Steam cleaners have revolutionized cleaning because of their effectiveness and ease of use. They are efficient in cleaning stains, dirt, footprints, and smears from hardwood floors. They are powerful to clean persistent stains from your floor. However, looking for the best steam cleaner for wood floors is not an easy task.
There are many steam cleaners in the market today. Some of the cleaners are not if good quality will break down after a few months of use. Buying such mops is a waste of time and can even damage your precious floor. Don’t settle for cheap steam cleaners since they can cause more harm than good. They have poor scrapers and heads that can scratch your floors.
This page sports the 8 best quality steam cleaners to help you steam and sanitize your wood floors.
Top 8 Best Wood Floor Steam Cleaners on Amazon
Reviews of the 8 Best Steam Cleaner for Wood Floors
The following are the best steam cleaners that you can use on your wood floors.
#1. Best Sale – PurSteam Multi-purpose Steam Mop and Handheld Unit for Carpet and Hardwood Floors
Pros
- Multifunctional
- Fast and effective
- Cleans everything
- Safe for pets and children
Cons
- The 20 to 25 minutes cleaning time
PurSteam steam cleaner features a ThermaPro technology to clean your house easily and quickly. It can clean a lot of floors and comes with a flexible hose for versatility. It’s safe for children and pets since it cleans without harsh chemicals. It’s perfect for cleaning hardwood and tile and features a special scrubber.
The cleaner is light and comes with three modes. You can choose from the three steam levels, depending on your preference. The reservoir can hold water to clean for 20 minutes at the lowest setting. You don’t need to buy any detergent since it uses tap water.
The device is multifunctional since you can use it to clean any surface, including hardwood, marble, vinyl, porcelain, and ceramic tiles.
#2. Runner up – Light ‘N’ Easy Steam Mop for Laminate and Wood Floors
Pros
- Short heat uptime
- Lightweight construction
- Comes with a flexible head
- Comes with a touch sensor
- Can be used for different floors
- Features a smart switch to cut off steam
Cons
- It is cord powered
Light N’ Easy is known for producing quality products. Like the other products, this steamer doesn’t disappoint. It features a lightweight design that’s highly maneuverable and provides a pleasant and easy cleaning experience without compromising performance
It’s a powerful steamer that offers natural steam in 20 seconds. With it, you can remove stubborn stains by using water only. You don’t need to add detergents or harsh chemicals. It’s environmentally friendly and safe for pets and kids.
It features a flexible mop head and a 20 ft long cable that can reach hard places such as corners. It’s not only suitable for hardwood surfaces but for other floors such as vinyl, laminate, tiles, and carpet floors. Ditch the heavy buckets and messy mops and choose this steam mop engineered to cater to your needs. It comes with a triple layer microfiber that enhances absorption.
#3. Best Wet-Dry Vacuum – Bissell Crosswave All in One Vacuum Cleaner for Hard Floors
Pros
- Long power cord
- Innovative design
- Large tank capacity
- Comes with a pet cleaning solution
Cons
- The large tank may hinder mobility
This pet-friendly steam cleaner vacuums and washes your hardwood floor at the same time. It features a 25 ft long cord allowing you to wash larger rooms. The steamer comes with a multipurpose pet hair strainer and pet brush roll that makes it effective for cleaning several surfaces.
It is effective for cleaning area rugs and sealed hardwood floors. This major advantage of this steam cleaner is the large tank capacity. It allows you to steam large surfaces without having to refill frequently. It also comes with a pet-friendly cleaning solution to help eliminate pet odors.
It’s equipped with an innovative nylon brush and micro-fiber that allows you to mop and pick up dirt simultaneously.
#4. Best for Grout – Light ‘N’ Easy Steam Mop for Tile and Hardwood Floors
Pros
- Innovative design
- Lightweight design
- Smart switch feature
- Comes with three-steam settings
Cons
- Small water tank
This steam cleaner only takes 30 seconds to heat up. It can remove sticky messes and greases in a matter of seconds. Since it contains no harsh chemicals involved and dries quickly, it’s safe for pets and children since it only uses water.
