Does anyone have experience with a steam cleaner for use on automotive interiors? I'm just looking for brand recommendations that won't break the bank.

I was looking at but I didn't know how good it would be for car detailing purposes.

 

I ended up going with the one linked below by Dupray. It will be interesting to do a deep clean on the car in the spring, not that it needs it. I figured it had a lot of other uses around the house as well so I think it will end up being money well spent. I know there are better full extractors out there but I was just looking for a steamer only.

 

Here is a pic of what magic this thing performs. I have used it on a lot of household chores and this is my first use on a car interior.

Before cleaning with the steamer.

After a vacuum and steam. I steamed with a brush attachment and then wiped it with a microfiber towel.

Blew steam through each vent until it came out of the remaining vents and turned on the system to blow it out. Disinfects and deodorizes with 285 degree steam.

 

@IA-SteveB Very cool, but how do you soak up all the dirty water that you've just steamed into the carpets?

I just got the Bissell Little Green machine this weekend and cleaned my drivers side mat. It has a sprayer and brush with a water tank and solution and then it sucks up the dirty gunk into another tank. I don't know why my mats get so dirty lol:


Top is before then after. The S2000 print is still wet and appears dark but it lightens up after drying.

 

It doesn't really make dirty water since it is just 250 degree steam. All I did was steam and then wipe up the loosened dirt with an absorbent cloth with the results being in the cloth's appearance. The loose dirt wiped right up and the carpets are left 95% dry.

 

Fairly cool All my cars have black carpet so it's not visible, but there's dirt in there for sure. I may have to try this.

 

The results were on my towel so I am fairly certain that the jet of steam isn't just blasting dirt to the other side of the carpet. Maybe some but most of it is wiped up on the surface after it is loosened from the fibers. The dirty areas don't become clean by blasting but the dirt is now separated and able to be wiped up easily because of the hint of moisture left by the steam. It sticks to the cloth.
It got out a stain in my hallway that an extractor/chemicals couldn't.

 

Very nice results. I was thinking about picking up a steam extractor but this might work better for a broader purpose. Going to look into the steamer you posted.