Do you have your own upholstery steam cleaner?

[ElsieLC]

I'm considering buying my own steam cleaner because I have a white sofa that would cost $200 to be professionally cleaned. (Yes, I bought it pre-kid. Yes, it is now technically a grey sofa.) Is it worth it to have my own steam upholstery cleaner?

The local hardware store carries some Bissell models (Little Green and QuickSteamer PowerBrush). I just realized I have coupons that would bring the price way down!

What else can you use these on? I'd like to use it on the car upholstery and carpet. I read that people use these to clean their wood floors...wouldn't that make them warp eventually, or ruin the finish? (I have solid wood floors from the 50's.)

Can you use your own cleaning fluid?

[Arduinna]

Yes to all that. We use oxyclean in ours, we use on the carpet and upholstery, it's come in quite handy over the years. I actually have a floormate also for use on solid floors.

[MJ13]

We have the little green and when we're cleaning the seats in the cars we just use water and it gets a lot out

that's really all we use it for these days though since our house now is all hardwoods

[staceychev]

I have a Bissell Little Green and I like it. I use Bio-Kleen Bac Out in it. Never used it on my car--hadn't thought of it--but now I think I might!

[JD5351]

I have a Little Green as well. I love it. I use it on my furniture, and in the car. Never used it on wood.. I usually just use hot water in it, maybe a little vinegar if I feel like it needs it.

[Masel]

I also have a little green. I used the stuff they sell at half strength.

It pulls a lot of the moisture out of the surface you are cleaning. Carpet is never completely dry just afters. What warps wood is water getting into the wood fibers and making them expand. I think if you have a good finish on your wood the moisture from a Little Green wouldn't be on the wood floor long enough warp.

BTW - I broke the nozzle on my Little Green (after many years of use and a run in with a determined toddler). It was easy and inexpensive to get a replacement part on their website. I'm fond of good customer service like that!

[ElsieLC]

Update--I did buy the Little Green and have used it on the formerly white sofa, which is now much less grey!

This cleaner is essentially a shop vac with a narrow nozzle that makes it easier to vacuum up the liquid cleaner. Somehow I thought there was steam involved, but it's just hot water (which cools off rapidly).

Main benefit--I am much more easygoing about spills and stains because I know I can get them out of upholstery or carpet! Makes me a better host (I am no longer wincing when people approach the sofa with food or drinks in hand). Downside--now I can see how secretly filthy my carpets are!