Steam as an effective cleaning tool
The pure power of steam is impressive, as our forebears well knew when they harnessed it to power the technology of the day such as factories and trains. Steam technology is being used in the modern era to help keep places and objects clean and disinfected. It is an especially useful tool in modern times, when infection control has become so important.
Steam is an effective cleaning tool because under pressure it becomes a natural disinfectant and degreaser. It cleanses thoroughly by killing germs and bacteria, as well as dissolving oil and grease, making it the ideal solution for a wide variety of cleaning scenarios in a huge range of sectors.
Steam that is heated to 120 degrees centigrade (also known as dry steam) and released under pressure has incomparable cleaning and degreasing abilities. The pressure combined with the high temperature allows surfaces and objects to be disinfected by simple thermal contact. Dry steam cleaning is known for its detergent, as well as its anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal, properties.
Steam cleaning is ecological friendly
As well as having superior cleaning properties, steam is also a natural and ecological cleansing tool. Basically, because it is effectively just heated water, it doesn’t contain any chemicals that could be bad for the environment and so is a highly sustainable and safe cleaning method. It is also shown to have a positive impact on human health, which is certainly a bonus when it is compared with other chemical based cleaning methods.
A further ecological benefit of steam cleaning is that it requires so little water. Water is not wasted, as with traditional cleaning methods. There is no need to use litres of water combined with harmful chemicals.
Steam cleaning or detergents: which works better?
There is no loss of performance either when choosing steam cleaning over detergents. Conventional detergents work by breaking down the physical and chemical bonds within a layer of dirt or biofilm, that contain a community of bacteria and other microorganisms. Dry steam does exactly the same job, breaking down the bonds that allow grease and dirt to stick to surfaces.
Another benefit of using steam rather than conventional detergent is that it doesn’t generate any bacterial resistance. This means the bacteria doesn’t fight back, providing an effective and long- lasting solution. Also, because the steam is used at a very high temperature it evaporates, meaning there is no moisture residue left that could harbour mould, making it even more of an effective cleaning solution.
Steam cleaning is quick and cost-effective
Often, dry steam cleaning requires little manual effort when compared with conventional cleaning methods. Because it cleans so efficiently, melting or ‘steaming’ away all kinds of dirt on all kinds of surfaces, it eliminates the heavy scrubbing and manual input that is often needed when using detergents to clean a heavily soiled surface.
A single steam jet is enough for even inground dirt. The surface can then be wiped with a microfibre cloth to remove any residue dislodged by the steam and the job is done! There is no need for cleaning operatives to waste the time and energy that they did with detergent based cleaning. This makes steam cleaning a highly quick and cost-effective method.
Steam cleaning is efficient
In terms of ergonomics, steam technology brings a whole range of efficiency possibilities to the working environment. For cleaning companies, as well as being quick and requiring little manual input, steam cleaning requires less bulky equipment and therefore less money spent on maintaining and transporting the equipment.
For businesses that are having their premises steam cleaned it allows for workers within the office environment to get on with their jobs, without being disturbed by noisy cleaning equipment or noxious chemicals. A steam clean can be performed in a fraction of the time that conventional cleaning used to take, allowing for efficiency and harmony to be maintained in the workplace.
Steam cleaning technology at Interclean
So, steam cleaning is a truly sustainable and hygienic solution. It is known not only for its disinfection and infection prevention possibilities, but also for its chemical free cleaning powers and efficiency. The benefits of steam cleaning:
- Detergent, anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal
- No chemicals are needed
- Requires little water
- No bacterial resistance
- No moisture residue
- Little manual effort
- Quick and efficient tool
If you would like to find out more about the latest steam cleaning technology, all the new innovations will be on show at Interclean in Amsterdam – the world’s leading platform for cleaning and hygiene professionals – from the 10th to the 13th of May 2022. To book your visit register at www.intercleanshow.com/amsterdam/
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