Interior steam cleaning plastics

[dfoxengr]

I am thinking of getting a small detailing steam cleaner for interior work. What should I be careful of with the steam/temperature?



I made a small test on some plastic with a small steamer made for clothing and it turned the black plastic a lighter/grayer shade and basically took some of the color out making a spot of different color.



How are the pros able to not have this happen? Are their machines running at a little cooloer temps? Most of the videos I see have some pressure moving the steam out of the nozzles and the cleaning is done pretty rapidly.

 

[Accumulator]

dfoxengr-Yeah, IMO the "bleaching out the color" effect is just one of the risks that come with the whole steamer thing. I use my steamers at full-blast, but I hold the nozzle back a ways from the surface.



Also, be careful steaming synthetic carpet. I messed up an area of the MPV's carpet when I got a bit too aggressive. I dunno if I'd say I "melted" it, but I did mess it up in a thin line that corresponded to how I steamed it there.

 

[Lowejackson]

I use a upholstery attachment which is simply a t-bar with 4 holes, this seems to reduce the pressure from blasting to encouraging the dirt to move