Pets bring muddy paw prints, sticky food bowls and crates that start to smell. Steam handles all of that with nothing but hot water, so no residue is left behind for paws or tongues. The best steam cleaner for pets makes real steam, comes with the right tools for the messes you actually have, and has a clean safety record. Our top pick is the McCulloch MC1385, a big canister that cleans crates, kennels, grout and floors for up to two hours per fill. If you mostly fight pet hair and paw prints on hard floors, the BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam vacuums and steams in one pass.
Our top 3 steam cleaners for pet owners
See how all 6 steam cleaners compare in our side-by-side comparison chart ↓
The best steam cleaner for pets, by job
- Best overall: McCulloch MC1385 A 64-ounce canister with a 7-foot hose and 23 tools. It steams crates, kennels, grout and floors for up to two hours per fill.
- Best for pet hair: BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam Vacuums fur and grit while it steams sealed hard floors, so you skip the separate vacuum pass.
- Best steam mop: BISSELL PowerFresh Pet Ready in about 30 seconds, with a flip-down scrubber for dried messes and odor discs for pet smells.
- Best for crates and kennels: BISSELL PowerSteamer Heavy Duty Works as a floor mop, an extended-reach steamer or a handheld, indoors and out.
- Best handheld: McCulloch MC1230 Small and strong for food bowls, litter box areas and crate trays.
- Best budget: PurSteam 10-in-1 A light steam mop with a detachable handheld that independent testers rated a top value.
Steam is for hard surfaces and fabric refreshing. Don’t use it on pet urine in carpet or upholstery: heat can set the stain and smell.
The 6 Best Steam Cleaners for Pets
McCulloch MC1385 Canister Steam Cleaner
- Up to 120 minutes of steam per fill, per McCulloch
- 23 tools, including brushes, a mop head and a jet nozzle
- 18-foot cord and 7-foot hose for wide reach
- Outside temperature gauge and a 2-year warranty
- Takes up to 12 minutes to heat
- Heavy and bulky for small homes
- Plastic parts get hot in use, per testers
- Too much machine for quick touch-ups
McCulloch MC1385 review
This is the steam cleaner we'd buy for a home where pets touch every room. It's a canister, so the boiler rolls behind you while you work with a light wand and hose. The 64-ounce tank is the biggest here, and McCulloch rates it for up to 120 minutes of steam with 58 PSI of pressure. That matters with pets because the jobs stack up: a crate tray, the floor around the water bowl, the grout by the back door and the dog's favorite spot by the window.
In HGTV's hands-on tests, it cleared soy sauce from floors, scrubbed grout and cleaned grill plates, and testers measured about two hours of run time. It had the largest mop head of the group and an outside gauge that shows steam temperature.
The trade-offs are size and wait time. It takes up to 12 minutes to heat, it's heavy, and testers noted the plastic gets hot. If you only steam the kitchen floor a few times a week, a steam mop like the BISSELL PowerFresh Pet is quicker to grab. For quick bowl and litter box jobs, the McCulloch MC1230 handheld is the lighter option.
BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam 2747A
- Vacuums and steams at the same time
- Picked up dog hair while steaming in hands-on testing
- Vacuum-only, steam-only or both modes
- Soft and scrubby pads included
- Small vacuum tank needs frequent emptying
- Hard floors only, no handheld steamer
- Costs more than a plain steam mop
- Not for crates, bowls or fabric
BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam review
Pet hair is the reason this one is on the list. A regular steam mop drags loose fur into clumps, and you end up vacuuming first anyway. The Vac & Steam does both jobs at once: cyclonic suction pulls up hair, crumbs and litter while steam works on paw prints and dried drool. You can also run it as a vacuum only or a steamer only.
Bob Vila's testers named it their best steam mop with a vacuum. One tester said it "sucks up dog hair while steam cleaning at the same time," and it handled grit on tile, hardwood and laminate. An earlier round of their tests also picked it as the best multipurpose model.
