MC1270 Portable Steam Cleaner

Corny title aside, this has been a well-worth purchase. We recently moved into a house where the previous owners did not know how to clean properly. Whether they moved into the house with it like this or not, the grout on these kitchen tiles were so full of gunk and God knows what else that when we first moved in, I attempted to take a chopped down nylon bristle brush, a soapy water and bleach mixture, and go to town on these. My results were impressive, but it took hours, and hours, and hours of scrubbing just to finish the kitchen area, leaving the entire larger dining room portion as nasty as you can see in the image. I'm aware there's a few spots on the tiles themselves that don't look like the machine did a good enough job, that's not the case! I'm simply saving those spots to try out the steaming mop head part. Anyways, I knew if I wanted to get these clean, I was going to have to find another way. I've seen McCulloch steam machines recommended specifically for Auto Detailing, and based on the results I've personally seen, I imagine it'll do phenomenal there. But steam has its uses just about everywhere, and mine was in the kitchen. This was my first time using a steam machine quite like this, so I'm not sure if there's a better way or if I should be using more steam or not, but I set the dial back to use about as little steam as possible, and then bumped it up a tiny bit from there. I attached one of the wider Nylon bristle brush attachments onto the precision nozzle, and went at it. My process was to let the steam do as much of the work for me as possible. I've done more than enough scrubbing on this floor already, so I wasn't eager to do more. I pull the trigger, and move slowly over the grout line, letting the bristles drag on the tile. I do about 3 slow back and forth passes, and as I'm finishing up the 3rd pass, the gunk is already starting to wipe away with the very gentle bristle pressure. Once the 3rd pass is done, I start scrubbing my way back up and down the grout line, blasting the steam the entire time. At this point I'm using a little more pressure, but it's still hardly anything at all, just enough to make sure that the bristles are able to reach into the grout to take out all the nasties. At this point I'm just scrubbing anything I see, dark spots on the edges, dark spots in the grout, etc... just lightly scrubbing. I'm using so little pressure that I can apply the pressure I need with one hand, it's not difficult at all. It takes maybe a whole minute to do an edge of tile if I have to really scrub out a tougher spot. Once I'm done scrubbing, I take my trusty disposable automotive rag, wipe up the water, and I'm off to the next grout line. It's that easy. When the rag is soaked, I take it to the sink, wring it out under clean water, get is as dry as possible, go back and start again. As far as the machine itself is concerned, it can put out a lot of steam. While I don't see anyone needing to use it for a true 2 hours straight (I got the big one), I'm almost certain the machine can handle that. The quality of all the parts seem fine, they're all plastic, but given that they're supposed to withstand the high temperature steam that's coming from the machine, I'm sure they're a higher quality than your typical stuff. I've seen a lot of reviews about how their brushes and such aren't made to snuff with the machine, and I have to say that after having used the same single nylon bristle brush all day, these people have got to be scrubbing way too hard with their stuff. Steam is meant to do a lot of the heavy lifting for you, breaking down virtually anything with the moisture and extreme heat combo (not to mention it's naturally disinfecting as it does!). Once broken down, most of the stuff you'll be using this for should be able to be very gently scrubbed away with minimal effort. You don't have to use a lot of force to see results, the steam does the hard work for you. Granted, this isn't a miracle machine, you're still going to have to put in a very little amount of effort to get it to that 100% mark, but man if it doesn't make it so much easier. If you're on the fence but you have a project in mind you could use this for, I'm almost certain this will make that job easier.

I picked up the McCulloch MC1375 mainly for personal car detailing, and it’s been awesome so far. The steam pressure is strong, it heats up quickly, and the tank lasts a long time — plenty for doing seats, carpets, and all the little cracks and trim pieces. The attachments are useful, and switching between them is simple. I’ve used it on a few interior jobs now and it pulls dirt out way better than I expected. Also works well around the house for floors and tough spots. Overall, really solid quality and definitely worth it if you want a dependable steam cleaner with a long run time.

I bought the MC 1385 for my post construction cleaning business and I was going to return it after I tried at home (I felt it didn’t worth the price), but I tried it on site for my company and it worked great! It takes some time to get use to all the different attachments but it helps remove sealer residue, paint, and all the construction dust accumulated on corners and edges in doors and windows. It also shortens the time cleaning the restroom. The only thing I don’t like is that you need to be careful with the handle that attaches to all the other parts, I don’t know if is the one that I have but it can come off if you’re not careful (I burnt myself). I also likes that you can buy the attachments if you need to, is not the case with all the steamer. Overall, I think the one I bought is worth it for more heavy duty cleans. I recommend it

