Domestic steam machines speed up and deepen cleaning. We explain everything you need to know about the functionality of these devices.
Water vapor is an ally to fight against the stubborn dirt that you find when cleaning the home. These machines take advantage of conventional grooming methodsbecause instead of spending hours trying to erase stains, you bring the device closer and let the fluid work.
Steam cleaning technology also disinfects and contributes to the elimination of bad odors, characteristics that add points in the decision to get one of these appliances. They do not require chemicals; nor do they involve the physical effort involved in degreasing with a cloth.
How to take advantage of the mechanism? We tell you in reading.
The utility of water vapor in cleaning the home
According to the explanation of the Encyclopedia Concept, vapor is a phase of water, produced when it passes from a liquid to a gaseous state, during exposure to a temperature close to the boiling point. It has no color or odor, but it is usually perceived white and cloudy, once it is interspersed with tiny drops of water.
The utility of steam in cleaning It is evidenced by erasing complex stains and eliminating viruses, bacteria and mites, especially on carpets, clothing and furniture. Apart from textiles, water vapor also favors sanitization in corners that a broom or mop does not usually reach.
They consider it an ecological method, because it fulfills its functions without the implementation of chemicals. There are dry and hot steam cleaners, whose activity consists of heating the water and producing the gas at temperatures above 90 °C.
Likewise, there are those with humid and cold steam, which do not boil the water. The difference with the previous ones is that, in addition to requiring more liters, due to the cold they emanate, they are not designed to eliminate bacteria or fungi.
Eye! Do not steam clean cardboard, paper, antiques, or painted surfaces.
How to carry out domestic cleaning with steam?
Steam cleaners are easy to use. Beyond being an intuitive control mechanism, the basic rule is to follow the instruction manual for the system to work effectively.
It is recommended that, before fully delving into the cleaning of the house, you carry out a small test to familiarize yourself with the device. Select an area, activate the operation, approach the nozzle and move it to a few centimeters from the surface.
For better results, it is convenient to vacuum the area a little and fill the machine’s tank with hot water. Thus, you speed up the boil. If you wish, you can put some mild soap or baking soda in the tank.
Advantages of steam for cleaning
There are several notable advantages of devices for cleaning with steam. Here are a few:
- Reach: the steam covers difficult places, such as corners and under furniture, due to the force with which the gas is expelled.
- Versatility: Perhaps their most recognized function is to degrease, but they also remove dust, serve as an iron, clean tiles and deodorize.
- Power: The strength of these machines is their main draw when removing stains. There are dirt that refuse to come out of textiles, ceramics, walls and even kitchen appliances, but the steam does not let them down.
- Sustainability: By only needing water, it becomes an environmentally friendly device. Traditional cleaning tends to be accompanied by chemicals that are hazardous to health and contaminants to the environment.
- Saving: The speed of the device is important to fulfill all the scheduled tasks and to have free time. As for the money, it certainly implies an investment, but you will have a useful device for cleaning almost any surface.
- Helps relieve allergy symptoms: With high temperatures, the steam attacks mites, fungi and bacteria, reducing allergy symptoms. According to International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, house mites are the cause of allergies in more than 10% of the general population. 90% of those who suffer from allergic asthma are sensitive to these arachnids. For its part, the University of Michigan Health recommends steam cleaners to eliminate dust mites.
Disadvantages of steam in home cleaning
Although the benefits of steam cleaners are competitive, it is pertinent to expose the drawbacks that they bring with them. One of them has to do with vaporization time and temperature.
Although heat kills pathogens, Consumer Reports claims that holding the steam for 10 minutes on tile or mosaic floors would break them down. And if you use them under wooden floors, you could warp them.
Let’s see other disadvantages:
- Size: There are portable models, but some steam cleaners are so large that they are tiring to handle.
- Precio: They are not as economical as a regular mop and they require replacing the water tank every time you clean.
- Humidity: there will always be some moisture left and you need to remove it. Not doing so would produce a bad smell and promote the proliferation of fungi.
- Speed: If you don’t supply them with hot water to start sanitizing, you have to wait for it to heat up and complete other functions.
- Burn Hazard: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) point to water vapor as one of the main causes of scalds. To avoid accidents, it is appropriate to protect your hands with gloves.
What to remember about steam cleaners
To take full advantage of the benefits of steam in cleaning the home, remember to read the manufacturer’s advice in detail. In addition, use safety implements, with the purpose of minimizing the chances of accidents.
Last but not least, use the cleaner in the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, as long as the surface to be sanitized is sealed, such as vinyl and ceramic. It also works on curtains and mattresses. Other weak materials would end up damaged by heat..
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