Best Commercial Steam Cleaner for Tile and Grout
Whether you are a professional cleaner or want a commercially rated steam cleaner for homes with large areas of tile and grout, I have the list for you. Every steam cleaner on this list is approved for commercial or industrial use, so you don’t need to book that grout cleaning service just yet.
The beauty of cleaning with steam is you need no harmful chemicals, special grout cleaners, and steam can be used on ceramic tile, porcelain tile, stone floors and more, for a beautiful appearance.
Commercial units are often more affordably priced than other large and bulky floor cleaning equipment, making them and excellent choice for small businesses and DIY tile and grout cleaning.
So, let’s get on with my chosen best commercial steam cleaner for tile and grout, that have better quality builds, heat water higher than boiling point, offer continuous refill for unlimited continued cleaning, have more steam power, and are overall better machines for commercial use.
Best Commercial Steam Cleaner for Tile and Grout
How To Choose The Best Commercial Tile And Grout Cleaning Machine
When choosing a commercial steam cleaner for tile floors and grout, consider the following:
Boiler Tank Capacity and Run Time
Some commercial steam cleaners on this list offer a dual tank system, where there is smaller boiler tank, and a secondary tank that can be refilled at any time.
This is an excellent feature and warranted if you are cleaning large areas for longer periods of time.
Continuous refill tanks are higher priced than single boilers. If your budget doesn’t allow for a dual tank system, consider how long the one water tank will last.
For example, the US Steam Falcon Plus runs for approximately 1 hour before needing to be refilled. You will then need to wait for the steam cleaner to cool down and depressurize, before opening and refilling, then heating back up again.
Boiler Temperature
The hotter the boiler temperature heats to, the hotter, drier steam that will be output from your machine.
It is only natural that steam cools slightly as it travels from the boiler tank to the steam cleaner head, or attachment you are using to clean the grout.
To give you an example, the US Steam Falcon heats the boiler to 312F. By the time the steam reaches the tip, it can cool to 285F – dropping by 27 degrees.
Once the steam gets out in the ambient air, it cools much faster. At 4 inches away from the nozzle, the steam is 245F – dropping another 40 degrees.
At 8 inches away from the nozzle, the steam is 185F – dropping another 60 degrees.
This is why I always look for the hottest steam cleaner, and work as close as possible to the surface I am cleaning.
Steam Levels and Maximum PSI
The good thing about commercial and industrial steam cleaners is they all have adjustable steam levels.
I recommend considering the maximum PSI of the machine, as you will rarely run it at a maximum level. For example, cleaning grout with a bristle brush will most likely require the low or medium steam setting. This means that the steam pressure will be less. Less pressure also means less heat.
Running the steamer on high steam settings will exhaust the water quickly (another problem if you don’t have a continuous refill steamer), and it is rarely needed.
Warranty or Manufacturers Guarantee
Buying a commercial steam cleaner is an investment, and you want that investment to last. Many manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on the boiler tanks of commercial steam cleaning machines.
It is important to look into the warranty before you buy. For example, Vapamore have a service center in the US. If you are in Canada, you will need to ship the steamer back to the US for repair. This could be hundreds of dollars for a heavy commercial steam cleaner.
Vapamore also void the warranty if you do not use distilled water at all times. Whereas, other manufacturers suggest tap water (depending on hardness), with a regular descaling routine, which can be done overnight so it doesn’t interrupt your work schedule.
US Steam only offer a 1 year warranty. While I expect the steamer will last years beyond that, they simply don’t cover it.
I’ve seen many lists online that recommend general home use steam cleaners for commercial applications, in particular the McCulloch steam cleaner brand. You won’t find a McCulloch steamer on this list, as their warranty specifically states, “commercial use of the product” is excluded.
In short, you can trust that I am giving you my expert advice and recommendations here, but warranties can change, so it is important to do your own research as well.
What is the Best Commercial Steam Cleaner for Tile Floors and Grout?
I love the Vapor Clean Pro6 Duo steam cleaner. It is compact, offers continuous refill, very reasonably priced and has a lifetime warranty on the boiler tank. Here is a further breakdown of the different steam cleaners on this list:
Vapor Clean Pro 6 Duo
Dupray Hill Injection Commercial Steamer with Detergent
Daimer Industries Kleen Jet Pro Plus 300CS
Dupray Tosca Commercial Steam Cleaner
Vapamore Forza Commercial Steam Cleaner
Vapamore Ottimo Commercial Steam Cleaner
US Steam Eagle Commercial Steamer and Cart
US Steam Falcon Plus Commercial Steamer
US Steam SeaHawk Steam Vacuum
Why Clean Tiles and Grout With Steam?
The benefit of cleaning with steam is it offers chemical free tile and grout cleaning. It is safe for allergy sufferers, and leaves no chemical residue on the floor that may be transferred to small children or pets.
It may cost more upfront for a quality commercial floor steamer with suitable attachments for tile and grout, but you’ll save money in the long run not having to use chemicals. It’ll be better for your health too.
How do Professionals Clean Grout?
Many professionals use steam cleaners to clean grout. They may also follow up with a sealer for the grout which provides a protective barrier, discouraging inground dirt.
For large expanses of tile and grout a commercial spinner style machine may be used instead. These cost upwards of $8000 at Daimer Industries, pushing water out at 1500 PSI with a big scrubbing head that circulates. These machines don’t use steam, but can tolerate hot water.
A smaller version by Oreck is available on Amazon and is an outstanding tile and grout cleaning tool for the price. It is also commercially rated with a huge 50-Foot long cord. You will need to purchase the scrubber brush separately, which is less than $20.
Why use a specialized cleaning system for tile and grout?
Cleaning grout lines by hand with a steam cleaner can be long and tedious work. It is beneficial, and steam does an excellent job of cleaning grout without chemicals, but it may not always be the best choice for large expanses of tile. Something like the Oreck floor scrubber mentioned above may be a more suitable choice if you have huge areas to clean.
Why is grout used with tile?
Grout is used to fill the gaps between floor and wall tiles. If you did not have any grout, these gaps would gather dust, fine dirt particles and create a breeding ground for bacteria and germs.
If you use water to clean or mop your floors, the gaps between the tiles would collect the water. This could eventually lead to the breakdown of the tile glue and lifting of the tiles
Grout also adds strength to the tiling by creating a bond between each tile. In the event of movement of a structure, the grout helps to keep tiles from cracking and dislodging.
Some buildings may use rectified tiles, which have a much smaller distance between them and sit almost flush together. Rectified tiles should have a 1/16th grout joint, so there will still be a small amount of grout between them.
Where are tile and grout commonly used?
Tile and grout are most commonly used on floors, over concrete slabs, in bathrooms, kitchens and other wet areas. Outdoor tiles are common for patios.
In commercial and industrial settings, you may find tile and grout in hospitals, commercial kitchens, schools, shopping centers, barbers and hair salons, and more.
Both floors and walls can be tiled and grouted.
Should You Buy Commercial Tile And Grout Cleaning Machine Online Or in Physical Store?
Where you choose to buy a commercial tile and grout steamer comes down to personal preference.
Unless the physical store has a demonstration model and a tiled area (with dirty grout) set up, you’re not likely to see the machine in action in person. But you can see the actual size, touch the machine and get a feel for the quality.
The benefit of shopping online is you can research different commercial steam cleaners, watch videos (Sylvane has a range of videos for each steam cleaner), and if you’re still reading, I’ve recommended some excellent commercial steam cleaners that you can buy with confidence.
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