We initially ordered Mc1275. The 1275 we received has a effect. It burned out after 20 minutes of using. So I ordered a Mc1375 as a replacement. 1375’s ability of adjusting the steam volume is the initial attraction but after receiving not unit, it is clear that 1375 is a much better buy than 1275. The construction is much better with better attachments in addition to the ability of adjusting the steam volume. I used the machine very extensively for 2 days and it can keep the stream going for about 30-35 minutes with 48 oz of distill water. Unfortunately for us, the steam is hot but not hot enough to solve our fleas problem. I applied the steam 5 seconds on each spots hoping to get rid of fleas using the mop attachment. On carpet, it work decently, adult fleas are cooked after each steaming. But fleas eggs still around And we see fleas in the same spot the next day. 5 seconds is long enough for to kill adult fleas in our carpet and tiles in all our bathrooms and kitchen. MC1375 also are able to kill fleas larvae in the carpet and on our kitchen tiles (more reflective and hard surface). But it has problem with fleas larvae on the tiles in our master bathroom (the tile is much more softer tiles that absolve heat). MC 1375 was about to kill the Fleas eggs in our sofa set with 3 seconds of steam in each spot but it does not kill the eggs in the carpet nor on tile surface. I up the steaming time to 8 seconds for each spot and it still does not kill the fleas larvae in our master bathroom. The issue is probably heat dissipation difference between various type of tiles. The standard of steaming is moving the wand at 1 second per inch. I have not try steaming at that speed. It is pretty clear to me that for carpet (and we have pretty thick one), MC1375 is able to steam kill adult fleas and larvae. It kill adult fleas on all our tiles surface. It only kill larvae on some tile surface. MC 1375 can kill fleas eggs on furniture with concentrated stream of steam. It is not clear if it can kill any of the fleas eggs hiding in the carpet or on tiles surface. MC1375 is very versatile and work for most home application. Even though it does not solve our fleas problems, I think it is a good addition to the home cleaning equipment. Dupray neat steamer advertise a steam temperature of 275 degree F, and that will be our next steamer to try. In the mean time, I am controlling the fleas with the combination boric acid in the carpet + essential oil spray of cedarwood oil (4% and 12% variance) + 3% peppermint oil spray. The 4% cedarwood oil + 3% peppermint oil is good enough to kill adult fleas and fleas larvae on all surface but no dice on fleas eggs. It is not clear if the 12% cedarwood oil + 3% peppermint oil can kill fleas egg (I am hopeful since this is the concentration used by one of the commercial product and it seems to be very successful according to the raving review). Update 9/13/2020 - it dawn on me that I was silly trying to tackle a flea problem with steam cleaning. A big part of flea problem is their number after each successful generation and random location that flea eggs get dropped. A highly labor intensive approach like steam cleaning will never work in cleaning up a flea problem. Instead, I put my focus on ways to eliminate fleas with more broad coverage approach. I settle down with Diatomaceous earth + boric acid for carpet. Bleach (5 to 1 dilution) cleaning once + Diatomaceous earth for tiles floor. On area that I notice flea larvae activities, I vacuum daily (and replace the Diatomaceous earth +boric acid if it is carpet area. Bleach clean +replace Diatomaceous earth if it is on tiles floor). So far, the approach seem to work. I noticed at least 40-50 adult fleas and small larvae in the stuff that I vacuum up in the last 506 days. There are still a few area with larvae activities in the house and some adult fleas in my car. I ordered a few flea trap with 7W light and sticky pad that should help speed up the eradication effort (I hope).

After some research and contemplation, I bought this unit to clean and disinfect bathrooms and other household stuff. By in large, most of the observations from the reviews here have been consistent with what I've seen. PROS: 1. Steam lasts a very long time. The manual says it can hold up to 48oz of water from which to generate 2 hrs of steam. This appears to be right if you're holding the nozzle open constantly. In reality, its longer because you have to steam-wipe-steam-wipe repeatedly, letting the machine rest during "wipes". I can get a good 3 hrs of cleaning done on one full tank of water. Also keeping you from holding open the nozzle is that you have to give it time to "recharge" since it appears that it does not generate steam as fast as you use it. 2. It works on what it claims: most "organic" build-ups like soap scum, toothpaste, dirt, etc. Cleans darkened grout nicely. Doesn't damage the finish on fixtures. I was expecting a little too much on the calcium deposits from hard water... steam just wasn't effective. 3. Nice supply of attachments (brushes) although its unclear what types of surfaces these brushes can be safely used on. In particular, I refer to the smaller round brushes. For example, my guess is that the brass brushes are not meant for highly polished finishes. 4. Good enough to clean hard to reach crevices like sliding door tracks (shower doors or patio doors), faucet details, etc. 5. Works well on car wheels. Brake dust is very fine and a pain to clean by hand. Not to mention that the chemicals are often not meant to touch the brake disc surface (I have yet to figure out how splashing water from a hose can be directed only to the wheel and not the brakes within). 6. Steam is the only option for cleaning chemically-prohibited surfaces (I never knew chemical cleaners were not recommended in microwaves!). CONS: 1. Its loud! Not the machine, but the steam as it comes out of the nozzle. I strongly recommend hearing protection while you use it when indoors. My ears were ringing for about an hour after my first session. 2. Steaming takes time. If you're not opposed to using chemicals, often I find that bleach works as good, if not better, than steam. Compared to 5-10 mins steaming a polished chrome bath fixture to get it sparkling, it took 30 secs using your household bath cleaner with bleach. 3. Steam just doesn't work efficiently on mineral build-up. Chemicals are far more time-efficient. Hard water stains and deposits require lots of time and lots of elbow-grease (scrubbing). And even then, I'm not convinced it was cleaner than using chemicals (i.e., judging from the "gleam" off the surface). 4. The steam pressure is not very high. It isn't very low either, but definnitely not high enough to "blow" debris away more than an inch or two from where the steam jet hits. The best approach seems to loosen with steam then wash away with water or wipe away with sponge. Hence, I don't recommend using this for something like cleaning a car engine where neither wash nor wipe are feasible. (I guess you could steam long enough so that the condensed water from the steam was enough to wash away the gunk on its own, but that would take forever.) 5. It needs time to build up steam pressure while you work. The light is supposed to turn off when it is ready. While in use, the light will come on when the pressure reaches some threshold. Continued use beyond that point without letting it rest means you work with less pressure. When the tank is full of "condensed" water, the light comes on more frequently. As the water is depleted and more volume in the tank can accommodate vapor steam, the light comes on less often. 6. The width of the brushes simply do not permit reaching into 90 degree crevices or those really tight spaces. This is minor, however, but a flat or low-profile brush attachment would have been nice. A medium bristle toothbrush is a nice companion in my cleaning adventures... Overall, pretty happy with this unit. To be efficient, I've found using a combined balance of chemicals and steam is best. It definitely reduces the amount of chemicals I need to use. For hard-to-reach or delicate surface areas, steam wins outright (with the mentioned toothbrush).

