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Why use a Hot Water Pressure Washer?

Hot water pressure washers, along with various other types of cleaning equipment, have increased in use since the 2020 Covid-19 as businesses are striving to make their operations as clean and hygienic as possible.

A hot water pressure washer is ideally suited to the removal of oily or adherent dirt in the shortest time possible. Depending on the type of dirt, hot water can be up to 50% more efficient than cold water and has a shorter drying time. An additional advantage of a hot water pressure washer over a cold water version is that there is a reduction in the chemicals used, which lowers the cost of cleaning. These machines are used in a variety of industries such as agriculture, food and building, because of their ability to deal with oily dirt and fats as well as ingrained dirt such as that found on building equipment.

A pressure washer is an integral part of a cleaning regime in an industrial environment. The efficacy of the cleaning power of water when it is applied under pressure is well known and is evidenced from an appliance as simple as a garden hose. Sometimes the application of cold water to a dirty surface may not be enough, even with the addition of detergent, to clean to the required standard. If this is the case, then a hot water pressure washer is probably the answer.

How a hot water pressure washer works

The principle of a pressure washer is that water enters the hot water pressure unit where it is pumped through a cleaning lance and expelled on to the surface to be cleaned. In a hot water pressure washer there is the additional feature of an integral boiler to heat the water. The flow of water is controlled by a trigger mechanism on the cleaning lance, and the configuration of the spray is determined by the adjustment of the nozzle at the end of the lance. Hot water pressure washers typically heat the water up to 80°C or higher.

Steam Cleaners

An additional facility with some hot water pressure washers is the ability to use steam as an extra cleaning medium for stubborn dirt. The saturated steam is created by reducing the water flow rate and allowing the heater to raise the temperature of the water above 100°C, to around 140°C, which increases the effectiveness for some types of dirt and also provides a sanitising effect. 

B&G’s own Red Mist steam pressure cleaner offers super-heated water of up to 150°C, and can therefore be extremely effective for virus control, and the elimination of bacteria and germs, as you’ll see below.

Virus control capabilities of hot water pressure washers

According to some recent research, heat can be a key factor in reducing bacteria and germs.

Hot water pressure washing reduces bacteria

The Corona virus is sensitive to heat and can be inactivated by exposure to heat at 56° or above for over 30 minutes, and as most hot water pressure washers achieve this temperature, they can be used to virus counts on surfaces in preparation for disinfectant application, e.g. using chemical foggers.

Different types of hot water pressure washer

A hot water pressure washer is available in a variety of forms. At its basic level it is a small unit linked to mains electricity by cable. This is sufficient for light duty cleaning and provides a basic cleaning service. From this basic unit there are a series of larger machines for heavier duty, up to large trailer mounted machines with their own power and water supply.

Hot water pressure washers are often portable, but where a regular clean up is required, static pressure washers are available, with pre-set controls, to ensure that operators can use them efficiently.

A more sophisticated application uses hot water pressure washers as part of an integrated cleaning system, where cleaning lances are used by linking off a ring main system, which has water being pumped through it. This is known as a centralised cleaning system and is often used in food factories where regular clean up is essential.

So to sum up, hot water pressure washing achieves faster results than using cold water, with savings of up to 50% in time and resources, with the added benefit that surfaces cleaned with hot water will dry more quickly. And in the ongoing battle to reduce and eliminate viruses, a pressure washer should be part of any business’s cleaning regime.

Give us a call for professional advice and competitive prices – hot water pressure washers are available to buy or hire.

Article updated by Ian Hodkinson 20th May 2020

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