I've been using a steam cleaner for over a decade now and occasionally share posts about it here on the blog. Over the years I have been asked lots of questions about steam cleaning so I thought I would address the most commonly asked ones. Here are the steam cleaning FAQ. Everything you need to know about cleaning your home with steam!
This post is sponsored by Wagner but the thoughts and opinions are 100% my own!
Steam Cleaning FAQ
Steam cleaning is a great way to sanitize your home without the use of harsh chemicals. Perfect for those with children, pets, sensitive skin, or allergies. It is an easy way to clean just about everything in your home! Here are the most asked questions I have received over the years.
Q1: Can I Use Tap Water?
Probably the most asked question is about the water. Is it okay to use tap water, especially if you have hard water? It is recommended to use distilled water. I usually try to have a few gallons in my food storage area in the basement but during covid (and for quite a bit after) there was a shortage of distilled water. People needed it for baby formula, breathing treatments, humidifiers, and cpap machines.
During this time I got into the habit of using water from my PUR water pitcher. If you have a water pitcher with a filter, or one that attaches to your faucet, this would be the second best option. If you do not have access to either the distilled water or filtered water, then use tap water. You will at some point need to clean out the mineral build up in your steamer. That leads us to the the next question!
Q2: How Do You Clean A Steam Machine?
Always make sure that the steam machine is unplugged before cleaning. Mix 8 oz of water and 8 oz of white vinegar. Pour the mixture into the steam machine using the funnel. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes and then empty it into the sink. Add clean water into the tank to rinse the vinegar out. Repeat the rinsing process until it no longer smells of vinegar.
Q3: How Much Water Do I add and How Long Will It Last?
Steamer come with a measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring. If you add 400ml you will be able to steam clean for approximately 15 minutes. 800 ml will last 30 minutes and 1200ml will last 40 minutes. Please make sure that the machine has fully cooled down before opening it to add more water if needed.
Q4: Why Is My Machine Squirting Water Instead Of Steam?
This will happen if you have squeezed the trigger before the machine has fully heated and had enough time to built up pressure.
When you push the power button, both the red and the orange light will light up. You need to wait until the orange light turns off. It can take up to ten minutes to heat and build up pressure. If you do start using the steamer before it is fully ready and water squirts out, it is okay. Steam will follow the initial squirt of water. You can use a rag to clean it up. It doesn't mean anything is wrong with your machine.
Q5: How Is It Possible To Clean With Only Water?
Steam Machines can exceed 212 degrees. The steam's hot temperature is enough to kill germs, dust mites, mold, and bacteria and all other yucky things. My favorite place to use it is on my toilet. The steam forces all the gunk hiding under the seat hinges out. It is the grossest, most satisfying thing ever.
When using a steamer on soft surfaces like upholstery, it softens and loosens up the dirt so it can be easily removed with a rag. You can see a pretty impressive before and after when we cleaned out Shane's car! I also like to use it on mattresses and rugs to kill dust mites.
Q6: When Steaming Soft Surfaces, How Long Is The Dry Time?
Speaking of steaming mattresses.... How long does it take for upholstery, rugs, mattresses and other soft surfaces to dry? That is a hard one to answer because it depends on how long you steamed the item, and the humidity level in your home. But I will say that it will dry much faster than if you had used a wet rag to scrub it.
Q7: What Can I NOT Steam Clean?
One of my most popular posts about steaming is one I wrote years ago called "40 WAYS TO USE A STEAM CLEANER" detailing ways I have used mine around my home. With so many things that you CAN clean, what about the things that you shouldn't clean with a steamer? I'll refer you to the owner's manual of the Wagner 915E On-Demand Steamer.
DO NOT use on leather, wax polished furniture or floors,
synthetic fabrics, velvet, Dralon® or other delicate, steam
sensitive materials.
Also, while the steamer cleans glass like a champ, avoid steam cleaning your windows and other glass when the temperature of the glass is cold (colder than 32 degrees) or you risk it cracking. I avoid cleaning the windows in the winter months all together to be safe.
Q8: Can I Add Anything To The Water Like Essential Oils?
No. It is not recommended to add anything but distilled or filtered water to a steam cleaner. It could mess up your steamer and it is not necessary. As stated above, the water gets hot enough to disinfect on its own. But if you are wanting to have a lemony fresh smell (or pine, or any other scent) you can add the oil to the mopping pad.
I hope that helped answer any questions you had about steam cleaning. If I missed any questions that you still might have, please leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.
And if you already have a steam cleaner that you use, I am curious what your favorite thing to steam clean is. Spill it in the comments!
Hi Stacy,
I’d love for you to share a video of you cleaning windows with your steam cleaner. It sounds like a game changer, but it also sounds drippy and like I’d have water everywhere.
Additionally, I can imagine just how satisfying it would be to clean the toilet, but again, wondering about the drippy mess – this time with the water being really gross. Do you place a towel on the floor when you are steam cleaning your toilet?
If it wasn't winter, I would have totally shown the windows being cleaned because mine need it badly :0 I will try to remember to do a video when it warms up and post it on my instagram. The steam is surprisingly not drippy but if you steam in one place a long time, the steam builds up like condensation and can run. I always have a rag with me or paper towels to wipe up the dirt that gets loosened. 400 ml isn't very much water and you can run the steamer for a full 15 minutes on that amount. I can do my whole bathroom in that time. Granted my bathrooms are on the small side. So basically I am cleaning my whole bathroom with less than 2 cups worth of water.
The toilet is really my favorite! Again, the steam itself doesn't drip but I have paper towels on hand to wipe away the junk that comes out from the hinges. I start with the floors (It is great for tile grout!) and then the base of the toilet. I work my way up. If water were to drip, it's only a little and it its just water.
There are multiple tips you can change out as you clean. In the bathroom I start with the "cleanest" things like the sink and do the toilet last. Always change out the tip after the toilet.
I hope that helped!
How does it do on showers? We have super hard water, & soap scum builds up on the walls so fast.
I no longer have a glass shower but I used to. It is best if you keep up on it and do it regularly. I let it go far too long once and while the steamer helped a lot, i still needed to spray vinegar on it as well. The squeegee attachment is awesome!
Try it on grout lines! It’s amazing!