It is the fear of every restaurant or organization or company where cleaning is at a premium: a customer or employee contracting a nasty bug, whether from a physical contaminant like hair or from biological contaminant like a microorganism. Loss of work and loss of time can cause an organization to reassess its cleaning methods.
Traditional cleaning methods include the obvious spray and wipe, with the spray containing some kind of bacterial killing solution. But a new type of cleaning has risen in popularity within the last decade for organizations that need a good clean–the steam cleaner.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six Americans get sick by consuming contaminated food and beverages. Restaurants, a highly visible part of the organizations that need spotlessly cleaned environments, can suffer the most when it comes to lackadaisical cleaning. 29% of respondents to a survey stated they would not go back to a restaurant if it had unsanitary bathrooms.
Steam cleaning kills 99% of household germs and bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella, and staph, as well as dust mites and bed bugs. Specifically, it applies well to bathrooms. Super-heated steam cleaned faucet handles and paper towel dispenser handles had just 10% as many germs as when cleaned with traditional methods.
How does it work?
Steam cleaning, unlike many other traditional cleaning methods, uses very little water. They rely on a few key components. The first is the boiler, which as it name suggests, takes boils the water to reach high temperatures in order to sanitize surfaces. Top grade boilers are made of stainless steel due to the high temperatures and pressure that the water reaches. Temperatures can reach up to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
The other key part of steam cleaners is the detergent tank. Steam cleaners often use detergent as cleaning chemicals, which helps get rid of hazards in addition to the steam that fries microorganisms. Industrial steam cleaners often use larger detergent tanks, as well as an industrial steam generator and an industrial steam solutions.
For restaurants and any location that serves food, there are three main types of contaminants: biological, chemical, and physical. Biological contaminants include microorganisms, while chemical contaminants include cleaning solvents and pest control. Physical contaminants are straightforward: hair, dirt, and anything physical that is unsanitary.
Steam cleaning systems eliminate chemical residue while sanitizing the surface being treated. Only 1.5 quarts per hour of water is consumed, so there is very little “mess” afterwards. The industrial steam generator may use specialized techniques like “dry ice blasting” or be a specialized piece of equipment like the industrial conveyor belt cleaner.
The technology of the industrial steam generator can also be important in hospital settings, where almost 100,000 people die each year from diseases acquired in the hospital, according to the CDC.
Even though traditional cleaning methods are still used by many, steam cleaning proposes a more effective solution that can protect consumers, workers, and patients from contaminants.