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The 5 Best Shower Steam Cleaners In 2021

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by Tiana Crump
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
the best shower steam cleaners
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Cleaning the bathroom can be a drag, but the best shower steam cleaners come with a variety of attachments to make it quicker and easier to maneuver through awkward corners and tight spaces. Useful attachments might include a specialized nozzle for tricky corners, or one specifically designed for steam cleaning grout. Brush attachments are also great, if you think you’ll need to scrub away stubborn stains on tiles and laminate. Some multipurpose steam cleaners even allow you to add a fresh scent, or can double as a mop to cover all your bases. Heavy-duty options can even be used as wallpaper removers when you aren’t using them to clean.

For those with larger spaces or multiple bathrooms, look for steamers with larger tank capacities so you don't have to refill as often, especially when no specific operating time is noted. You may also want your steam cleaner to have an extension hose and longer cord to allow you to access every corner of your large space, which can also be helpful even for smaller bathrooms, if you have limited outlets. If you have a small space or only plan to use your steam cleaner in your shower, a handheld cleaner is a compact option that can easily get into tight corners.

Scroll on for the best shower steam cleaners to easily remove buildup from your shower and all those other tricky places in your home — without requiring chemical shower cleaners. I've also included a shower scrubber, which is a handy tool to use on its own or to work on any stubborn grime loosened by your steamer.

1

A Wildly Popular Handheld Steam Cleaner

  • Accessories: Three scrubbing brushes, grout tool, flat scraper tool, angle concentrator tool, jet nozzle, measuring cup

With a super reasonable price tag and seven cleaning attachments, it’s no wonder that the BISSELL SteamShot has an overall rating of 4.3 stars on Amazon and more than 12,000 reviews on the site. The handheld steamer is ideal for sanitizing your bathroom and eliminating grime from surfaces, thanks to pressurized steam that BISSELL suggests is hot enough to get rid of 99.9% of bacteria and germs. The straight jet and bent angle concentrator nozzles make it especially easy to target all those hard-to-reach areas in your shower and tub. Plus, the included flat scraper tool makes quick work of caked-on grime, the grout tool is perfectly sized for scrubbing grout, and the three scrubbing brushes are color-coded so you can designate one bathroom use specifically if you also use the steamer in other rooms.

That said, this steamer can also tackle floors, carpets, furniture, windows, the kitchen, and more. With a weight of just over 4 pounds, the steamer is reasonably portable, and reviewers report that the cord is long enough to give you plenty of reach. The tank holds 6.6 ounces of water, which is on the smaller side, but it should be enough to tackle a small or medium bathroom, or a large one if you’re willing to stop for an occasional refill.

According to a fan: “This thing is amazing, I primarily use this for cleaning in the bathroom. Normally the whole house smells like chemicals when I am done but this thing just uses steam so the house just smells clean without anything extra. The shower is where this thing really shines, it blasted the grout right out and this is cleaner than when I spend hours scrubbing by hand. The length of time this thing can be run is pretty surprising considering how little water it takes to fill it up. This is one of the best cleaning devices I have used."

2

A Steam Mop With A Detachable Handheld Cleaner

  • Accessories: Jet nozzle, window squeegee, grout cleaning tool, bristle scrub brush, cylinder cleaning tool, extension hose, microfiber mop pads

The Light n' Easy steam mop features a detachable handheld steam cleaner and multiple attachments to help you tackle your shower, floors, and more. It only takes 30 seconds to heat up, and you can choose between low, medium, and high steam settings depending on the surface you're cleaning. This steamer can handle hardwood, tile, vinyl, marble, and even grout easily. "Used the grout cleaning feature, and it works great; didn't need a lot of scrubbing and got my grout almost brand new," praised one Amazon reviewer.

The mop comes with an 11.5-ounce water tank, and the 20-foot cord will let you clean a very large space.

This steam mop comes with a 1 year warranty.

According to a fan: "Just received my steam mop this week and broke it out today to deep clean our shower! I used the hand-held mode with the squeegie attachment for the walls & most of the floor, the steam nozzle for the grout joins & the brush for some of the floor where there were some mildew marks. I am so impressed! It was easy to remove the soap scum without scrubbing and harsh chemicals and even the mildew spots came clean with the steam & the round brush."

