Full steam ahead

A whole host of industry, business and service sectors are being drawn to the power of steam cleaning. Mark Bresnihan, managing director of Industrial Cleaning Equipment (ICE), explains some of the benefits.

If you think that steam power is something that should be consigned to the history books, forever associated with the Industrial Revolution and represented by rose-tinted memories of steam locomotives puffing their way through Victorian Britain, then you need to think again. Steam undoubtedly played a huge part in shaping that bygone era, but it is now also helping to drive trends in 21^st century floor cleaning. Customers are becoming more and more attracted to its versatility, effectiveness, hygienic results and the option to clean without chemicals, offering potential money savings and also helping them to achieve a ‘greener’ way of cleaning.

The great advantage of steam cleaning is that it can be used in a wide variety of working environments, both inside and out. Thanks to the array of machines and accompanying tools available, this cleaning method can be used successfully in restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, shops, offices and schools. It can even help with graffiti and gum removal – which cause significant problems for many local authorities. Steam cleaning is a solution for removing baked on grease from stoves, ovens and cooker hoods; plus mould, mildew, fungus and bacteria – and the odours that they create – can also be tackled by this method.

Steam cleaning – the broad benefits

As well as being applicable to a wide range of work settings, steam can also be used to undertake innumerable cleaning tasks. Interior and exterior floors, walls and ceilings can all benefit from steam cleaning. In more specialist locations, such as medical and food processing, hospitality and catering facilities, steam can be used to clean machinery and ovens. In the healthcare and food sectors particularly, the ability to deliver anti-bacterial results without the use of detergents and sterilising chemicals is an added bonus.

The steam produced by machines is delivered to an area using specifically designed accessories, depending on the application. This can include floor brushes, window squeegees, nozzles and brass brushes, all of which will help the operative to tackle specific jobs. These tools can help steam cleaning reach the parts that other cleaning methods can’t reach – penetrating the tiniest cracks and crevices to drive out dirt and germs so the hygienic results delivered go much deeper than just cleaning on the surface.

For maximising cleaning power, many steam cleaning machines also provide the option to add a detergent. When specific tasks or locations demand it, the ‘double whammy’ of steam power plus detergent can bring even better results, with the appropriate brushes also increasing efficiency.

Steaming ahead with flooring cleaning – and more

Steam can clean almost any surface but it is particularly useful, and effective, when tackling floors. When it comes to carpets, steam can deep clean, sanitise and deodorise, while also helping to raise the nap and remove stains. Hard floors of all types can also benefit, with the steam helping to remove even the most ingrained dirt.

For general day-to-day care, steam cleaners used with a conventional floor attachment will give excellent results, but if a more thorough clean is required most models come with detail brushes or tools, which can be used to target grout lines, corners and edges.

Surfaces that are subject to regular heavy footfall, such as school corridors and warehouse environments, will accumulate more dirt, and so may need specialist treatment. Steam cleaners with built-in vacuums allow a higher level of steam to be used, but remove worries about leaving wet floors behind. These machines are usually used with the largest floor head available, and some models may also have the capacity to add a shot of detergent if this is required, scrubbing the floor thoroughly, a few square metres at a time. Once the area has been cleaned the operative simply switches the vacuum on to collect the moisture, leaving the surface clean and dry and ready to walk on – reducing the risk of slips and falls. Dual steam and vacuum machines are particularly effective on rough tiled surfaces, as the steam and the brush will remove dirt that normal mopping can’t.

But investing in a good steam cleaning machine will not only bring great results for your flooring. The vast majority of models on the market also come supplied with attachments that will help you to clean a wide variety of other surfaces and areas, from fridges and windows to curtains and mattresses, making this cleaning method eminently flexible and very cost effective.

A healthy way to clean

Steam cleaning is not just a way of getting great cleaning results – it has environmental benefits too. For locations that have to meet the most stringent hygiene standards, but need to clean without chemicals, steam cleaning is an attractive option.

Healthcare settings are increasingly using steam cleaning as part of their regular routines. In 2009, the Scottish Government announced that it was spending £400,000 on 250 steam cleaners that would be distributed to health boards. Nicola Sturgeon MSP, now the Deputy First Minister for Scotland but Health Secretary at the time, said: “Cleanliness is crucial in our hospitals and is a simple way to help combat infections … steam cleaning is a particularly effective way of cleaning areas affected by Clostridium Difficile.”

The Revised Healthcare Cleaning Manual, published in June 2009, is designed to help every NHS Trust meet its obligation to aid the delivery of high-quality, effective and safe healthcare in clean premises that support the control of healthcare associated infections and make a positive contribution to healthcare outcomes.

It states that the use of steam cleaning machines, as part of the overall cleaning regime to be used in healthcare buildings, is increasing. It cites the report, ‘An Integrated Approach to Hospital Cleaning: Microfibre Cloth and Steam Cleaning Technology’, published by the Department of Health in 2007, as providing references to studies that indicate evidence for the effectiveness of this technology.

So, if you’re looking for a versatile way to sanitise and clean your floors, while also saving money – and the environment – by using fewer chemicals, steam cleaning is the way to go.

www.ice-clean.com

Published in The Flooring Magazine – February 2013