming clothes.
- Divide each piece of clothing into sections and apply the steam to the garment in a continuous sweeping motion up and down the garment for a minute or two.
- Be careful with delicate item like silk because steam might ruin it.
- Let everything dry after you use it and then you are good to go!
What is the best handheld steam cleaner?
We already mentioned the Light ‘N’ Easy Multifunctional Handheld Garment Steamer in the introduction but this list does not start with it simply because there are a few other classic options that are more a little more popular and a little more well tested. The Light ‘N’ Easy is still our top pick for overall value and performance, but these other steam cleaners are worth looking into as well.
1. PurSteam Handheld Pressurized Steam Cleaner with 9-Piece Accessory Set
The PurSteam Steam Cleaner is one of the most versatile steam cleaners out there, and is perfectly built for smaller jobs. For larger cleaning jobs, such as entire bathrooms or kitchens, the PurSteam will get the job done, but it will take a while. This steam cleaner is really meant for on the go, small detail cleaning or steaming like a grill or carpet stains, not large cleaning jobs for entire rooms or machinery.
That being said, with 9 different accessories to choose from, there is an attachment for practically every use that you can think of. It also comes with a 10 foot long cord and an extension hose for added reach. If you are looking for a basic, easy to use steam cleaner with many optional attachments, then this is a good choice.
As a classic trigger style handheld steam cleaner, the PurSteam has a steam pressure rating of 3 BAR and a boiler capacity of 350 ml. That is a large enough reservoir that you won’t have to refill it more than once for most small cleaning jobs. But if you plan to clean an entire room, such as a bathroom – bath tub, shower stall tiles, floors, mirror, sink, windows, towel rods, toilet – then it’s better to buy a larger, more powerful steam cleaner.
Features
- Powerful superheated pressurized steam cleaner produces up to 30% more steam flow than other steam cleaners
- Trigger style, lightweight and portable, although the trigger can be tiring to grip after a while
- 9.8-foot cord and extension hose for added reach
- Perfect for cleaning ceramic tile, granite, waterproof wood flooring, laminate tiles, most cotton and wool carpets, and washable wallpaper
- Heats to around 220 – 250 degrees in 3 to 4 minutes.
The PurSteam also takes around 3 to 4 minutes to heat up to somewhere in the neighborhood of 220 to 250 degrees, which is very similar to most other handheld steam cleaners of this type. It also can overheat, and when the steam is used up, it will have to reheat a new batch of water.
That heating capacity is enough to handle most small tasks, especially tasks where you are stopping frequently, such as when steaming clothes or steaming many small stains one at a time across a surface. But if you are cleaning a large area, say an entire kitchen floor, then this steamer will not be very convenient because you will have to stop every once in a while to let it recalibrate.
2. Bissell Steam Shot Hard-Surface Cleaner, 39N7A/39N71
The Bissell Steam Shot is a fantastic, small steam cleaner with a ton of useful attachments. Bissell is well known for their range of cleaning tools, and the Steam Shot is their cheapest, most affordable steam cleaner. Like the PurSteam above, it is built for quick small cleaning tasks, like small carpet stains or tile grout stains.
The Bissell heats up quickly, at less than 1 minute. Sometimes it will not stay hot for very long, but the longer you let it heat up, the longer the heat will last. Also, the steam is not always super hot. You might be able to hold your hand in front of the nozzle without much discomfort. If that happens, make sure you have the settings adjusted properly or upgrade to a larger, more powerful steam cleaner.
However, when the Steam Shot works, it works super well. Many people who buy it are able to clean grease of their grills very easily or steam clean their bathroom sink with no problems.
Features
- Powerful high-pressure handheld steam cleaner
- Easy-to-press trigger that will not wear out your hand
- Extra long 20 foot-long power cord so you can go anywhere in your house or garage with it
- Includes accessory nozzle, extension hose, flat scraping tool, grout brush, fabric steamer, window squeegee, angle concentrator, and detail brush
- Tank Capacity: 6.6 ounce.
- Heater Warm-Up Time: less than a minute.
