The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Reader Recommendations => Topic started by: peabody58 on October 23, 2020, 09:35:26 AM
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A good quality Dry Steam Cleaner (super-heated steam ~5% moisture) is certainly not an inexpensive item, but with the potential health benefits, time savings and pursuit of a ‘greener’ cleaning experience, these Steam Cleaner machines could be considered by some a Mustachian saving device. Dry Steam Cleaning is being used by most industrial businesses (house cleaners, restaurants, hospitality, assisted living, car detailing, travel, etc., etc.) with great results. Although Dry Steam Cleaners have been around for a long time, the use in residential settings is only now really ramping up.
I’m starting this thread because we recently had a presentation of a high-end Dry Steamer system and we were quite impressed. Our stove top was cleaned in minutes vs. ‘many hours using chemicals and lots of scrubbing’. Our shower stall clear doors and tracks are spotless and look almost new. Grout lines on our tile are amazingly bright.
Wife said she now wants a Dry Steamer, and I said I’d look into it. The high-end demonstration model at a discounted price of $2,500 was a bit steep for my Mustachian side, and I wanted to do some research first.
After a few days of on-line research I discovered these key points:
- Prices can range from $400 to $2,800 plus and higher in the Commercial range.
- Most brands make excellent units from entry level residential models to high end Commercial models.
- The higher the temperature/pressure available is better as it will clean faster. 70 psi and up is getting into low-end Commercial units.
- Boiler Auto refill capability is preferred if you plan on cleaning for > 90 minutes at a time.
- Units with pressure control are beneficial to one-pressure units (usually low end).
- Most of the dry steamers are from Italy.
- All brands are selling like hot cakes due to the Covid pandemic and the need to clean a lot of areas. Restocking is out into November for a lot of units.
Brands I looked at in no particular order include Vapor Clean, Giant Steamer, Hyla (new to market), LadyBug, Dupray, Daimer and a whole lot more (just google Dry Steamer and learn).
We narrowed our selection down to the Vapor Clean Pro5, Giant Steamer 75 and the Dupray Tosca models. All great units IMO. After evaluating what our needs would be (everyone is different), and carefully weighing each model's features, we finally ordered the Giant Steamer Single PRO 75 along with the Extended Warranty. The price was great (on-sale), it was in stock, is considered a Commercial Grade unit (Stainless Steel), has a manually pressure adjustment from 0-85 psi (320 deg F), great customer support (owner has already chatted with me), pressure gauge vs electronic display, I like their accessories (optional floor mop) more than other brands, and my favorite: the tank heater (1750 w) is external to the stainless steel boiler hence no calcium build up on the heating elements requiring yearly descaling.
But is a Dry Steamer really a ‘Mustachian’ item? We look to the time savings in cleaning, having a safer/cleaner living environment and being able to eliminate most of our cleaning chemicals as a very wise budget focused purchase (YMMV). Plus, we’ll actually clean stuff like windows, BBQ and car detailing that I’ve put off for a long time. And if we can hold off a few more years in hiring a house keeper, then it should almost pay for itself.
So looking forward to receiving our new Dry Steamer next week after we get back from our first Covid era vacation to (egads) WDW. Oh the things I’m going to clean!! Wife is already starting a new Covid Project list as I finished the last list a month ago!
So share your thoughts, experiences, recommendations regarding the newest home cleaning trend of Dry Steamers. And please remember that there is no ‘best’ unit, only the unit that is best for the individual. And I fully appreciate those opinions who consider a Dry Steamer as an anti-Mustachian purchase.
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OK, honest question - what makes those options necessary compared to something like a Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop that can be used on floors and detached/handheld for other places? If you own a cleaning business I understand buying a commercial grade unit but is it worth 5x - 10x the money for home use?
As for whether it's mustachian, I'd guess if it allows you to be more environmentally friendly, waste less time, avoid paying a cleaning service... all those would be good things.
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Well it is environmental friendly and certainly attractive to me as I am allergic to chemicals used in many cleaning products. I would not buy it as I don’t clean that much, but I do have a steam cleaning mop, probably cost like 50 $ and Damn that really does an amazing job when I do break it out.
Anyway if you really want one go ahead and buy it, you can also resell it on Craig’s list if it doesn’t work out. If I owed a restaurant I would get one but on 750 square foot living area doesn’t make financial sense.
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My parents have a Dupray and I love that thing, but it was way WAY less than $2500. It was, maybe $700??
They absolutely needed it as they were animal breeders, so their cleaning needs were intense and they could expense it.
The non industrial model they had was more than enough for their commercial needs, so I would look at the lower cost options.
Also, I've borrowed the thing a few times, but it's one of those things you only need rarely. I used it in our old 70s house to clean the light grey grout in the kitchen, which appeared black. I also used it to get an impossible to remove film off of the windows, to clean stains from the tub, etc, etc.
But these are tasks that I needed to do once, and probably not again either ever, or for a few years.
Have you looked into renting one of these machines?
That's what I would do if my parents didn't have one.
I absolutely see the value of a proper Dupray style steamer, but not purchasing a commercial grade model. That seems totally unreasonable considering the very good and much cheaper alternatives.