I purchased this item to help clean a brick kitchen floor that had not been deep cleaned for at least 10 years. This tool worked wonderfully loosening the gunk between the bricks and cleaning off the ground in dirt in the bricks. Not gonna lie, this took me two days of work. Reading some other reviews, I see some users feel these tools don't work as well they should. Keep in mind, these are not pressure washers which blast off grime and dirt and don't expect years of dirt to come off easily. The bricks and grout on my floor look so much better than before. The unit worked flawlessly and gave me the results I expected. One surprise is I expected the brush attachment to wear out after 2 days of scrubbing bricks and grout; the brush attachment came through in great shape and has a lot of life left. The unit holds 1/2 gallon of water and not once to I have to stop working to allow the steam pressure to build back up.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: After having used a couple of lesser models of steamers, I decided to go with a more professional model with the attachments, capacity and run time to get larger jobs done. Heat up time: Takes about 10 - 12 minutes to heat up, and will run continuously without fail for an hour and a half to two hours, depending on your steam pressure. Ease of use: Very easy to use, the trigger on the handle can be locked in place, or can be used with the trigger for momentary bursts of steam when you need it. The multi purpose attachments are great for tackling any kind of clean up scenario you could find yourself encountering. It comes with everything you'd need to scrub, scrape, brush or mop away dirt. Water retention: Holds 64oz of water. You'll need to fill the cup that is provided twice to fill the unit up, and getting the water into the unit without making a mess can sometimes be tricky, but over all it holds enough to get the most stubborn jobs done. The tank is sufficient to get the hardest of jobs completed without needing to refill it. Smell: The only smell comes from the dirt and nasty you're steaming away. The device might have an 'electronic' smell when you first unbox it, but that's with any new gadget that plugs into a wall. Aside from that, no smell. Cord length: Cord length is plenty long. You're guaranteed to be able to find a receptacle to plug it into and have enough length to roll the unit near enough to clean whatever mess you need to clean, unless you're in a warehouse. For standard office/house jobs, you'll be just fine with the built in cord. Use: Now here is where we get to the singular con I have about this unit. It works fantastic....before it breaks down. The unit itself is fine, the nozzle, trigger, etc all work perfectly. I imagine it'd continue to work perfectly if you only used it in short bursts here and there. If you're planning on using this for any length of time, the handle is going to heat up. The plastic will keep you from burning yourself, don't worry! The problem is that it gets so hot, that the screws that hold the housing of the handle together will start to retain that heat. As a result, the screws will melt the plastic that they're screwed into. This causes the screws to fall out during use, and you'll find that the plastic has been melted enough that it gets stripped out. After that has happened, there's no getting the screw back in. This causes issues with the trigger operation, the lock operation, the flow dial, etc. If it weren't for this one HUGE flaw, I'd absolutely love this thing. Conclusion: Prior to the handle falling apart, this machine was perfect. Scored 5 stars across the board. After using this machine for 3 weeks off and on, the handle fell apart and it's now dangerous to attempt to use. (The steam can get stuck on, the metal bits underneath can be exposed to allow you to get burned, and the trigger can cease to function, as well as the dial to control the steam output). If it weren't for the handle falling apart, I'd give this thing 5 stars. While it's working, it works beautifully. If you're trying to deep clean an old house with this and using it frequently, it WILL break down on you. For the amount you pay for this, it should be rock solid for a good amount of time. To have it break down in 3 weeks with occasional heavy weekend use. That is not acceptable.

The steamer works well, although I would prefer to have something with a bit more temperature and power. It does take a very long time to heat up initially, figure 15 to 20 minutes. Once it is heated up, though, the steam pressure lasts a long time and seems well. Be careful to watch the water output as you steam. As it will eject quite a bit of water as it’s steaming. Use microfiber towels or something similar to clean up as you go.