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Steam Clean Your Carpet? 8 Unexpected Spots to Steam that Experts Swear by

By Sandi Schwartz Dengarden

Updated May 26, 2026 8:55 AM

arena photography — DZIANIS BARYSAU / Getty Images

If you own a steam cleaner, you've probably used it to spruce up your carpets. But did you know there's much more to this common household tool? Steam cleaners are typically underused, according to Jecko De Leon, operations manager of Bear Brothers Cleaning in Huntsville, Alabama. "Most homeowners think of steam cleaners as just floor-cleaning machines, but in professional cleaning, they're incredibly useful for tackling buildup in hard-to-scrub areas."

By turning water into pressurized heated steam, these cleaners effortlessly cut through tough grease, lift stubborn grime and dissolve sticky messes all over your home with minimal scrubbing. They also kill dust mites, mold spores, pollen, many types of bacteria and other allergens. Plus, these tools are eco-friendly and safe for kids and pets since they rely on heat instead of harsh chemicals to sanitize a variety of surfaces.

Ready to unleash the full power of steam? It's time to take your favorite cleaning tool beyond the living room floor. Industry experts reveal eight surprising spots in your home that stand to benefit from the sparkling power of a deep steam treatment.

1. Bathroom Grout

Using a steam cleaner on bathroom grout lines in showers, on backsplashes and around bathtubs and toilets is a trick that professionals love. "Those are probably the first places I reach for a steam cleaner during a deep clean," says De Leon. "It saves time on detailed work; instead of spending 30 minutes scrubbing grime from corners or grout with chemicals, steam loosens it quickly, making it much easier to wipe away."

2. Kitchen Appliances

Steam can do wonders in the kitchen as well. Instead of using chemical sprays, steam clean to dissolve grease and fingerprints on stainless steel appliances like ovens, dishwashers and refrigerators, recommends steam cleaner manufacturer Dupray. You can also use a brush attachment to remove residue and grease splatter from inside your oven and microwave or on your stovetop.

3. Baseboards

If you've recently looked down and noticed how dusty and scuffed up your baseboards are, you may want to reach for a steam cleaner. Clean baseboards add to both the aesthetics and cleanliness of a home, creating a protective barrier between floors and walls while also improving air quality, according to cleaning brand Narwal.

"For cleaning baseboards, steam will easily lift trapped dirt from textured surfaces and corners," says De Leon. For homes with older paint, De Leon recommends using a towel in the nozzle to avoid steam directly hitting the baseboard, as it could easily damage the old paint.

4. Trash Cans

Dirt, grime and unpleasant odors can build up on the inside and outside of garbage cans, even those containing a liner. Cleaning trash bins with a steam cleaner works like magic, says De Leon. "Once the steam hits the dried residue, it instantly loosens it, making it soft enough to wipe down," he explains. It also neutralizes any lingering odors without using any harsh chemicals. "Once the bin is cleaned, leave it outside in the sun with the lid open to dry out any trapped moisture," he advises.

5. Window Treatments

Keep your curtains and blinds fresh and dust-free with an occasional steam clean. "Steamers do a great job of loosening up dust on fabric, metal, or vinyl blinds," says Chris Willatt, owner of Alpine Maids in Denver, Colorado. Keeping window treatments clean is often a tedious, time-consuming task, but a steam cleaner can help speed up the process.

Choose the best attachment to fit your specific window treatments, such as a nylon brush, jet nozzle, detail nozzle or extension tube, and direct low-to-medium steam volume about four inches away from the surface, recommends steam cleaning brand Vapamore.

6. Air Vents and Exhaust Fans

Dirt, dust, pet hair and other allergens can easily build up in your home's HVAC system, reducing air quality. "Bathroom exhaust fan covers get really gross really fast, and a steamer can help remove that hard grime buildup so you can wipe the rest of the area off easier," explains Willatt. Remember to turn off your HVAC system before steam cleaning and make sure steam doesn't get into the ductwork.

7. Barbeque Grills

In addition to tackling food mess in the kitchen, you can use a steam cleaner to freshen up your gas or charcoal barbeque grill. Instead of exerting all that energy to scrub with a barbeque brush, Dupray recommends blasting away burnt grease and food residue with a handy steam cleaner, especially in hard-to-reach places like drip trays and grates. It's best to clean the grill while it's still slightly warm to help the steam penetrate the grease even faster.

8. Bathroom and Kitchen Fixtures

Finally, if you want sinks, faucets and other fixtures to be so clean that you can see your face in them, try steam cleaning them, says cleaning tool manufacturer Bissell. The steam does an effective job removing dirt, bacteria, soap scum and smudges from shiny surfaces in your bathroom and kitchen without needing to use any harsh chemicals.

This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 8:15 AM.