Dirt Devil Easy Steamer

Back around Christmas my wife purchased the Dirt devil Easy Steamer CE 6300 for me to use. She is quite thoughtful, especially around the holidays. It was my job to get this little baby going. Up till now we rented one of those steam clean set-ups they have in supermarkets.

How It Works

This machine uses hot water. It is NOT a true "steam" cleaner. I wouldn't hold that fact against it though. The machine has two separate liquid holding tanks made of a clear, and what seems to be durable plastic. The upright piece gets filled with the some of the 16oz dirt devil carpet and rug shampoo that comes with it. Once the machine is turned on you press a trigger that will release some of this cleaner onto the carpet when you make a forward sweep. When you go to pull the machine back you let go of the trigger and the suction draws the liquid back into the other tank that is mounted on the front bottom. You can see the liquid making its way up into the canister. The liquid cleaner in with the rotating brushes, helps clean the carpet and the suction takes the dirty fluid back in leaving a cleaner carpet. The area must be re-vacuumed when the carpet is dry.

Features and Benefits

The box states that this Dirt devil Easy Steam is the "the lightest full size upright deep cleaner" After taking it out of the box, setting it up and even with the water in it, it was pretty light and easy to carry.

The unit comes with a hose and a tool that can be used for both upholstery and stairs. The clip on design for the hose makes it convenient to have at all times.

The 25' hose that also has its own clipping area is good and long making it less necessary to move it from outlet to outlet.

The machine has a rotating bar under the front like one you may find in an upright vac. It has five rows of brushes that look to be pretty durable. Just a reminder, the directions specifically state "Do Not Use As A Vacuum".

Set Up

Taking the parts out of the box and assembling it took about ten minutes. of which almost five was taken up looking for the three bolts that come with the unit. I was looking for a small bag. They were taped onto the handle.

Three easy to secure screws were all that was needed along with a flat or Phillips screwdriver. I suggest the Phillips. Setting up the hose assemble too the most time. it really isn't difficult at all. You really do have to follow the sequence they give you to get it together correctly the first time.

My Use and Results

The directions were easy to follow and after doing the job once, have no need for them any longer. the process to clean is simple to remember and accomplish. The carpet cleaner went in easily using the measurement cup built into the container. The whole container is removed from the steamer at this point but snaps right back into place easily.

The cleaning path is 11" wide. It's not huge but I was able to do our good sized bedroom 14'x18'in little time. The container holds a gallon of liquid that was just perfect for my bedroom. As the liquid is sucked back into the cleaner you can see the second container fill up. There is an automatic "plug" that pops up and stops the suction once the machine has enough water in it. The different sound the machine gives off lets you know it has happened.

I followed the directions and let the liquid out and pulled it back in as instructed. Very slow movements are to be made, not as fast as using an upright vac.

In using the stuff I couldn't be sure how much liquid was coming out and onto the carpeting I used my hands to feel the carpet. I did start by putting down more than needed. That area took a bit longer to dry. The machine moves pretty easily and it is lightweight. Nothing like big heavy upright vacuum cleaners. The 25' power cord was perfect for the room. It has an easy clip off piece and a good wrap around home to keep it tidy when not in use.

To use the upholstery and stair cleaner one must remove the hose from the clips that are mounted on the Dirt devil Easy Steamer 6300 and put on the attachment that is also secured to the machine. I like that everything is close at hand. A plug adapter must be put in place for the hose to divert water from the clean water tank and put it on the upholstery and stairs to be cleaned. The process is easy with good results. After the carpeting is dry,(it took mine about 12 hours, except for the area where I over soaked it) you simply take your regular vacuum and clean the room one more time.

Once the area is cleaned one must dump the dirty liquid that the cleaner sucked up. This too comes out easily and can be rinsed out. It's a bit too large for a bathroom sink, but I managed there rather than using the tub or going to the kitchen sink.

I also went to rinse out the rest of the soapy water in the clean water tank. They re-enforced the screw in area but this left a bit of a bulge inside the tank making it so the water doesn't flow out of that area easily. I had to rinse the liquid back and forth a number of times to get all the soap out.

Final Thoughts

I did like the unit, how it worked and that the carpeting came out cleaner than I expected. We have a very light tan coloured carpeting for our bed room. It is supposed to represent sand. My wife, an artist, painted palm trees all around the room and our bed is like a raft floating in the water. We never would have chosen such a light coloured carpet if it wasn't for the theme of our bedroom. It does show dirt but thankfully the Dirt Devil Easy Steamer cleans it well and easily. I like that the unit is all self contained so it doesn't take a lot of room from our storage areas. It's a lot easier than going to the supermarket and getting one of those steamers there. It will be cheaper after three or four uses too.