It isn't a whole-home steam system. The vacuum tank is small, so heavy shedders mean frequent emptying, and there's no handheld steamer for crates, bowls or the couch. It's also for sealed hard floors only. If you need to steam pet gear as well as floors, the BISSELL PowerSteamer Heavy Duty or the McCulloch MC1385 covers more surfaces.
BISSELL PowerFresh Pet Steam Mop 19404
- Ready in about 30 seconds
- Flip-down scrubber for dried messes and grout
- Low head fits under cabinet edges
- Pet kit with odor discs and a carpet glider
- No handheld steamer or detail tools
- Around 6 pounds, heavy on stairs
- Floors only
- Pads need washing after pet messes
BISSELL PowerFresh Pet review
This is the pet edition of BISSELL's PowerFresh 1940 steam mop, which Bob Vila's testers named the best steam mop overall. You get the same mop with a few pet extras: odor-eliminating scent discs that sit in the mop head, a scrubby pad and a carpet glider for refreshing rugs.
In Bob Vila's review of the standard model, the mop warmed up in about 30 seconds and broke down dried pasta sauce on hardwood in a few passes on high steam. The 16-ounce tank and 23-foot cord covered a whole home without switching outlets. The low-profile head reached under cabinets, and the flip-down scrubber helped on grout.
Keep your expectations to floors. There's no handheld steamer and no detail tools, and at about 6 pounds it's a chore on stairs. Some pets don't like strong scents, so you can skip the discs and use plain water. If shedding is your bigger problem, the Vac & Steam picks up the hair first. If you want a handheld for pet gear, look at the PurSteam 10-in-1.
BISSELL PowerSteamer Heavy Duty 3-in-1 2685A
- Steam mop, extended-reach steamer and handheld in one
- Made for indoor and outdoor surfaces
- Variable steam with an on-demand trigger
- Wall mount for storage
- Trigger and handle aren’t comfortable for long jobs
- Tank sits high, so it’s harder to steer
- Some attachments wear out quickly, per testers
- Smaller tank than a canister
BISSELL PowerSteamer Heavy Duty review
If your pets spend time in a garage, mudroom, patio or kennel, this is the most flexible pick. It works as a 13-inch swivel steam mop for floors, then the steamer comes off for an extended-reach wand or a handheld. BISSELL lists patio furniture, decks, garages and car interiors among its uses, which covers outdoor pet areas and the back seat after a trip to the dog park.
HGTV's testers picked it as their best steam cleaner for hard surfaces. It lifted soy sauce from tile in one pass, cleaned grout lines and cut tub soap scum, heated in about 30 seconds and ran for more than an hour. Bob Vila's testers praised its sturdy build and said the tools blasted grime out of a sink.
The design has rough edges. HGTV found the trigger and handle uncomfortable, Bob Vila said the high tank makes it harder to steer, and some attachments wore out quickly. For long crate-and-kennel sessions with fewer refills, the McCulloch MC1385 canister holds far more water.
McCulloch MC1230 Handheld Steam Cleaner
- Top handheld pick in Consumer Reports testing
- Heats in under 3 minutes
- 11 tools plus a 34-inch extension hose
- 2-year warranty
- Small 6-ounce tank, about 10 minutes per fill per McCulloch
- Pauses to reheat often
- Water can pool at the fill hole
- No fabric steaming tool
McCulloch MC1230 review
A handheld makes sense for the pet jobs that are too small for a mop and too hard for a wipe. Consumer Reports picked the MC1230 as its top handheld steam cleaner, according to a 2026 Quartz summary of its tests. Testers found its steam strong and concentrated enough to cut grease and grime that other handhelds left behind, and it was one of two steamers that fully cleaned a stubborn sink.
That focused steam is useful around pets: on the floor near the litter box, in the corners of a plastic crate tray, on a food bowl stand and in the grout under the water dish. The 15-foot cord and 34-inch hose help you reach low spots without bending over the unit.
