Steam Cleaners for Home Use: Hygienic Cleaning Without Chemicals
Steam cleaners not only remove stubborn dirt, they are also an effective tool to fight germs. Learn what makes cleaning with steam so special and what to look out for when using it.
Hygienic cleanliness with steam: up to 99.9% of enveloped viruses are eliminated
Steam cleaners have always offered the best way to deep clean without using chemical cleaning agents. In times of increased hygiene awareness, these properties are more in demand than ever. Steam cleaners can be used almost anywhere in the home and are ideal for hygienically cleaning, among other things, door handles, faucets, countertops and other hard surfaces that are frequently touched inside and outside the home.
If used properly, Kärcher steam cleaners remove up to 99.9% of enveloped viruses*, such as the coronavirus or influenza, and 99.9% of common household bacteria** from hard surfaces. As at the present time disinfectants are to be reserved primarily for outpatient and inpatient care, steam cleaners can make a valuable contribution to general hygiene in household use.
*Tests have shown that with spot cleaning of 30 secs at max. steam level with the Kärcher steam cleaner 99.9% of enveloped viruses such as coronavirus or influenza (excluding the Hepatitis-B virus) can be removed on common smooth household hard surfaces (test-germ: Modified-Vaccinia-Ankara-Virus).
**When thoroughly cleaning with the Kärcher steam cleaner 99.9% of all common household bacteria will be killed on common smooth household hard surfaces, provided the cleaning speed of 30 cm/s at max. steam level (test-germ: Enterococcus hirae).
Why does steam clean so well?
Steam cleaners offer more hygiene and higher cleaning performance than conventional cleaning methods with detergents and formulas. The secret of steam cleaning lies in the combination of steam and temperature. Water is heated in the device until it boils - this creates hot steam.
The steam then leaves the accessories (floor nozzle, hand nozzle, etc.) at around 212°F. The tiny steam particles are thrown against the surface at up to 106 mph. As a result, the steam gets into all cracks and pores and also cleans where ordinary cleaning textiles cannot reach. Stubborn and greasy dirt is loosened in a matter of seconds, which enables surfaces to stay clean for a longer period of time.
Important for the application
Hot water steam emerges at around 212 °F and is cooled down with increasing distance. In order to combat viruses effectively, the nozzle must therefore be guided directly over the surface. It is also important to ensure a sufficient cleaning duration – hold the steam on an area for 30 seconds, with the maximum steam setting selected. If you used the microfiber pads, they should then be washed at a temperature of at least 140 °F in the washing machine.
Allergy sufferers and parents can breathe easy
People suffering from allergies benefit twice: in contrast to cleaning chemicals, steam condensate does not leave any potentially allergenic residues on the cleaned surface. Also, steam binds dust, which means that no allergens are stirred up! This also noticeably improves the indoor climate and reduces the burden on the respiratory tract.
The absence of chemical cleaning agents is also particularly relevant if there are small children in the household. Babies crawl across the floor and like to put objects in their mouths. Allergic reactions or skin irritation caused by detergent residues – these problems are not an issue with steam.
Suitable for continuous operation
Cleaning for hours with chemicals can irritate the respiratory tract; this can be avoided with steam cleaners. Since steam cleaners only need electricity and water, they can also be used for an almost unlimited amount of time - with our SC 3 Steam Cleaner the water can even be refilled during operation.
