Steam Cleaners – Cleaner Solutions International, LLC

Why Steam?

Steam Cleans, Sanitizes and Disinfects

Steam is Eco-Friendly and Highly Effective Against Pathogens (including SARS-CoV-2 surrogates)

In healthcare and many other settings, surfaces are usually decontaminated using liquid chemical disinfectants, often chlorine derivatives. However, these chemical disinfectants have drawbacks: they are usually toxic to humans, display chemical reactivity, and require long periods of contact/dwell times (up to 15 min) with surfaces to kill microorganisms. Moreover, some hospital-acquired infections (HAI’s) are resistant to many disinfectants. With steam disinfection, no toxic chemicals are used and a broad range of microorganisms are eliminated in seconds. With steam, there is also significant reduction in cross contamination risks. Also, because of how quickly steam disinfects, compliance with cleaning protocols increases. Another important advantage with steam is its ability to penetrate porous surfaces, such as fabric, wood, and ceramic tile. This ability to destroy potential reservoirs of microorganisms in microscopic surface irregularities makes steam a more effective treatment than clean and dry or spray and wipe methods.

Dry vapor steam is widely used in food, beverage, and other manufacturing industries for its natural (thermal) cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection effects and has gained popularity among healthcare organizations (hospitals, nursing homes/subacute facilities), hospitality, transportation (planes, trains and autos), sports arenas, fitness/spa and other industries as a result of its nontoxic and inexpensive cleaning process.

Understanding the Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

Viruses can only grow inside a host. They are not truly “alive” on their own and cannot be “killed.” However, a virus can be inactivated, or its infectivity can be affected by chemicals and other disinfectants, as well as environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Viruses can survive on surfaces from a few hours to a few days, depending on the type of surface and environment. SARS-CoV-2 can travel in droplets of saliva from human to human, and can remain airborne in indoor environments for hours [EPA]. Based on its structure, SARS-CoV-2 is believed to be highly sensitive to heat and moisture, but highly contagious. Enveloped viruses like SARS-CoV-2—which rely on a protective lipid coating—are the easiest type to deactivate. In contrast, with many gastrointestinal non-enveloped viruses like norovirus, which have a tough protein shell called a capsid, viruses with this fatty wrapping are more difficult to eliminate. Studies show that steam cleaning effectively inactivates both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses.

Steam Cleaners Quickly, Easily and Safely Disinfect

Superheated Dry Vapor Steam Pressure Cleaners are cleaning appliances or devices designed to produce superheated steam typically with pressures ranging between 60–145 psi. The steam produced is powerful enough to clean, sanitize, disinfect, and quickly dry surfaces. Often the process is effective enough to sterilize surfaces, provided the duration of time and proper temperature contact with surfaces meet the proven dwell times. The steam is produced in a stainless steel (or aluminum) boiler that heats tap water to high temperatures (220-365°F/104-185°C) to produce low-pressure, low moisture (4 to 7% water) water dry vapor steam.

The dry vapor steam’s ability to clean is based primarily on its heat. The steam is applied to porous and nonporous surfaces via a variety of insulated tools and accessories, thus safely providing the energy needed to break deeply embedded soil bonds and release contaminants into water suspension, after which they can be removed by wiping with microfiber cloths or vacuuming (we offer units with vacuum function).

This steam cleaning process uses little water (usage is measured in liters or quarts or liters per hour) compared to carpet cleaners or other cleaning devices (whose usage is measured in gallons or liters per minute), which use hot water instead of steam and are incorrectly called “steam cleaners”. These types of devices are NO comparison to high heat dry vapor steam pressure or steam pressure vacuum cleaners.

The inherent low-moisture characteristics of superheated dry vapor steam pressure cleaners make them suitable for safe use inside buildings and residences.

Our steam cleaners and accessories range from higher-end commercial and industrial products to inexpensive consumer models.

Superheated dry vapor steam pressure cleaners are cited as examples of “green cleaning” because of steam vapor’s ability to kill germs and disinfect without the use of chemical disinfectants. In many reported cases, the use of steam cleaners have been attributed to labor savings and hygienic improvements over previous cleaning methods.

Dry vapor steam cleaners are frequently used in hypoallergenic environments because they do not require the use of additional cleaning chemicals, which results in better indoor air quality and eliminates the need to handle or store cleaning agents.

Understanding the Terms Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting and Sterilizing

There is often confusion with these terms, particularly sanitizing and disinfecting. The following are simple definitions of each process:

Cleaning: removing visual particles from surfaces
Sanitizing: removing or deactivating pathogen quantities down to an “acceptable” level, often by a 1 to 5 log reduction (90–99.999%)
Disinfecting: removing or deactivating unwanted microorganism quantities down to a 6 log reduction (99.9999%)
Sterilizing: 100% removal or inactivation of microorganisms

It is paramount for sanitization professionals to understand these differences and what a particular sanitization protocol is expected or intended to achieve. The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by a highly-contagious virus, and “disinfection” is the main goal.

