There has never been a greater reason to spring clean our homes than a viral outbreak all over the world. The micron-sized coronavirus had paralyzed the entire nation and already infected millions of people. Enter the prospect of steam cleaners as an excellent cleaning solution during these times.
As of today, there is still no known cure or vaccine for COVID-19. According to WHO, treatment development is still in the works and may take months to enter clinical trials, and a year before it is released to the public (read more). Our best bet is to stay informed and practice self-protection techniques such as proper handwashing and home disinfecting.
During this pandemic, we are reminded that cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting our safe haven is of utmost importance. We have been bringing all kinds of microbes inside our house even before the quarantine started. So, the only way to make it a safe space again for our family is to clean and disinfect every nook and cranny of our home.
Reasons to Sanitize Your Home with Steam Cleaners
Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting
These three home protective techniques have surely been the subject of many Google searches these days. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of fake news and articles regarding home cleaning techniques and the right disinfectant to use, making everyone more confused about the subject.
First off, these three terms have different meanings, thus cannot be used interchangeably. Cleaning is the removal of visible dirt, dust, and debris on a space. Sanitizing is the process of reducing the number of contaminants to a level that is not harmful to our health. It reduces the occurrence and growth of bacteria in a given space. Meanwhile, disinfection is the process of killing a significant amount of pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi), reducing it to an amount that is not harmful to healthy inhabitants.
The sterilization method is the only way to fully kill all microscopic life forms. It uses pressurized steam with very high temperatures to eliminate all pathogens. Sterilization is done through the use of special equipment such as autoclaves. It is only performed on laboratories that handle health hazards such as microorganisms.
To fully protect you and your family, a combination of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting techniques for your home should be practiced. You can do this by using EPA-approved disinfectant products to clean surfaces and areas that are frequently used and handled by individuals.
However, there is also a zero-waste and non-toxic way to combat these harmful microorganisms and that is by using a steam cleaner for your home.
Steam Cleaning 101
Steam cleaning is a non-harmful cleaning alternative that uses vapor steam to clean and sanitize your home. It uses steam to remove dirt, stain, and microbial buildup, as well as sanitize every surface of your home. The equipment is made up of a boiler, tank, a non-pressurized refill tank, detergent compartment, steam vacuum, and tube attachments to accommodate any kind of space.
Steam temperature can reach up to 360 Fahrenheit with 150 psi pressure. You can adjust it depending on the surface and object you are cleaning. You can use them to clean your bathroom, stove, countertop, floor, and even your dishwasher.
The Benefits of Steam Cleaners
1. Simple and efficient
The conventional cleaning method usually requires much effort that often results in body pain and allergic reactions. Thoroughly cleaning dirty surfaces still relies on how much pressure and effort you put into a piece of cleaning equipment, which makes the chore hard and tiresome.
Steam cleaners provide a simpler and hassle-free way of efficiently cleaning your house. You can clean the dirty bathroom floor and toilet seat without needing to get up close and personal with them. You can make floors shine and scrub hard to reach corners without the consequence of back pain.
2. Chemical-free cleaning method
With water and heat, you can now efficiently sanitize every corner and crevice of your home without harming the environment. You can now cleanse kitchen countertops without worrying that chemicals might contaminate your meals. Lastly, you can now clean and polish your sofa and carpets without endangering the health of your kids and pets.
3. Healthier home
The high-temperature steam of these cleaners can kill sneeze-inducing allergens such as dust mites. Dust mites are the usual cause of allergic reactions of children, which can eventually develop into full-blown asthma. Cleaning products used to eliminate dust mites contain chemicals and have an odor that can yet trigger another allergic reaction to household individuals.
Nasty home culprits in the form of bacteria, fungi, and viruses are microscopic life forms that can potentially harm the health of even the healthiest family member. Through pressurized steady contact and right temperature, steam can reduce and kill any pathogens that occupy your home. You can mix non-toxic detergent powder to your steam cleaners to effectively dissolve some microbe’s specialized coating.