If you are reading this article, then you may have decided it was time to start using a Steam Cleaner for your House Cleaning Business.

Your next step is to figure out which Steam mop is best for your house cleaning business.

The are several different steam cleaners to choose from. All with varying prices and capabilities which make it difficult to know which steamer is right for your business.

How Steam Cleaning Works

Steam Cleaning works by breaking down the dirt and grime and then the dirt is wiped up with the pad on the Steam mop. The high temperature of the steam is what makes this happen.

When you purchase a high-quality steam cleaner, your cleaning business will be cleaning floors quicker and better.

It is amazing how dirt and grim melt under high powered temperatures of steam mops, taking less effort on your part in mopping your client’s homes.

Please note, this article may include affiliate links. You can read the full disclosure at the bottom of the page.

The benefits of steam cleaning for cleaning businesses.

• You’ll never have to rinse cleaner off of the floors
• No cleaning a mop heads any more
• Never have to buy floor cleaner
• No need to rinse floors or wait for a cleaner to ‘work since you will not be using any
• Dries quickly, and if you get the right steamer, will dry streak free
• No more sticky floors after mopping (cleaners can leave residue which creates that sticky film on the floor)
• Steam cleaning kills allergens such as dust mites, which make them a great alternative to chemical mopping

When not to use steam cleaning

Steam cleaning is awesome with its disinfecting power and the need to not use chemicals. But there are a few flooring types I do not recommend you use your steam cleaner on. Those include….

Hardwood Floors

Now most steam cleaners you purchase will say that it is safe on hardwood floors. And it may be, for some that are properly sealed. But you will be cleaning for lots of different homes and you will not always know if steam cleaning will be safe with the flooring or the finish. So as tempting as it may be, do not mop hardwood floors with a steam cleaner. Make sure you are using a safe and effective cleaner instead.

Laminate flooring

Similar to hardwood, laminate flooring can be sensitive to high steam causing boards to warp or damage the finish. It is safe to stay away from steam cleaning this type of floor and instead use a safe effective cleaner for laminate flooring.

Cork flooring

Believe it or not, cork flooring is a thing. We cleaned for a beautiful home that had several types of flooring and cork was one. We learned the hard way that even on the lowest setting steam cleaning ended up lifting the flooring tiles. Stay clear of steam mopping for these types of floors. 

Features to look for when buying a Steam Cleaner for your Cleaning Business

Continuous Refill

Continuous refill allows you to add water to the Steam Cleaner while you are mopping. If the unit does not have continuous refill, then you will need to wait for the Steamer to cool down prior to adding more water to continue mopping. This is important if you are mopping for larger homes. Without a continuous refill canister, you will either waste time waiting for the equipment to cool, or you will have to mop in small batches. Which this is not an efficient way to clean.

Your upright steam cleaners will not have continuous fill capabilities. You will find this feature in high end, commercial steam cleaners. I have not included them in this review as they are priced well over $1000 and do not make economic sense when running a house cleaning business.

Heat up time

A faster heat up time will help you to clean a home faster. Your upright steam cleaners will have faster heat up times than the canister steamers. This is because they have smaller water canisters and do not reach as high of temperatures as the canister steam cleaners do.

When choosing a steam cleaner look for a shorter heat up time compared to similar models so that when you are cleaning a home, you will not have to wait for the mop to heat up. There are ways to get around this. If you decide to go with a canister steam cleaner you will be able to set up your steam cleaner just before you start vacuuming. This will give plenty of time for the machine to heat up so that you can start mopping as soon as you done vacuuming.

Steam Pressure

Steam pressure is the rate at which steam is projected from the steam cleaner. The higher the pressure the faster the steam is produced. This can improve the clean and how quickly dirt and grim is removed from the floor. The more steam that is being produced the faster the steam cleaner will pick of dirt and debris. The higher the steam pressure, the faster you will be able to mop floors in a home. Because time is money, I highly recommend investing in a steam cleaner with a higher steam pressure. As this will save you money in the long run because you will not be spending as much time mopping floors.

Steam Control

Choose a steam cleaner that allows you to control the amount of steam that comes out of the steam cleaner. You will be cleaning all sorts of homes with more than likely an aware of flooring types. Some flooring may be sensitive to high levels of steam such as linoleum and a lower steam level will be best for cleaning them. Tile floor on the other hand can be cleaned with a higher amount of steam.