3

A Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner

  • Accessories: Steam jet nozzle, triangle brush, brass utility brush, nylon utility brushes, squeegee, extension wands, mop head, scrub pad, microfiber pads, water funnel, measuring cup

For large spaces or multiple bathrooms, the McCulloch heavy-duty steam cleaner is a great option. It has a large 48-ounce capacity water tank that can provide a full 45 minutes worth of steam. The cord is extra-long at 15.7 feet, and combined with a 9-foot steam hose, it's super easy to cover a lot of ground or maneuver around tight shower corners. This steamer includes 18 different accessories, including an assortment of nylon brushes, a squeegee, brass brush, measuring cup, and even a floor mopping attachment with pads. Use it on all kinds of surfaces all over your home.

According to a fan: “We have clear shower doors. I have purchased at least 6 cleaning products on Amazon that promised good results. None penetrated through the soap scum. I used the McCulloch steamer on the doors and I swear in less than 10 minutes I had brand new shower doors! Oh yeah, it also worked great for the grout on the shower floor/pan and the bathroom floor. You can also tell that it sterilized things very well.”

4

A Steam Mop With Optional Fragrance

  • Accessories: Microfiber soft pad, microfiber scrubby pad, carpet glider attachment, two fragrance disks

With the BISSELL Power Fresh steam mop, you can easily clean and sanitize the shower floor using the power of steam. It’s a great way to avoid harsh cleaning products, but if you miss the fresh smell of scented products, you have the option to add additional fragrance disks or scented water to the device so it releases a lovely fragrance as you clean. The steam mop doesn’t come with scented water, but it is bundled with two Spring Breeze-scented disks and you can always purchase additional disks that are compatible with the mop. You can buy the scented water separately in fragrances like Spring Breeze, Citrus, and Eucalyptus Mint.

The steam cleaner has high, medium, and low steam settings so you can choose the level of power that you need. You can choose between soft and scrubby mop pads depending on the type of mess you’re dealing with — the scrubber should be especially effective on grout.. The device has a super convenient 23-foot power cord that gives you reach in large bathrooms, plus the 16-ounce water tank is removable to make refills easy. Because this is a steam mop, it will likely be best for someone who wants to steam their shower floors, but may not be the best choice for cleaning the walls.

According to a fan: “Got this steamer this week and have used it in my three baths! I love it. One pad is deeper scrub. I don't need it for my baths. Even used it in my tile shower on the floor. Best steamer I have ever had. The swivel is great to get in and around commodes or corners and goes right up to the wall.”

5

A Handheld Steamer With An Extension Hose

  • Accessories: 34-inch extension hose, scraper, round scrub pad, triangle brush, large brush, nylon utility brush, brass utility brush, jet nozzle, funnel-style fill cup, storage bag

If you need a handheld steam cleaner with really great reach, this one from McCulloch is sure to do the trick. Just fill up the 6-ounce tank with water, choose your preferred attachment, and let the steam work its magic on your shower (or home, or car). The 15-inch power cord gives you enough reach for even larger bathrooms, and accessories like the extension hose help you cover even more ground. You can get up to 10 minutes of continuous steam with this device, and you can use the trigger to use the steam on demand, or lock the trigger for nonstop flow. If your shower needs some serious scrubbing, this is the handheld device for you, since it has a ton of cleaning brushes to choose from.

According to a fan: “I used this for cleaning shower grout.I like this product as it has a hose , so you don’t have to hold the heavy unit And it has a switch to keep it on.”

6

Also Great: An Electric Shower Scrubber

  • Accessories: Extra-wide flat brush, small flat brush dome brush, corner brush

Another device that’s nice to have for cleaning dirty tubs or tiles is the Homitt electric spin scrubber. This portable cordless shower scrubber drastically cuts down on cleaning time by spinning 360 degrees at a high speed to help remove hard stains, soap scum, and grime, which means there's no need to scrub hard to remove stains in your bathroom manually.

The 21-inch extended handle prevents you from stretching or bending over to clean those hard-to-reach areas in your shower or tub. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts 90 minutes between charging. The replaceable brush heads included in the set are designed for cleaning showers, tile, flooring, grout, windows, and even your toilet.

According to a fan: “It's easy to get this device up and running straight out of the box. It's surprisingly powerful. The different brush heads really come in handy depending on the task at hand. I'm thrilled at how well it cleans shower tiles, which is the main reason I bought it. It really combats soap scum and residue! It's also well made and easy to maneuver/handle despite its being such a powerful tool.”

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