Steam Cleaners

Reduce your use of water and cleaning chemicals and go natural with our range of steam cleaners. Proven to deliver powerful cleaning action in a range of commercial and industrial settings, choose an environmentally friendly solution and check out our steam cleaners from Kärcher® and Nilfisk® today.

What are steam cleaners?

Steam cleaners have become a popular choice for eco-friendly, multi-purpose cleaning. Requiring only water and heat to create a flow of pressurised steam, a good steam cleaner replaces chemical cleaners and eliminates germs and bacteria with ease.

Steam is a gas comprised of tiny, high-temperature vapour molecules that permeate into a surface, forcing out dirt and killing bacteria, mould spores and other nasties that can cause infections and illness.

Why buy a steam cleaner?

A steam cleaner eliminates pathogens, allergens and bacteria using pressurised high heat vapour molecules. This eco-friendly cleaning method helps to reduce harmful chemical cleaners from contaminating waterways and eventually ending up in our water supply.

Steam can be used on most surfaces to clean and sanitise, with different attachments directing high-pressure steam into nooks and crannies that you wouldn't normally be able to reach. It does an excellent job of removing dirt and odours and dries fast.

Using a steam cleaner stops the need for strongly scented chemical cleaners that can cause allergic reactions and worsen breathing afflictions like asthma. It saves both time and money, so the real question is, why haven't you bought a steam cleaner yet?

Steam cleaner types

Steam cleaners come in a range of sizes to suit domestic, commercial, and industrial sized applications. They can be small and hand-held, or a large trolley design. Each will offer various attachments and features to best suit your needs.

• Canister steam cleaner   -   Also known as hand-held steam cleaners, these miniature variants hold small amounts of water and produce enough steam for small-scale, domestic tasks

• Cylinder steam cleaners   -   These types of cleaner start the move into professional territory, with water tanks and more powerful steam pressure allowing for heavier duty cleaning tasks

• Industrial steam cleaners   -   These trolley design machines are extremely powerful and deliver up to 8 bar of steam pressure. They typically feature a vacuum attachment and sometimes have a detergent capability to cover all bases

• Steam mops   -   Typically used just to mop floors, some models also feature lance and nozzle attachments for general purpose cleaning too

Considerations when choosing a steam cleaner

• Water capacity - cleaning large spaces requires a good-sized water tank to reduce downtime, while some models feature a continuous fill that doesn't require turning off the machine.

• Steam temperature - to effectively kill bacteria and pathogens a cleaner must provide a continuous output of steam at a minimum temperature of 121°C. (Steam must be applied at a distance of one centimetre from the surface).

• Vacuum feature - a lot of professional steam cleaners have a vacuum feature which allows excess moisture and dirt to be sucked away from floors and surfaces to avoid lengthy wiping and mopping, as well as slips and falls.

• Steam pressure - high pressured steam makes quick work of dirty surfaces and is required along with the heat to effectively kill bacteria and germs. For professional cleaning, choose between 4 to 8 bar steam pressure.

Steam cleaner jargon buster

Steam cleaning is a proven eco-friendly cleaning method that reduces the introduction of chemicals and solvents into waterways and saves on the use of water.

Manufacturers of steam cleaners, both domestic and professional are aware of the positive environmental impact their products have, and so register them with DEFRA to reassure their customers.

What is DEFRA?

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a government organisation. Its responsibilities include air quality, animal welfare, environmental impact and more.

In 2008 DEFRA published findings stating that the use of steam cleaning combined with microfibre cloths offered the best solution to microbiological hygiene in hospital settings.

Cleaning products and machines are registered with DEFRA for testing. If proven to effectively kill all types of bacteria, including viruses, spores and MRSA for example, then the product will be DEFRA approved.

FAQs

What shouldn't I clean with steam?

While steam is an excellent natural cleaning agent, there are some materials where the use of steam should be avoided, including porous materials like marble and brick, water-based paint and delicate upholstery, such as silk and velour.

Where does the dirt go when you steam clean?

Steaming lifts and breaks down dirt and debris, killing bacteria and pathogens on contact. To remove the excess dirt, you can wipe down the surface afterwards with a cloth or hose down the space. Steam mops feature washable pads that absorb and remove the dirt from the floor as it is steamed, while professional steam cleaners typically feature a vacuum facility to remove excess moisture and dirt.