Our guides to using your Steam Cleaner

Discover our range of handy how-to guides, designed to help you get the most out of your Steam Cleaner.

Steam cleaning - natural and chemical-free

Simple, clean and environmentally friendly, steam is the most natural way to clean, and an ideal alternative to chemical cleaning methods. Kärcher steam cleaners can be used in lots of ways, from cleaning home surfaces and appliances to ironing and textile care. Using steam saves you time, and is great for everyday surface cleaning or that annual deep clean.

How steam cleaning makes our lives easier.

Long before humans ever considered cleanliness, steam emerged from the ground in volcanoes and geysers, but it wasn't until the 1700s that people started to harness the power of steam for practical applications. Steam cleaning is simply one of the most modern applications of a naturally occurring source of power.

Why is cleaning with steam environmentally friendly?

Quite simply, cleaning with steam does not require any chemicals - the combination of steam power and temperature alone is enough to break up stubborn dirt. This means it's good for the environment and your household budget.

Steam cleaning takes the burden off nature and its resources - not only are you not using chemicals, but you're also avoiding the packaging and the resources that go into disposing of them. Also tap water is a particularly efficient way to clean when it's turned into steam - a single litre of tap water creates 1,700 litres of steam, which is enough to steam clean for 20 minutes, or an entire small apartment. And since electricity is only needed whilst the water is being heated, energy consumption is also kept to a minimum.

Why is cleaning with steam healthier?

Unlike detergents, condensed steam leaves doesn't leave behind potentially allergy-inducing residues on your surfaces, so it's great for children who put everything in their mouths! It also avoids accidents caused by using the wrong cleaning agent, or skin irritations and other negative health effects.

Steam is also ideal for allergy sufferers, as the steam binds dust together and doesn't eject allergens like dust mites and their excretions into the air. It improves the air quality significantly, and of course reduces physical exertion as there's no scrubbing required, and the steam does the work for you!

Discover water as a new cleaning agent

Why does steam have such a strong cleaning effect?

The secret of steam cleaning lies in the combination of the blast of steam and the temperature. It's not just easier to clean dirt, you can also access hard-to-reach areas much more easily and therefore clean more thoroughly, without any chemicals. In particular cases the cleaning power of the steam can be supplemented with mechanical cleaning, for example with a brush or cloth. On top of that, since steam generation also removes minerals from the water, our devices do not leave behind any limescale residues or streaks.

Why is everything so much faster and easier with steam?

Steam means speed - even stubborn dirt and grease is dissolved and removed in seconds, and time-consuming scrubbing is not usually necessary. Steam saves you time even when ironing – the laundry does not require extra moisture and creases are removed considerably faster.

And perhaps best of all, you only need one device for all your cleaning tasks: a steam cleaner.

How does a steam cleaner work?

A steam cleaner works on the same principle as a pressure cooker - water is heated in a sealed boiler until it boils, creating steam. This takes between one and six minutes per litre of water, depending on the device.

When the water boils, the steam is applied in measured amounts via the steam gun. The higher the steam pressure, the faster the steam is forced out, and the better the dirt dissolving power. The pressure in the boiler reaches up to 4 bar, depending on the unit type.

Top tips: Steam forms best when the tank is not completely filled. Using warm water speeds up the heating process.

Good to know:

Kärcher steam cleaners meet all safety requirements, and all electrically conductive parts are of course splashproof.

7 good reasons to clean with steam:

• Steam is environmentally friendly – it uses no cleaning agents and has low water consumption.
• Steam delivers a hygienic clean – even in hard-to-reach places.
• Steam cleans effortlessly – forget scrubbing and polishing.
• Steam is healthier – no cleaning agents necessary.
• Steam is versatile – it can be used for cleaning kitchens, bathrooms or windows, as well as for ironing and on textiles.
• Steam saves time – cleaning is faster with steam.
• Steam saves money – since no cleaning agents are required.