The small tank is the limit. McCulloch rates it for about 10 minutes per fill, and testers noted it pauses often to reheat. They also saw water pool at the fill hole, and it has no fabric tool for pet beds. For bigger jobs, step up to the McCulloch MC1385. To refresh fabric, the PurSteam 10-in-1's detachable handheld is made for fabric as well as hard surfaces.
PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop (Therma Pro 211)
- Rated a top value by three independent review teams
- Detachable handheld for grout, upholstery and fabric
- Light at about 4.4 pounds
- Swivel head and a folding handle for storage
- Short cord for large rooms
- Small 12.8-ounce tank
- Loud while running, per testers
- Lighter build than the BISSELL and McCulloch picks
PurSteam 10-in-1 review
If you want steam for a small home with a cat or dog and don't want to spend much, this is the pick. It's a swivel steam mop with a detachable handheld, so one tool handles floors, grout, the litter box area and a quick fabric refresh on a pet blanket. The handle folds down for a small closet.
The independent results are strong for the money. HGTV named it their best value steam cleaner, and its testers liked that it heated in about 30 seconds and that the mop folds in half for tight spaces. Bob Vila's testers called it the best bang for the buck and found it removed stuck-on messes better than the other mops they tried. Reviewed picked it as the best two-in-one model.
You give up some comfort. The cord is short, the tank is small, and HGTV found the pressurized tank very loud, which can scare nervous pets. Note that PurSteam recalled some of its travel garment steamers in 2026, but this mop wasn't part of that recall. For larger homes, the BISSELL PowerFresh Pet has a longer 23-foot cord.
Steam cleaners for pets compared
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Best overall
McCulloch MC1385
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Best for pet hair
BISSELL Vac & Steam
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Best steam mop
BISSELL PowerFresh Pet
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Best for crates
BISSELL PowerSteamer
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Best handheld
McCulloch MC1230
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Best budget
PurSteam 10-in-1
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| Type | Canister | Vacuum + steam mop | Steam mop | 3-in-1 mop | Handheld | 2-in-1 mop |
| Water tank | 64 oz | 12.8 oz | 16 oz | 11.8 oz | 6 oz | 12.8 oz |
| Heat-up time | Up to 12 min | Not listed | About 30 sec | About 30 sec | Under 3 min | About 30 sec |
| Handheld or hose tools | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Vacuums pet hair | – | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Outdoor use | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Water only, no chemicals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pet-area fit | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Current price | $218.99 | $199.99 | $99.99 | $157.00 | $78.90 | $89.99 |
| Read review | Read review | Read review | Read review | Read review | Read review |
Steam cleaners for pets compared
Prices and availability change often. Specs come from maker listings, and test results come from the published sources named in How We Picked and Tested. Star ratings are our editorial judgment, not our own lab tests.
When steam is the wrong tool for pet messes
Steam is great for hard floors, crates, bowls and fabric refreshing. It's the wrong choice for one of the most common pet messes: urine in carpet or upholstery. Animal welfare groups, including the Humane Society, warn that heat can set the odor and stain by bonding the urine proteins to synthetic fibers. Once that happens, the smell can come back every time the room gets humid.
For accidents on carpet, blot up as much as you can, treat the spot with an enzyme cleaner and let it work, then rinse and extract with cool or warm water. A carpet cleaner that sprays and suctions does this job, and our guide to the best carpet cleaners for cat urine covers machines that handle it well.
Be careful with these surfaces too:
- Unsealed or waxed wood. Steam can push moisture into the boards. Only steam sealed hard floors, and test a hidden spot first.
- Delicate fabrics. Silk, velvet and anything marked "dry clean only" can water-spot. Use the fabric tool on a quick, light pass, or skip it.
- Anything a pet is touching. Steam leaves the nozzle hot enough to burn. Never aim it at a pet, and keep pets out of the room while you work.
