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Steam vapor sanitation systems dissolve or otherwise help remove grime, stains, mold, mildew and ground-in dirt from all kinds of surfaces - without harsh or irritating chemicals. These devices also kill bacteria, viruses and even dust mites - great news if you’re sensitive to allergens in your home.
Once a secret-weapon of the commercial cleaning industry and already widely used in Europe, modern steam vapor systems use low-pressure (15 psi to 65 psi) steam to sanitize, clean and deodorize. Heat is the best germ-killing agent known and according to researchers, moist heat provides the advantage of rapid penetration that facilitates protein disorganization to kill microbial organisms.
Safe to use on many surfaces, these powerful cleaning systems work well on tile, vinyl, stone, sealed hardwood, stainless steel, fiberglass and chrome. There are applications for carpets, bedding, windows, fabrics, mirrors, grills and ovens. The units can also be used to strip paste-waxed floors and wallpaper, and are effective degreasers.
Other benefits include being efficient, quick, environmentally sensitive and relatively safe to use.
How They Work
The concept is simple. Using ordinary tap water (or, ideally, distilled water in hard water areas), water may be heated to 300° F inside the machine’s boiler to form low-moisture steam vapor that cools to between 215° to 230° F as you apply it. Insulated tools enable targeting hot vapor into surface micro-pores for results not possible with other techniques.
Where They Work
Steam vapor cleaners are invaluable in hospitals, retirement care facilities, schools, industrial plants and in the foodservice and hospitality industries, and are now available at a reasonable cost for your home.
Benefits
- Steam vapor systems work for you: no harsh scrubbing is required as steam quickly, deeply penetrates and helps dissolve and remove embedded soils most chemicals can’t reach.
- Conquer biofilms: “smart” germs colonize on surfaces via a protective film resistant to most germicides, even bleach. But biofilm is not a match for hot, moist steam vapor.
- Conserve water and increase safety. Quality units use very little water. Hard floors dry quickly, reducing the slip and fall hazard. Carpets and upholstery also dry rapidly compared to extraction cleaning, reducing the potential for mold growth (although, to be sure, carpet or fabric extraction cleaning is a more thorough way of cleaning).
- Avoid chemicals: reduce your injury and exposure possibilities.
- Mold is killed as are its roots.
How to Choose
As with many products, the level of sophistication of steam vapor cleaners varies, but choose a model with some or all of these features:
- Stainless-steel boiler that heats water to 300° F quickly and resists rust. Size matters, so remember that a boiler capacity of two liters cleans for approximately two hours.
- Continuous fill capability via a non-pressurized, non-heated water reservoir: you may not want to turn the machine off and let it cool for 15-20 minutes to refill with water (refilling a hot unit creates a heat/steam hazard).
- Flexible, durable hose with convenient steam volume/vapor regulation control: you may need this for doing “delicate” work.
- Safety cap: The cap functions as a pressure relief valve in many cases. Just like an espresso machine, to prevent the escape of hot steam this should not be removed if pressure exists inside the boiler. To prevent accidental opening, the safety cap often requires two steps for removal (e.g., pressing down then turning). Ask about safety testing on the model you’re considering.
- Accessories: your vacuum wouldn’t be the same without them, and neither will your steam vapor cleaner, so make sure the machine you buy has the specific tools that will help you maximize the versatility of your cleaner.
- You might expect the range of prices to reflect the variety of components, designs and options or accessories, so you’ll find models ranging from approximately $60.00 to $2,500.00.
- Warranties: ask the right questions when you make this important purchase.