Steam. If you are wanting to disinfect, you will need a steam cleaner that reaches at a minimum 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

Steam Cleaner Options

The Upright Steam Cleaner for your Cleaning Business

Upright Steam Mops are very popular for homeowners. They are generally lightweight and easy to use with out a lot of complicated set up. These steam cleaners may not be the best match for your business if you clean largest homes with hard flooring through out. But if the majority of the homes you clean do not have large area’s of hard flooring, these will be your best bet.

The Pro’s of using an Upright Steam Cleaner for your House Cleaning Business

• Less expensive
• Easy to carry in your car and easy to carry into homes with your other cleaning supplies
• Great for smaller spaces. Because upright steamers are smaller and lighter, they are great for homes that have carpet in most of the living spaces, but hard floors in the kitchen, foyer, and bathrooms.
• Upright steamers tend to heat up in less time, less than 1 minute.

The Con’s of using an Upright Steam Cleaner for your House Cleaning Business

• Upright steamers do not get as hot as most canister steamers meaning they will not be able to clean as efficient or effective as a canister steam cleaner.
• Don’t always use dry heat. What this means is the upright steamer can leave floors wet after mopping especially if a higher steam level is used.
• Mop heads are smaller and are not as efficient at cleaning larger areas as fast
• Water reservoir is usually smaller, causing you have to refill water

The Canister Steam Cleaner for your Cleaning Business

The canister steam cleaners will be your best choice for cleaning larger homes with hard flooring. These steam cleaners reach super high temperatures and have higher powered steam production making them the best. Purchasing a canister steam cleaner will take your cleaning service up a notch by providing the best floor mopping in your area.

The Pro’s of using Canister Steam Cleaners for your House Cleaning Business

• The most powerful clean
• Uses very little water, leaving surfaces dry.
• High temps sanitize surfaces
• High temps pick up dirt and grim much faster than other types of steamers
• These steam cleaners tend to have the highest heat temperature and highest steam pressure making them power houses in steam cleaning. When I made the switch to a canister steam cleaner my cleaning times were improved. But what really sold me, was my customers noticed the difference! That was a huge win. We had clients who said they would never switch companies because their floors had never been cleaner. I used this in my marketing and made sure to get reviews from those clients so that I could use that in my sales pitch.

The Con’s of using Canister Steam Cleaners for your House Cleaning Business

• High price points.
• Can be cumbersome to carry into homes. (The steam cleaner I first purchased for my house cleaning business was very heavy and difficult to carry into a home. We cleaned a condo that was on the 14^th We had to park away from the building and carry the steam cleaner from the vehicle. My arms were sore after this each time.)
• Can be cumbersome to clean with. You will want to be mindful of where the machine is moving along with you as you clean. Be careful not to pull be the cleaning hose. I had a cleaning team do this and damage the hose. It cost $50 to replace the hose and I was not happy.

My Recommendations for buying a Steam Cleaner for your Cleaning Business:

BISSELL Power Fresh Steam Mop – Less than $100 option

The Bissell Power Fresh Steam Mop is a great Upright Steam mop option for your house cleaning business. It has a low price point yet still provides a quality clean for smaller homes and hard floor areas. If you have a lower budget, this is a great option to start steam cleaning floors in your house cleaning services.

What I like about the Steam Mop:

• It’s Price. You can get the steamer for under $100 making it easier to purchase for house cleaning businesses with lower budgets or who are first starting out.
• There are 3 Steam setting. Low for delicate floors, medium for regular cleaning levels, and high for dirtier surfaces. In some of the review’s customers made comment that the higher steam setting left floors damp. This would be caused by the higher pressure; higher pressure means more steam is produced.
• Heat up time. The steamer heats up in 30 seconds, making it a good tool for speed cleaning.

Some of the downfalls in the reviews

• The knob on the water tank tends to split after some time. But you are able to purchase new knobs.
• Make sure to use distilled water. Tap water contains minerals deposits that will clog up the steam holes and make the steam cleaner useless.
• Users complained that the mop pads do not come completely white after washing.

What you may want to consider:

You will not be able to purchase mop pads from other retailers, such as microfiber wholesale. You will have to purchase the pads specifically made for the mop. This can be pricy as you will want to have at least 3 clean pads for each home you clean each day. You can purchase an 8 pack for about $25 on Amazon.