How to choose a steam cleaner for a pet home
Canisters cover the most ground and the most surfaces. Steam mops are fastest for daily floors. Handhelds suit bowls, trays and small spots.
Wire crates, plastic trays and food bowl stands have corners a mop pad can’t reach.
Small tanks mean frequent refills and cool-down waits on many models.
Steam and wet pads turn loose fur into clumps that smear across the floor.
Steam burns are the main risk with these machines, and several popular models were recalled in 2026.
Loud hissing and pump noise can stress nervous dogs and cats.
Which steam cleaner type fits your pet home?
A canister like the McCulloch MC1385 is the best fit if you have several pets, a kennel or a lot of tile and grout. It runs the longest per fill and reaches the most places, but it takes longer to heat and needs storage space.
A steam mop like the BISSELL PowerFresh Pet is for homes where floors are the main problem. It's ready in seconds, so it's easy to clean up paw prints or a food spill right away. For cleaning sealed wood, read up on the risks of steam cleaning wood floors before you start.
A vacuum-and-steam model saves a step if you have a heavy shedder and mostly hard floors.
A 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 gives you a floor mop plus a handheld, which is the middle ground for crates, grout and small fabric jobs.
A handheld is a second tool for most people. It's great for bowls, trays and the floor around the litter box, but too slow for whole floors.
How to steam clean pet areas safely
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Move pets out first
Put pets in another room or outside. Steam and hot surfaces can burn paws and noses, and the noise scares some animals.
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Remove hair and solids
Vacuum or sweep up fur, litter and kibble. Pick up solid waste and blot wet messes before you add steam.
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Use plain or distilled water
Steam cleans without chemicals, so there’s nothing left behind for pets to lick. Distilled water helps prevent mineral buildup in many machines.
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Work slowly on each spot
Hold the nozzle or mop over grime for a few seconds so the heat can loosen it. Quick swipes clean less.
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Wipe and dry
Wipe loosened dirt off crates and bowls with a cloth, then let surfaces dry and cool before pets come back.
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Wash pads and empty the tank
Launder mop pads after pet messes and drain the tank as the maker directs, so bacteria and odors don’t build up inside.
Steam also helps when you're fighting fleas on hard floors, in crates and along baseboards, though it works best alongside vet-recommended treatment for your pet. We explain what heat can and can't do in our article on whether steam kills fleas.
Steam cleaners for pets FAQs
What is the best steam cleaner for pets?
For most pet homes, the McCulloch MC1385. Its big tank, long hose and 23 tools handle crates, kennels, grout and floors in one session. If pet hair on hard floors is your main problem, the BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam vacuums and steams in one pass.
Is steam cleaning safe for pets?
Yes, when pets are out of the way. Steam uses plain water, so it leaves no chemical residue on floors or bowls. The risk is heat: keep pets out of the room, never aim steam at an animal and let surfaces cool and dry before they return.
Does steam remove pet urine smell?
On sealed hard floors, steam can help after you blot and clean the spot. On carpet and upholstery, don’t use it. Heat can set urine stains and odors in the fibers. Use an enzyme cleaner and a carpet cleaner that extracts the liquid instead.
Can I steam clean a dog bed or crate?
A wire or plastic crate is one of the best uses for steam, especially with a hose or handheld and a nylon brush. For dog beds, steam can refresh the cover between washes, but check the care label first and let the bed dry fully before your dog uses it.
Is a steam mop good for pet hair?
Not on its own. Wet pads clump loose fur and push it around. Vacuum first, or use a vacuum-and-steam model like the BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam. For carpeted rooms, see our picks for the best vacuums for pet hair on carpet.
Do steam cleaners kill germs pet owners worry about?
Makers like BISSELL say their steam mops eliminate 99.9% of germs and bacteria on hard floors when used as directed. That’s a maker claim, and results depend on holding the steam in place long enough. Steam is a good cleaning step, but follow your vet’s advice for specific illnesses.
Can I add a cleaner or scent to the water?
