McCulloch MC1385 Deluxe Canister Steam System

I do auto detailing on the side, and use the MC1385 regularly. What I love about this is that unlike the old “spray and wipe” methods of cleaning, you steam an area, and within seconds, the dirt and grime simply loosen up and is easily wiped with a microfiber towel. No making multiple passes, respraying, none of that. Using this, I’m able to clean dirty, oily door jams, door sills, door panels, fabric, dashboards, and consoles. It removes stubborn scuff marks from the dash and doors that would be impossible to scrub off.
I recently cleaned the interior of a very dirty Ford Escape. Dirt, grime, dust… It was bad. The MC1385 tore thru it, sanitizing everything and getting rid of the awful odors. It left the interior clean and fresh smelling. Best of all, using steam verses chemicals won’t leave you with that nasty odor that cleaners leave behind, which just mask the smells and don’t really get rid of them. See pics below.
If you’re on the fence about the price, spend the money and get something that is well made and has attachments for just about anything you need to clean. It’s a purchase you won’t regret, making cleaning easier and even a bit fun, if there is such a thing.
The dislikes: as much as I love this, there are a few things that bug me, but I’ve found a workaround:
Attachments: a bag comes with its, and there are several small attachments that can easily get lost. Buy one of those clear plastic zip storage bags, and you will keep everything together. The standard bag is a reusable shopping style bag that does closes with a tiny piece of Velcro.
Warm up: this takes about 15 minutes. Ive found to let the steam warm, squeeze the trigger a few time to get the water running thru the machine, and then let the steam build up for about five minute. Then, go at it. To make life easier, use a plastic funnel to fill the tank, it’s almost impossible to fill using the little cup that comes with it.
These are just little quirks of mine, certainty not reasons to avoid buying. More like suggestions for making this machine even better. Get over the price and buy something you will find a million uses for, and isn’t some under powered “puff and clean” machine like some that you see listed. You won’t regret the investment. I love this machine and I know it has saved me a ton of time, effort, and aggravation. I don’t know how I went without it.

I have been using steam to clean for many years. My mom bought a multi-use steamer when I was about 14 and I’ve been using it ever since. When I moved out on my own, I got the steamer and my mom upgraded. Used it ever since. It finally crapped out after over 10 years, so I know a few things about steam cleaning and there are some tricks to it. I decided to buy this one because it had a big water tank and had a lot of features. Things I didn’t like about my previous steamer.

Pros:
Large water tank- that doesn’t mean you should fill it all the way though. If you fill it full, there is no room for the steam and heat to expand and you won’t get good pressure or amount of steam. This is true of ALL STEAMERS. If you over fill them, it won’t work well. Fill it about half to 75% – I use an old smallish pitcher and am able to steam a LOT without refilling.

Long power cord- I can roll this thing around my kitchen, dining room, front room, and hallway without unplugging it. Admittedly I don’t have a huge house, but the cord is as long or longer than my vacuum cord. It is really nice to not have to unplug and replug in every room.

Long steam hose- this hose is awesomely long. It doesn’t lose pressure or heat and still comes out strong. I can put the tank in the middle of my hall or kitchen and still reach everything I want to steam.

Steam adjuster on the handle- very cool feature I’ve never had before! I am able to customize how much steam I get for different tasks. I adjusted it a few times while steaming and it is a very useful feature. I can have delicate steam for light things, vertical surfaces, or fabrics. I can have heavy steam for bathrooms and kitchen stuff, or old/ thick tough things.

The pressure gauge- I like it, but it isn’t needed. It seems to just upset people who don’t understand how pressure vessels work. Yes, the gauge goes up higher than the highest the machine will go, obviously. It is kind of a safety feature, because if it hit the top of the scale how would you know what the actual pressure was; if something went wrong and the pressure went higher than it was supposed to you wouldn’t know. Also I see lots of people complaining that the pressure drops from 4 to 2. Yeah. Duh, you are releasing pressure, but it takes a while to drop. But you can steam perfectly fine at 2 anyway; I did for like half an hour before I was done for the day. And if you wait maybe five minutes, it is back up to 4. By the way, it only takes MAYBE fifteen minutes to heat up from a room temperature start. And I’m tired of people complaining about heat up time: for that amount of water, it isn’t going to be instant obviously. Heating less water in a tea kettle on the stove can take just as long. Just go get the rags to wipe with or go to the bathroom, whatever.

It gets hot- I see someone complaining about the steam being n

Easy fill spout- it is super easy to fill without a funnel. But you have to go slow or it will burp at you. 😉

Wheels and handle- really easy to move around. My old steamer was small but rested on a shoulder strap that got heavy and banged around. It was exhausting, this is easy to move around!

Con:
No place to wind the hose- it isn’t too bad but it could have easily been a clip

Handle gets a little warm- after about 30 minutes to an hour, it got warm. Not hot enough that I had to stop but, warm enough to notice. But after that long of steam running through it it isn’t the surprising or unusual. I wasn’t bothered enough to quit what I was doing.

OVERALL
I really like this steamer. It feels well made and if you use it appropriately it won’t break. It isn’t magic, but it makes cleaning so much easier. You still have to wipe things up, tough things will take longer or some scrubbing. I’ve used it several times in the week since I’ve had it and it works as expected. But some people have crazy expectations.

Some tips:
Be reasonable, it is a tool for cleaning, not a replacement for work.
Don’t over fill it.
Adjust the steam to the lowest and raise as needed.
I use old towels to wipe, and green scrubbers for tough stuff.

I’ve cleaned my fridge, baby stuff, glass top stove, bathroom sinks, grungy doors(you know where they get funky from hands by the knob), a pan with baked on BBQ sauce, all my light switches and plates, bathroom shower, and a few other small things.