I retested this top-rated VAX steam cleaner to see if it’s still worth the hype two years later – here’s my verdict

At Ideal Home, we spend our days testing new cleaning appliances, but we’ve learned over the years that new doesn’t always mean better. The VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner proves you don’t always need the latest launches for an effective, all-around clean.

Yes, we originally tested this model in April 2024 when it launched, and it quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the best steam cleaners and mops you can buy. But we always like to re-test models that impressed us once to see if they’ll impress us again. So, we retested it in October 2026 to see how it stacks up.

In a nutshell

The VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner has an upright, steam-mop design that you’d assume is just for your floors. But it’s so much more. It also includes a removable handheld unit, a flexible hose, and a wide range of accessories to clean everything from windows and tiles to grout and hard-to-reach areas.

Thanks to my busy household, there’s never a shortage of mess to clean up, and during testing I found it really does what it says on the tin: it can steam-clean pretty much anything in your home with minimal effort, even carpets and rugs. It’s also quick to heat up, and although the trigger mechanism can be a little difficult to grasp at first, you quickly get used to it - and it’s worth it when you see the results.

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I found myself blasting steam at every stain I came across with the extra Steam Boost function, and it made light work of most of them, which was (sadly) deeply satisfying. Not to mention it kills 99.9% of bacteria, which, in a house with two snotty children, I welcome greatly. Plus, it features a bonus long-lasting Citrus Burst solution to freshen up floors.

My only niggle is that it’s on the heavier side in steam mop form (4.63kg), but it gets much lighter in handheld form and is much easier to handle as you use up the water and cleaning solution. But it’s not just me who loves it, either.

Our Floorcare Editor, Lauren, retested this steam cleaner in October 2026. And while she’s tested a wide range of steam cleaners since this VAX model's release, she agrees it’s a must-have for affordability, performance, ease of use, storage, and overall quality.

VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner product specs

• Capacity: 0.26l
• Power: 1400-1600W
• Cord length: 8 m
• Heat-up time: 30 seconds
• Continuous cleaning time: 15 minutes
• Voltage: 220-240V
• Dimensions: 116 x 31 x 30cm
• Weight: 4.63kg
• Accessories included (14): 1x Hose with Ergonomic Handle, 1x Flat Surface Tool, 2x Small Flat Steam Cleaning Pads, 2x HD Small Flat Steam Cleaning Pads, 1x Large Scrubbing Brush, 1x Deep Scrubbing Brush,1x Window Tool, 1x Detail Nozzle, 1x Grout Brush, 2x Triangular Steam Cleaning Pads, 1x HD Triangular Steam Cleaning Pad, 1x Carpet Glider, 1x 250ml Vax Citrus Burst Steam Cleaning Solution, 1x Additional Filter

How we tested

Jenny McFarlane

Jenny is the Senior Digital Editor at Ideal Home and originally tested the VAX Total Home in 2024 at her own home in Belfast. With two little ones (and their germs) running around the house, she was able to put this steam cleaner and mop through its paces to test everything from cleaning power to storage and maintenance.

Lauren Bradbury

Lauren is our Floorcare and Cleaning Editor and spends her days testing appliances that keep your home (and its floors) sparkling. She developed the steam cleaner testing methodology and manages our buying guide, so she retested the VAX Total Home in October 2026 to ensure it was still worthy of a place at the top.

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The VAX Steam Fresh Total Home was delivered in a tall box, and upon opening, I imagined a massive, heavy unit, but I was pleasantly surprised that it has a relatively compact and lightweight design, with its ergonomic handle and two-part assembly.

All the accessories came neatly packaged in their own little drawstring bag, which made it way easier to get it set up without having to contend with loads of packaging.

There really wasn't a lot of setting-up needed for the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home, except for clicking the long handle onto the main unit.

The carpet glider attachment came already set up, so I could get right to work on the Play-Doh stain my four-year-old and her friend kindly smooshed into the landing carpet. Everything clips together nicely, with minimal effort involved.

Once this was all set up, I could move on to adding the solution and the water to their respective tanks. It was pretty easy to figure out what to do with the solution, as the tank has clear markers so you know exactly how much solution to add in combination with water.

Since the carpet glider was attached already, I got cracking. VAX clearly explained that the solution shouldn't be used on the carpet and have a handy dial on the side of the unit to turn off the solution flow when steam cleaning the carpet. I plugged it in, switched it on and within 30 seconds it was ready to rock, which was pretty impressive since some steam cleaners take minutes to get going.

Using the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner

The power cord is a generous 8m which meant I could plug it in and not have to worry about switching the plug out while steam cleaning the carpet.

It was an easy job to change the attachments while the cleaner was on so I didn't need to pause on my cleaning tirade at all. Plus all the attachments were handily stored in the tool storage area on the back of the cleaner so I didn't need to go searching for the tool I needed.

Clicking out the handheld unit was simple without any niggles, the flex hose was long enough to reach tough spots without having to lug and lift the handheld unit awkwardly.

If you need to refill, I switched it off just to be safe and clicked out the tank which can be directly filled from the tap without any issue.

Steam cleaning the floor

I tested the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home on the Play-Doh stains first since the carpet glider was already attached. I steamed the carpet with the glider and then blasted the stains with the concentration nozzle. It took a bit of effort but the combination saved my carpet.

I then got inspired by the grout brush attachment and went to town on my bathroom floor, scrubbing in between the tiles with minimal effort and with little to no drying time required.