Only if the maker allows it. Most steamers are made for plain or distilled water, and additives can clog them or void the warranty. Some pets also react to strong scents, so plain water is the safest choice.
Are steam cleaners and carpet cleaners the same thing?
No. A steam cleaner heats water into vapor to loosen dirt on hard surfaces. A carpet cleaner sprays water and solution into carpet and sucks it back out. Many carpet cleaners are called steam cleaners, but they rarely make true steam.
If your pet messes are mostly on the couch, car seats or stairs, a spray-and-suction spot cleaner is the better fit. See our guide to the best portable carpet cleaners for pets.
Which steam cleaner should pet owners buy?
- Best overall: McCulloch MC1385
- Best for pet hair: BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam 2747A
- Best steam mop: BISSELL PowerFresh Pet 19404
- Best for crates and kennels: BISSELL PowerSteamer Heavy Duty 2685A
- Best handheld: McCulloch MC1230
- Best budget: PurSteam 10-in-1
Choose by the mess you clean most. The McCulloch MC1385 covers the most pet areas in one session. Shedding pets on hard floors call for the BISSELL Vac & Steam, and daily paw prints are easiest with the PowerFresh Pet. Pick the PowerSteamer for crates and outdoor areas, the MC1230 for bowls and litter spots, or the PurSteam if you want steam on a small budget. Keep steam away from urine in carpet.
How We Picked and Tested
We started with what pet owners actually need from a steam cleaner: a way to clean paw prints, drool, food spills, crates, bowls and litter areas with heat instead of chemicals that pets might lick or walk through. That ruled out a whole category up front. Many “steam” carpet cleaners, including BISSELL’s HydroSteam machines, wash carpet with hot water and suction; HGTV’s testers point out that the HydroSteam is not a true steam cleaner. And because the Humane Society warns that heat can set urine odors and stains in carpet and upholstery, we cover those messes with extractors in our other guides instead.
Every pick in this guide passed three checks. First, it makes real steam from plain water, with no cleaning chemical required: canisters, steam mops, 2-in-1s and handhelds only. Second, it was hands-on tested by a named independent outlet, so we are not relying on maker claims alone. Third, it was not under an active U.S. safety recall when we checked in October 2026. That third rule matters with pets in the house, because steam burns are the biggest risk with these machines. It removed two popular choices: the Dupray Neat, which was recalled in February 2026 over a boiler cap burn hazard (see the CPSC recall notice), and the BISSELL Steam Shot OmniReach handheld, recalled in April 2026. Features that only some picks have, like a hose, a handheld unit, a vacuum or outdoor use, are shown in the comparison table instead of being treated as rules.
For performance, we leaned on independent testing. HGTV‘s hands-on steam cleaner tests are our source for the McCulloch MC1385, the BISSELL PowerSteamer Heavy Duty and the PurSteam 10-in-1. Bob Vila‘s steam mop tests and review cover the BISSELL PowerFresh Vac & Steam, the PowerFresh 1940 mop that the PowerFresh Pet is built on, the PowerSteamer and the PurSteam. Consumer Reports’ handheld steam cleaner testing, as summarized by Quartz in July 2026, is our source for the McCulloch MC1230, and Reviewed’s steam cleaner guide adds support for the PurSteam. Each award reflects the job where that model is strongest for pet owners, not an overall score.
We checked every spec we mention, including tank sizes, heat-up times, run times, cords, hoses, tools and warranties, against the makers’ listings from McCulloch, BISSELL and PurSteam and against the current Amazon listings in October 2026. When a number comes from a tester rather than the maker, we say so. Germ-kill figures such as “99.9%” are maker claims, and we label them that way. We did not test these steam cleaners ourselves; we point out each one’s limits so you can match it to your pets and your home.
Why trust CleanTheFloor?
CleanTheFloor publishes practical floor-care advice and buying guides for homeowners and pet owners. We base our picks on published test results and verified specifications rather than marketing claims, and we point out each product's drawbacks.
