Vapor Steamers

[AutoDetailDoctor]

I have a mobile detailing unit and I am interested in buying a vapor steamer. Are they effective tools and are they worth purchasing?

[doctordon]

Hi Clint and welcome to the forum. Always a pleasure to have another doctor on the forum.

I have a steamer and they're a great tool and do a wonderful job at super-cleaning a car's interior. You can clean areas easily that you wouldn't be able to reach without one.

The only drawback is the TIME factor invloved when using one. The time to fill it with water, wait for it to warm up, wait for the steam to build back up again, and the time moving it and repostioning it as you move around the vehicle.

My recommendation would be, if you buy one, only use it on the really trashed out interiors. In my opinion you can move around a car much faster without one.

[AutoDetailDoctor]

Ok thank you! I use a Tornador now and it works pretty good. I would like to try a steamer though but I don't know if anyone around here that has one. Do they work faster once you have it in the correct position? What brand do you have?

[AutoDetailDoctor]

Also, I have saw YouTube videos where the steamer cleans leather really well. Is that true? And of of possible to hurt the interiors or cause any damage with one?

[doctordon]

Also, I have saw YouTube videos where the steamer cleans leather really well. Is that true? And of of possible to hurt the interiors or cause any damage with one?
Clint, it is true that steamers do an excellent job on dirty leather seats. You must be extremely careful when using steam on leather seats as you can easily remove the coating and color. I speak from experience.

The trick is to keep the towel wrapped brush just above the seat with minimum pressure. Do not press down hard on the seat and do not scrub the seat. Just a gentle light touch. The combination of heat with the bristles from the brush will clean the seats. Only use white towels (I use terry cloth towels) as it is possible to transfer the color from the towel to the seats. For extremely dirty seats use a little of your favorite leather cleaner in combination with the steamer.

Ok thank you! I use a Tornador now and it works pretty good. I would like to try a steamer though but I don't know if anyone around here that has one. Do they work faster once you have it in the correct position? What brand do you have?
As you use the steamer the pressure drops depending on how long you hold the trigger down. You must wait for the pressure to build back up and at times it can seem like a long time. As a suggestion, if you purchase a steamer, get one with the longest hose available. Mine is six feet long and I wish it was ten feet long. When cleaning the back of a SUV I have to put the steamer in the cargo area with me. It can get in the way.

I purchased mine from a guy on Craigs List. It is the same model the sells on the internet for $600-$700. I paid $75.

[AutoDetailDoctor]

Thank you I really appreciate your help.....

[sal329]

DoctorDon what model steamer do you have? I have a cheap Shark steamer it does well but I would love a real steamer. I use mine for stains on carpet, leather and areas like cup holders where usually there is a lot of crud build up.

[doctordon]

DoctorDon what model steamer do you have? I have a cheap Shark steamer it does well but I would love a real steamer. I use mine for stains on carpet, leather and areas like cup holders where usually there is a lot of crud build up.
Sal, The model I have is a Fantom. It is a discontinued model that was made in Italy. It seems like a lot of steamers are from Italy. It is very similar in features to the VX 5000 only shaped differently.

One of the reasons I like it is because it came with a dozen different attachments - brushes, scotch brite pads, sponge pads, steam wands, and more.

Another plus is it holds almost a gallon of water. I can clean most interiors without having to refill. Using only distilled water reduces the about of scale and sediment that tap water leaves in the tank.

The only drawback, as I stated above, is the length of the hose. When it is on the ground you can only get into the car so far. I have a small cart I place it on to help but a longer hose would eliminate one more thing.

Some people watch the videos on YouTube of detailers using steamers and think WOW that looks so cool. You must remember you're working with extremely hot water under a lot of pressure. A steamer used without practice can melt plastic, discolor vinyl, and remove the protective coating and color from leather. I've done all three. Just like learning to use a rotary buffer, practice on a car other than a client's vehicle.

Oh, I forgot to mention, it can burn you too. Yeah, I've done that too.:oops:

If you have any other questions I will be more than happy to try an answer them for you.

[AutoDetailDoctor]

I would really like to try one but I just hate spending so much on something that I may not use much. I use a Tornador now and it works well. Obviously, I am looking to do a better job and more quickly as well, and there have been times, such as with cupholders, that a steamer would have been nice. Also with leather, it would be nice to try. But if there is a chance to hurt the leather, then I am not so sure. I really hate to find out on a customer car that I just messed up their leather! As of now it looks like I will be waiting a bit.

[doctordon]

Please don't let me discourage anyone from using a steamer. They are a fantastic asset in certain situations.

I'm only trying to impart what experiences I've had so others can learn from them and not make the same mistakes. Isn't that what forums are for?

I have not found anything that cleans leather seats like a steamer (although I have not tried Leatherique which I understand is time consuming). They clean seat tracks like nobody's business and can blow out that crud that gets down in between the edge of seats and a center console.

A good rule of thumb is to keep the steam as far away from the surface you are cleaning as you can but still remove whatever satins, dirt, etc. you are working on. That takes a little practice. Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it.