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Centralised Cleaning Systems

Household Steam Cleaner

Steam cleaning has become increasingly popular in Europe over the past 20 years and is catching on more and more over here. Household steam cleaners use no chemicals which makes them an attractive option in these environmentally aware times, when many people are becoming concerned about the amount of chemicals they use in the home, feeling they are bad for health and may cause allergic reactions.

Household Steam Cleaner - Principles

Steam works well as a cleaner because it is very effective at cutting through grease, killing dust mites and sanitising surfaces, and can reach areas a mop or sponge cannot. Household steam cleaners can be used on a wide variety of surfaces within the home, including carpets, hard floors, upholstery and ovens. Users tend to report excellent results when they are used in kitchens and bathrooms where hygiene is vital. It is important to distinguish between dry and wet steam cleaners which work in different ways and have different levels of effectiveness. Hot water pressure washers can produce wet steam when their pressure is altered, as part of their cleaning functions. It is called wet steam because of its higher water content, which can cause problems in some cleaning situations although is effective in others. A household steam cleaner uses less water as the machine heats up the water under pressure and increases its boiling point to produce what is called “saturated” steam at a temperature of up to170 ºC. This pressurised steam is targeted at the surface to be cleaned through a nozzle. It melts dirt and grease which can then be wiped or scrubbed away with a cloth.

Different types of household steam cleaners

Household steam cleaners range hugely in price and size but fall mainly in two types which are handheld and canister. Handheld cleaners are much cheaper but do not hold much water and are better for small areas, although their operating time is short. Canister cleaners will take longer to heat up but have a longer operating time and have a range of attachments, such as brushes and crevice tools, for a more effective clean. Steam cleaners are an economic option for household cleaning as they use only tap water and no chemical cleaning agents.

At BG Clean we are here to offer advice on which steam cleaners are best suited to your needs. As part of our household range we distribute The Edge TR6 Pro Dry Steam Cleaner, which is particularly well suited to food and catering environments.