I also used the steam mop head on our tiled kitchen floor which gets hoovered and mopped regularly but could always do with a little more attention because of my children's and cat's grubby paws.

I turned the solution dial on again at full throttle, clicked on the microfibre pad and got to work. I've got to say I was impressed with the results, especially when I discovered a number of suspicious-looking dried-in stains near the kitchen island and it got those off with no problem at all.

There's a controllable steam dial so I felt more confident using the steam cleaner at a lower setting on our wood flooring in the hall and living areas. I was slightly concerned about going a bit too far and damaging it but it worked a treat.

Steam cleaning by hand

I then used the concentration nozzle to tackle my rain shower head which is as hard to reach as it gets. It made light work of this finicky job and it was a pleasure to get it over with without much effort.

Since it made such a horrid task super easy, I started on a bathroom cleaning frenzy, doing around the taps, plugholes and grouting and I was impressed by the ease with which I blasted grime away.

I then tackled the cat's litter box which is always a joyous task but honestly, using steam to clean the tray and box made it a way nicer experience. And with no need for any irritating detergents to spray and wipe off, it felt like a way quicker task than usual.

Then I got to cleaning our windows. Our garden sliding doors have always got a series of tiny hand prints adorning the panes. The special window squeegee was just the ticket to sort them out, with no need for window cleaner. While I was there I blasted the window pane sill where garden debris often collects, and the steam really helped get right into the nooks and crannies for a thorough clean.

The one thing I did notice when I was going around doing these odd jobs, is that while it was possible to store the different attachments on the unit itself, like the VAX Steam Fresh Combi for example, there wasn't space for all of the tools.

In addition to this, some of the tools didn't quite fit beside each other because of their size. However, this was only a little niggle and the little bag for the extra accessories is handy enough to store them away in.

Cleaning and maintenance

The microfibre pads are machine washable, and the rest of the cleaner just needs a wipe. Most of the tools, like the brushes, can be washed in the sink. Any occasional blockages can be cleared with a thin object to remove the obstruction to steam flow.

VAX recommends emptying and rinsing the solution and water tanks after each use to prevent problems with the steamer's performance. It is also recommended to check and change the filter periodically. Depending on water hardness and frequency of use, replace the filter every three to six months.

If you live in a hard water area, however, VAX advise the use of filtered water and to replace the filter every two to four months instead. Handily, a replacement filter is included.

Storing the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner

As it's an upright steam cleaner, it doesn't take up too much floor space in my utility room, but it's still a big enough footprint for a small space, especially if you also own a vacuum and other cleaning tools.

However, it's great that the tools can be kept onboard in the designated tool storage area at the back of the cleaner. Any additional tools that don't fit can be stored in the drawstring bag included and hung on the handle. The power cord storage is also great, as not only is there the usual cord tidy, but also plug storage, so everything stays in place.

How does it compare to alternatives?

Compared to other upright steam cleaners, the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home performs incredibly well. And if you're still wondering if a steam cleaner or a steam mop is best, you won't need to choose with this puppy, as it does both. Priced reasonably for what it can do, we think it's one of the best steamers out there.

It’s perhaps best compared to the VAX Steam Fresh Combi S86-SF-C, which received a 5-star review back in 2021. It’s still regarded as one of our top-rated models, but it is significantly older and was replaced by the Total Home as the brand’s flagship model.

Nevertheless, it is cheaper at just £90, slightly lighter, and comes with a whole host of tools. They both also offer 15 minutes of continuous clean time, but the Total Home is definitely the higher spec if you value versatility and cleaning power.

The Total Home comes with 13 tools compared to the Combi’s 10, and it also comes with the Steam Boost mode to tackle tougher stains. However, both are solid options, and VAX is widely regarded as one of the best steam cleaner brands out there.

How has it held up over time?

I first tested the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home in my home in 2024 and still use it today. But to ensure we give well-rounded, reliable and consistent reviews and data, our Floorcare Editor Lauren retested the model for two weeks in her own home in September-October 2026, too.

Based on my experience and Lauren’s testing, we’ve collectively decided to bump this steam cleaner from a 4.5-star review to a 5-star review. It’s held up extremely well over time, and compared to other steam cleaners on the market, it offers the perfect mix of affordability and performance.

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After testing, Lauren said, ‘The VAX Steam Fresh Total Home is the the kind of steam cleaner and mop that everyone needs in their home. Switching from steam mop into the handheld mode is seamless, and the addition of the cleaning solution makes your home look clean, feel clean, and smell clean.’

‘I do agree that the steam mop is a little on the heavy side, but the addition of the Steam Boost mode and the manoeuvrability of it in handheld mode (plus the ridiculously generous selection of tools and attachments) makes this a small trade-off, in my opinion.’

‘All of the available tools do feel a little overwhelming to begin with, but you quickly realise that all of them have a place when you want to clean every single nook and cranny in your home. If you think you can clean it, you probably can with the VAX Total Home!’

Verdict: Should you buy the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner?

If you’ve reached this point, you’ll know that not one but two Ideal Home reviewers and editors have tested - and absolutely loved - this steam cleaner and mop.

And if you want a steam cleaner that can clean pretty much everything and more, you can't go wrong with the VAX Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Fresh cleaner. It’s powerful, versatile, and relatively easy to use after your first try.

The set-up is very minimal, it's super simple to use, and the onboard storage is impressive. Plus, the steam control dial, range of accessories and rapid heat-up time make this a handy cleaning tool to have in the home for everyday cleaning or more targeted messes. The only fault is that it's a bit on the heavy side, which could be a problem for some.