Dupray Neat – About $150

The Dupray Neat is the best affordable canister steam cleaner option for house cleaning services. It is a powerful multipurpose heavy duty steam cleaner. It does not have the highest power that other canisters carry, but it does trick when cleaning homes.

Dupray Neat features:

• Heats up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cleans up to 50 minutes of steam cleaning
• Heat up time is 7 minutes
• Weighs 9 pounds
• Steam pressure, up to 50 psi.
• Your able to use tap water and do not have to use distilled water.
• Comes with 18-piece kit that includes a Floor Tool, Window tool, small triangle tool for smaller surfaces, attachment for small brushed used for detail cleaning such as grout.

What I like about the Steam Mop:

• Heats up in 7 minutes, which is better than most canister steam cleaners. Though this could be due to its lower temperature point.
• Small, light weight and compact. Coming in at just 9 pounds. This steam cleaner will be easier to carry from your vehicle and into your client’s homes.
• High continuous temperatures with 50 minutes of cleaning time. This should be plenty of time for you to mop the floors at your client’s home. My recommendation is to leave the mopping for last (with the exception of the bathrooms) when cleaning your client’s homes. It is more efficient this way. You will only have to heat up your steam cleaner 1 time and the 50 minutes of clean time should be sufficient in completing this task.

Some of the downfalls of the cleaner

• When reading through the reviews many customers commented on water being left behind on the floors. This could be due to the lower temperature point of the machine. I would not use on wood flooring because of the extra moisture left behind.
• The mop head has limited flexibility. This makes it a little more challenging to get around and under furniture. The mop head does not get completely flat because of this.
• The cord storage is underneath the unit and not great. It makes it more difficult to wrap the cord up after usage and can be difficult in transporting from your vehicle to the home.
• Not a continuous fill canister

Take away notes:

Overall, this steam cleaner is more powerful than an upright steam cleaner but does not have all of the powerful functionality that can come with other canister steam cleaners. If your budget is less than $200 this is a great steam cleaner. It will mop floors more efficiently than an upright steam cleaner picking up dirt and grim.

Dupray One – About $550.00

The Dupray One steam cleaner is the step up of the Dupray Neat. It boasts higher temperatures and a more powerful clean. The grim and dirt on floors literally melt away with quicker mopping and without having to hoover too long over any one area. If you clean homes with lots of tile, stone or linoleum flooring this steam cleaner is going to really up your game in cleaning. You will be able to mop floors faster and better than other house cleaning companies in your area.

It’s features:

• Low moisture steam which reaches up to 303 degrees Fahrenheit
• Up to 50 minutes of cleaning
• Adjustable steam control
• Heats up in 8 minutes
• Steam pressure 50.8 PSI
• Weight – 10.5 pounds
• Your able to use tap water and do not have to use distilled water.
• Comes with Floor Tool, Window tool, small triangle tool for smaller surfaces, attachment for small brushed used for detail cleaning such as grout.

What I like about the Steam Mop:

• Higher temperatures. The higher temperatures in this steam cleaner make for a faster, yet better clean.
• Adjustable steam power. This allows you to lower the steam setting for more delicate surfaces.
• It is still relatively light weight for carrying around.
• The heat up time, is quicker than other brands.

Some of the downfalls of the cleaner

The price is higher. If you do not have the budget, I recommend getting a less expensive steam cleaner. But then save up for this one.

Other Considerations when purchasing a Steam Cleaner for your House Cleaning Business.

What will you be cleaning with your Steam Cleaner?

Are you planning on just using the steam cleaner to mop floors in your regular cleaning services? If so you do not need to purchase a steam cleaner for your house cleaning business with tones of tools and attachments. There is no need to spend extra money on the tools and attachments if you will not be using them while cleaning houses.

Are you planning on using the steam cleaner to clean grout?

If you are planning on offering grout cleaning with your house cleaning business, you will want to purchase a steam cleaner that includes a grout cleaner attachment. You will also want to purchase a steam cleaner with higher steam pressure. This will push the most steam into the grout to allow for a deeper and more effective clean. Keep in mind you will probably pay a higher price for your steam cleaner.

Are you planning on cleaning surfaces around the home such as bathroom and kitchen surfaces?

If you are planning on cleaning surfaces around the home such as bathroom and kitchen surfaces you will need to look for a steam cleaner that has the attachments that allow you to do this. Not all steam cleaners come with these attachments.