The Steam Shot is also very well made and will usually last a bit longer than other handheld steam cleaners before wearing out. The accessory tools, like the scrubbing brush, wear out much more quickly than professional steamer cleaner attachments, but again, this is not a good steamer for heavy cleaning. For light cleaning tasks, it’s perfect.
3. LIGHT ‘N’ EASY S3601 Multifunctional Steam Handheld Garment Steamer Carpet Window Cleaner
The Light ‘N’ Easy is our favorite handheld steam cleaner on this list because it converts into a steam mop, which means you essentially get two appliances for the price of one. That makes it one of the best handheld steam cleaners for bathroom tile stains as well as kitchen floors because you can cover large areas, similar to regular steam cleaners.
The handheld steamer detaches from the body of the mop and has its own attachments, vastly extending its capacity to clean large areas as well as small detailed areas. As a steam mop, the Light ‘N’ Easy lives up to its name. It is both light and makes cleaning floors an easy.
If you are looking for value, this is the best steam mop you can find. It is perfect for anyone on a budget or looking for an entry level small steam cleaner for occasional use. It makes cleaning tile floors a synch and the handheld steamer removes grease and grime with up-close steam action.
Features
- Detachable steamer – combination steam mop and handheld steamer
- Sanitizes 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria
- 3 modes: high, low and medium to clean with the desired intensity
- 11.5Oz Tank. Heats up in 30 seconds.
- 24 hours service 1 years manufacturer warranty. Call 844-798-2632 when you have any problem.
As you can see from the chart above, the Light ‘N’ Easy Multifunctional Handheld Garment Steamer is the second steamer in from the left. It is the only steamer on the chart that has a detachable handheld steamer to go with the full steam mop stick and mop head. The Light ‘N’ Easy is also very light and not much heavier than the other mops on there.
4. iSteam Steamer For Clothes
The iSteam steamer is perfect for steaming clothes. In fact, as a garment steamer, steaming clothes to remove wrinkles is exactly what the iSteam was built for. And it means you won’t need to break out an iron and ironing board every time you need to touch up your shirts.
The cord is not super long, so you might need to get an extension cord or move closer to wall outlets. The iSteam is also a bit smaller than other steamers and only moves up and down to release steam onto garments. It also will not leave a crease the way an iron will, which can be a small downside.
But the upside of a smaller steamer is that it is perfect for travel. As a travel steamer, it slips right into a suitcase and make sure that clothes and fabrics look their best even when far from home. It comes in handy especially on business trips and at weddings. The iSteam is also perfect for delicate formal clothes that an iron might leave creases in.
Features
- Modern nozzle designed all fabric steamer.
- 60 seconds of heat up time
- The perfect ironing, easy and safe steamer
- Erase wrinkles from suits, pants, dresses, even delicates, and beddings, just with a steam breeze
- Ideal portable steamer, perfect travel companion
- 12 months warranty
Conclusion: The Best Handheld Steamer Is…..
As we mentioned at the beginning, our top choice is the combination steam mop and handheld steam cleaner, also known as the Light ‘N’ Easy. It is definitely the best deal on the list because you get both a powerful handheld steamer and a power steam mop all in one appliance and for a very good price. If you are a first time steam mop buyer and don’t know which one to try first, then the Light ‘N’ Easy Multifunctional Handheld Garment Steamer.
Here are the highlights of this great steamer in case you missed them the first time:
- Steam mop with detachable handheld steamer and accessories
- Cleans clothes, floors, windows, metal stove tops, and grills
- Eliminates 99.9% of germs and bacteria from all surfaces
- 3 modes for delivering optimal steam cleaning functionality
- Best value steamer on the market when compared to other options
Of course, not everyone needs a full steam mop. For anyone looking for a simple steamer for clothes, the iSteam steamer is definitely the best handheld steamer to buy for that purpose. It is specifically built to steam clothes and it’s compact size makes it quite possibly the best steamer for traveling as well. The iSteam fits snuggly into your luggage and removes the hassle of ironing clothes overseas or away from home.
If you have any questions or comments about handheld steam cleaners, leave them in the comments section below. The list above is just a quick overview, but there is a lot more to discuss when it comes to these and other steamers.
As always, thanks for stopping by, and happy steaming!