Dry vapor steam is proven to both clean, sanitize, and disinfect where sufficiently high temperatures can be guaranteed.

Thermal Removal/ Inactivation of Pathogens

Using temperatures of 212°F (100 °C) or higher on contact surfaces is known to remove most bacteria and inactivate most viruses. With extended exposure times from a few seconds to 30 minutes (depending on the pathogen)—even at 175°F (80°C) —temperature can remove or inactivate pathogens.

Our Sani System Steam Cleaner validation reports show that dry vapor steam generated by the Polti Steamer was able to remove many dangerous pathogens [Sani System]. The superheated dry steam of Polti Sani System has undergone numerous laboratory tests and studies, both in Italy and other countries, which attest to the effectiveness of Polti Sani System in the reduction of viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores and in the eradication of bedbugs. [Polti Clinical Test]

While high temperature accompanied by dry vapor steam can remove or inactivate most known pathogens—including viruses—there are certain limitations to its applications, stemming from the unique traits of dry vapor steam.

Steam Reduces Allergens

Steam vacuum cleaners are ideal for helping those suffering from allergies or respiratory problems like asthma. Steam vacuum cleaners remove dust mites and their waste, one of the leading causes of allergic reactions, decreasing nasal discomfort, itchy eyes and breathing difficulties. Steam vacuum cleaning also removes the other leading causes of allergy problems–pollen, mold, and animal dander.

Unlike traditional cleaning methods, steam can eliminate most bacteria, spores, germs, and dust mites that may cause environmental allergies. The main advantage is that hot steam is a natural disinfectant; this steam can also sanitize hospital environments, which is a great benefit to the patients. In normal domestic use, a steam cleaner is a versatile tool that protects the whole family from environmental allergens.

Steam is
Eco-Friendly

Steam gives you the ability to walk away from traditional cleaning methods with chemicals that pollute our waterways and are harmful to our environment. Steam is sustainable, efficient, eco-friendly, and simply a cleaner solution to healthier living.

Clean without Chemicals

Many detergents contain substances that are allergenic, unhealthy and harmful to the environment. Steam cleaning eliminates this risk and is much more effective than any detergent or chemical additive. Steam molecules, in fact, raise the dirt without leaving any traces or residues. There are also many polluting substances inside detergents that can contaminate the air we breathe. With steam and the total lack of toxic substances used with our machines, you can improve the quality or your indoor air and help preserve the environment naturally.

Conserve Water

With dry steam technology, water consumption can be reduced by 90% over traditional cleaning. For example, a typical car wash uses 20 to 30 gallons of water per car. With our Steam Pressure Technology, the steam cleaner only uses 1 to 2 gallons to wash a car!

Not only does steam disinfect and sanitize, it’s also a natural energy resource. Using this natural resource has revolutionized the cleaning industry both in terms of hygiene and environmental sustainability.

Steam is Cost Effective

Steam Vacuum Cleaning provides Increased Efficiency = More Savings

Although a high-quality Superheated Dry Vapor Steam Cleaner typically costs more up front than a traditional mop and bucket system, a steam cleaner saves money over time. Because a steam cleaner only requires tap water, the expense of cleaners and disinfectants needed with a traditional mop and bucket system is eliminated. Additionally, because steam is such a powerful and versatile cleaner, labor costs are reduced. Also, this super effective cleaning method requires less water than traditional methods, adding another cost savings. Depending on the particular steam cleaner, cleaning the equipment may be as simple as throwing a reusable pad into a washing machine. Most of our models use reusable brushes, cleaning pads and jet nozzles that simply need to be washed before their next use. This translates into big savings over the cost of frequently replaced components, such as mop heads.

Steam continues to be an essential part of modern disinfection technology. It is cost effective and can be used to sanitize high-risk contaminated environments. Our ongoing company goal is to supply our customers with high quality cleaning equipment from the best manufacturers, all at the best possible prices.

Conclusion & Disclaimer

The above information and recommendations are based on existing scientific data regarding known pathogens and viruses in general. Currently, using superheated dry vapor steam technology is recommended as an additional tool to enhance disinfection, not as a sole “disinfectant” to combat SARS-CoV-2.

Steam disinfection of environmental surfaces using a portable steam generator is a practical, inexpensive and effective method that is not affected by the presence of organic matter. Using steam daily helps to create a healthier environment and prevent the spread of disease.

Saturated Dry Vapor Steam Efficacy Test Results

Saturated Dry Vapor Steam eliminates Human Coronavirus 229E

(Sani System Polti) Efficacy Study and Test Results against drug-resistant nosocomial pathogens

Advantages of Thermal Surface Disinfection

Clinical Test - Polti Sani System Steam Cleaner

American Journal of Infection Control - The steam vapor device consistently reduced total microbial and pathogen loads on hospital surfaces

NIH cites reduction in the microbial load on high-touch surfaces in hospital rooms by treatment with a portable saturated steam vapor disinfection system

American Journal for Infection Control - Novel, portable, saturated steam vapor disinfection system kills pathogenic microorganisms