One thing that separates it from the others is the smart switch feature that cuts off the steam when you put the cleaner in an upright position. This can help you protect your delicate hardwood flooring.
You can easily detach it from a handheld steamer using the different attachments.
The attachments include a jet nozzle, grout cleaning brushes, microfiber pads, and a Bonnet pad. It’s effective for cleaning the kitchen, upholstery, dining room and bathroom
It features three steam settings to make it effective for cleaning different steam surfaces. The floors you can clean include grout, hardwood floor, marble, vinyl, tile, and ceramic, among others. It also has a touch sensor that activates steaming once you put your finger over the sensor.
#5. Best with Microfiber Pads – Bissell PowerEdge Floor Steamer for Hardwood Floors
Pros
- Pet friendly
- Lightweight design
- Durable equipment
- Produces a powerful steam
- Effective for cleaning sealed hard floors
Cons
- The power cable is short for some users
This two in one steam cleaner has a detachable handheld steamer that allows you to mop above and on your floors. It features a smart trigger that allows you to control the amount of steam with ease.
It sports a triangular foot design that allows you to clean edges and corners. It’s also lightweight for you to maneuver it easily. The 1500 watt rating guarantees powerful performance. It also comes with a scrub brush for cleaning stovetops, sinks, grout, and countertops.
The cleaner also can sanitize sealed hardwood floors and remove bacteria and germs.
#6. Best for Pets – Bissell Floor and Handheld Steamer for Wooden Floors
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Safe and easy to use
- It’s a two in one steam mop
- Pet friendly and doesn’t use chemicals
- It eliminates 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria
Cons
- 13.5 oz water tank
This steam cleaner offers an easy and reliable way of cleaning homes with pets and children. This is because it doesn’t use any harsh chemicals.
It features a two in one design that enables you to clean your pet’s mess on and above the floor. It comes with 13 tools that give the steamer flexibility. The steamer has a heat-up time of 30 seconds so you can get a more efficient and time-saving cleaning.
The steamer can eliminate up to 99 percent of bacteria and germs. It has a power rating of 1500 watts that provides powerful cleaning. It comes with a scrubby microfiber pad, soft pad, water cup, and odor elimination discs.
#7. Best with Vacuum Function – Bissell Vacuum and Steam Mop for Wood Floors
Pros
- Durable
- Pet friendly
- Multifunctional
- A powerful piece of equipment
- Better for sealed hardwood floors
- Effective vacuum cleaner and steam cleaner
Cons
- Pricier than the other 6
This steam mop can steam and vacuum your hardwood floors at the same time. An innovative Drop-it Tank Dropping System prevents you from getting dirty.
It comes with disposable pads that you can throw away is the pet’s mess is hard to clean. The washable microfiber pads are effective for daily cleaning.
The unit offers cyclonic vacuum cleaning that helps capture debris and hair. It has a power rating of 400 watts for vacuum and 1100 watts for steam. The package includes a scrubby microfiber pad, soft microfiber pad, detachable steam boost tray, and disposable pads.
Advantages of Using Steam Cleaners for Hardwood Floors
You don’t have to use cleaning agents. Steam cleaners only require water to clean floors. You don’t have to worry about chemicals that may endanger kids and pets or damage your precious floor. Also, they don’t leave your floors damp like traditional methods.
Steam cleaners are effective – Steam cleaners can remove any stains and dirt from your hard floor. The hot steam can remove grease and grout in a matter of seconds. Rubbing with cold water and cleaning detergents can discolor your expensive floor. Therefore, the best way to prevent this is by purchasing a steam cleaner.
Cost-effective – Steam cleaners only use water and not cleaning detergents. You can save the money and put it on power bills. Hardwood cleaning agents are even more expensive since they contain anti-bleaching agents. Also, you won’t tire from scrubbing the floor like when you use buckets.
It gives your home a natural fragrance – Cleaning agents don’t clean your home perfectly and won’t eliminate odors. Steam cleaners, on the other hand, can remove any odor in the house. Also, cleansing agents have a scent that many people compare to that of ammonia. The good thing is that steam cleaners only use water, giving your home a natural scent.
