What is Dry Vapor Steam Cleaning Used For
Is Dry Vapor Steam Good For My Cleaning Needs? A Guide
A low moisture steam cleaner might be your best investment for cleaning and sanitizing water-sensitive equipment, processing surfaces, and other industrial areas where water is prohibited, or chemical cleaning is preferred. Keeping your equipment clean ensures maximum efficiency and ensures the safety of your employees and customers. To get the greatest results, it’s crucial to pick the right-sized dry steam cleaner for your needs.
Consider these questions before purchasing or considering a specialty dry steam cleaner:
- Will you use the steam cleaner in a commercial or industrial environment?
- What equipment and soils will you be cleaning?
What is Vapor Steam Cleaning Used For?
Vapor steam cleaners have been used primarily for general cleaning and sanitizing hard surfaces without chemicals. Applications include kitchen and bathroom grout cleaning, restaurants, supermarkets, schools, hotels, apartment buildings, and private homes. In addition, property owners and municipalities frequently use vapor steam cleaners for gum removal. Using a vapor steam cleaner is environmentally friendly and highly effective, and it leaves behind an oil and grease-free surface. The technology has recently found its way into industrial applications. It is likely that a vapor steam cleaner purchased with the intent of using it for one application will soon be used for general cleaning all around the shop as they are great for cleaning up production machinery and many other applications.
- Food and Beverage Production
- Dry Baking Production
- Meat Production and Packing
- Pharmaceutical production lines
- Product Packaging lines
Dry Vapor Steam Cleaning vs. Other Cleaning Solutions
When cleaning or sanitizing a facility or equipment where water needs to be minimized or avoided, and chemical cleaning is not preferred, steam is the perfect solution. Steam cleaning with a vapor steam cleaner is environmentally friendly, extremely effective, leaves no residue, and leaves a surface free of oil and grease. With vapor steam cleaners, surfaces without chemicals can be cleaned and sanitized, while other cleaning solutions that involve chemicals may be harmful to the environment.
How to Choose a Dry Vapor Steam Cleaner
High steam temperature – the higher the temperature at the boiler, the higher the discharge temperature. All vapor steam cleaners lose some temperature between the boiler and the nozzle. Hotter steam significantly increases cleaning effectiveness. Check out our Dry Steam Cleaning Buying Guide.
- Stainless steel boiler – stainless steel resists corrosion and limits heat transfer to its environment.
- Safety devices such as water level sensor, boiler thermostat, pressure switch, safety pressure valve, and de-aeration valve.
- The ability to refill the vapor steam cleaner with water without waiting for the unit to cool down first. This feature can save up to 20 minutes on every refill.
- Large water reservoir.
- Steam volume control – uses only the amount of steam needed to do the job. Less steam enhances the vapor steam cleaner’s ability to maintain temperature.
- Handling features such as wheels are large enough to make it easy to roll the vapor steam cleaner over rough surfaces or up and downstairs. A good sturdy handle helps here, too.
- Accessories – does the manufacturer offer the accessories needed for all applications?
- Warranty – look for a one-year warranty on the machine and a three-year warranty on the boiler.
Next Steps:
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Surface Disinfection: Alcohol-Based or Water-Based?
If there was one thing everyone was talking about in 2020, it was surface disinfection. From the moment the novel coronavirus made its first appearance, surface sanitizing was a top of mind for almost every industry. You may be shocked to hear that more than 600,000 bacteria live on one square inch of human skin[i]. For humans, most bacteria are harmless. But species that cause diseases, called pathogens, may be harmful or even fatal.
For the average consumer, any sanitizer they could get their hands on seemed sufficient to clean and disinfect. For others with specific applications, the need for an efficient, safe, and cost-effective way to keep employees and visitors safe requires specialized solutions. This may include being safe for food contact-surfaces, quick-drying due to sensitive electronics areas, or many other reasons.
While many conversations have shifted from surface sanitation and disinfection to air purification, the reality is that surface cleaning and disinfection is still crucial. Ongoing maintenance of healthy workplaces and production environments requires surface sanitation and disinfection solutions.
Most sanitizers fall into one of two categories: water-based or alcohol-based. Alcohol-based sanitizers and disinfectants work best in specific environments. High traffic locations, sensitive electronics, healthcare or critical care environments, and anywhere quick-drying action is required. Water-based sanitizers and disinfectants work best for general
disinfection needs when surfaces can remain wet for up to 10 minutes.
Water-Based Sanitizers
If your applications are less time-sensitive, then a more affordable water-based solution might be better suited. More often than not, water-based sanitizers have longer “kill” claim times and require surfaces to remain wet for extended periods.
In addition to the protection against disease, water-based sanitizers can offer many benefits to users, including safe for use on food contact surfaces, HVAC system components, etc. These disinfectants can also be applied using portable disinfectant sprayers or chemical fogging systems. Water-based sanitizers are perfect for location when dwell times can be longer.
When to Use Water-Base Sanitizers
Water-Based sanitizers are best for general surfaces and those environments where surfaces can remain wet. Refer to the product label for specific information on application rates and approved applications.
Alcohol-Based Sanitizers
There are a variety of alcohol-based sanitizers on the market today – and thanks to COVID-19, the number of products to choose from can be overwhelming.
Alcohol-based sanitizers and disinfectants are very potent and can quickly reduce the number of active microbes or viruses on a surface. They dry quickly, offer excellent sanitation and disinfection properties, and are generally safe on sensitive electronic surfaces like scales, machinery, computers, kiosks, and more. Also, high traffic areas that may require quick drying disinfectants like door handles, security panels, and more.
They have been used to clean and disinfect surfaces everywhere, from large, public office buildings to hospitals to restaurants. Alcohol-based disinfectants are also the product of choice within the healthcare, dental, veterinary, and ambulatory environments due to their high efficacy and quick-drying characteristics.
When to Use Alcohol-Base Sanitizers
Simply put, you can use alcohol-based sanitizers in virtually every setting. Organizations like the CDC, FDA, and WHO all encourage using alcohol-based sanitizers to clean all manner of surfaces. In fact, alcohol is still the most-used type of disinfectant in today’s hospitals.
If you’re going to use alcohol to clean your office or other space, it is essential to make sure you’re using a solution appropriate for the application. Refer to the product labels for specific application environments and rates. Food production environments should be careful to use products approved for use in food-contact environments. In contrast, healthcare environments should focus on disinfection efficacy. Office, educational, and other general settings can utilize a variety of choices in alcohol-based disinfectants.
This could all feel very intimidating, but luckily we have just the solution. Check out our Sanitation & Disinfection Buying Guide to find which one will be your perfect solution.
[i] Science Clarified. “We Are Surrounded.” Scienceclarified.com. http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Bacteria-and-Viruses/We-Are-Surrounded.html