Factors to Consider for Quality Hardwood Steamer
Steam cleaners are inexpensive equipment, but you still should be careful when buying one. There are many brands and models out there, and finding the best can be a challenge.
Below are factors to consider when purchasing a wood steamer.
#1. Size and Weight
Home steamers should not be heavy since you need to maneuver them to reach corners and edges. You don’t want a big steamer that won’t fit into your door. Also, you should be able to carry the steamer with ease around the house. Choose a model that you can easily store. It should fit into a closet when it’s not in use.
Buy Light N Easy Super Light Steam Mop
#2. Water Tank Size
Steam cleaners stop producing steam when water runs out. A steamer with a large water tank will produce steam for a long time but is bulky. Your steamer should continue producing steamer for more than 20 minutes to eliminate the hassle of having to refill it frequently. Small tanks are light but can’t hold enough water.
#3. Cost
Ensure that you buy the best steamer for your budget. Don’t settle for the cheap ones because they can do more harm than good. Therefore, it’s best that you invest in something that will serve you for a long time. Note that cheap steamers can damage your floors. Buy steamers from reputable brands like Shark and Bissell since they guarantee performance.
Buy Bissell Cheap Steam Mop with Triangular Head
#4. Temperature and Pressure
The steamer should be able to convert water to steam in less than a minute. Also, you should be able to control the pressure and temperature so as to fit your preferences. Also, it should be consistent enough to clean the house uniformly.
#5. Attachments and Accessories
Steam cleaners should come with various basic accessories to make your cleaning enjoyable. Some cleaners come with accessories, while others don’t. A cleaner with numerous accessories is versatile enough to clean different surfaces. Therefore, make sure that you buy a steamer that has all the accessories you want.
Buy PurSteam Steam Mop with Multiple Attachments
Tips for Using a Steamer for Hardwood
- Dust your floors before steaming
- It’s important that you dust your floors because the particles can embed themselves on the floor. The dust can also cause scratches.
- Ensure that the floor is properly sealed
- Unsealed hardwood floors may allow moisture into the floor, dampening it and causing mold.
- Just ensure that you wait for the sealant to dry before steam cleaning it.
- Ensure that the steamer is safe for hardwood
- Some steamers are safe for wood while others, while others may damage it. Just ensure that the steamer is hardwood-safe before you start using it.
FAQs
#1. Are Steam Cleaners Good for Wood Floors?
Steam cleaners are effective in cleaning your hardwood flooring since they blast hot steam is able to remove dirt and stains. However, be sure to buy steam mops from reputable companies since the cheap ones can destroy your floor.
Steam mops should not leave water residue that might dampen your wood. It’s advisable that you use steam mops for sealed wooden floors.
#2. How to Know If My Wood Floors Are Polyurethane?
Polyurethane is a common finish in modern homes. You can know if your hardwood finish is Polyurethane.
- Take a knife and scrape the floor from the corner of a room. If it crumbles, then the floor has a Polyurethane finish.
- You can also test for Polyurethane by dissolving in lacquer. If the surface remains unchanged, then Polyurethane is the finish applied on your floor.
#3. How Do You Clean Unsealed Wood Floors?
Cleaning unsealed hardwood floors is not hard. However, you should be careful since excess water and moisture can dampen the wood, damaging it.
- Start by sweeping the floor to remove dust and dirt.
- Put warm water into a bucket and add a small amount of vinegar.
- Use a mop cloth to apply the cleaner to the floor.
- Ensure that you wring the clothing thoroughly to prevent wood dampening.
- Follow up with a dry cloth if the floor is too wet.
- Allow the floor to dry up before stepping on it. Also, you can use a specialized steam cleaner to do the job if you don’t want all the hassle and struggle.
Conclusion
Steam cleaners are effective and reliable in cleaning your hardwood floor. Just ensure that the steamer is safe for your hardwood floor and comes with all the accessories to make your cleaning enjoyable. Don’t settle for the cheap steamers since they can damage your floor. This guide can help you choose a steamer that will serve you well for several years. Above are the best steam cleaners that you will find in the market.
