Tips to Steam Clean Like a Professional

Those who suffer from allergies often seek steam cleaning tips to reduce allergens in their homes.

But steam cleaning isn’t just for those who sneeze.

If you’re looking for a way to clean and sanitize your home without having to use harsh chemicals or bleach, follow these steam cleaning tips and your home and all it’s surfaces will be clean and fresh in no time.

How Steam Cleaners Work:

Steam cleaners work by heating water to the boiling point, which is 212ºF or 100ºC at sea level. Once the water in the unit reaches the boiling point, it turns into steam. Depending on the unit, the steam is then heated to between 240ºF and 300ºF and forced through a nozzle.

Kitchen and Bathroom:

Steam that is heated in excess of 240ºF is hot enough to kill and remove mold, mildew, fungus from tiles and shower doors. It’s also hot enough to kill bacteria on kitchen counters, toilets and sinks.

Steam cleaning the kitchen and bathroom is probably the ultimate way to “clean green”. With the possible exception of the electricity required to operate some units, no other chemicals or solutions are required to sanitize and disinfect your home.

Carpets and Upholstery:

Steam can penetrate the fibers of carpets, drapes, upholstery, stuffed animals and pillows. At 240º, it’s hot enough to kill dust mites and their eggs and other allergens. If you suffer from allergies, steam cleaning bedding, carpets and upholstery once a month will greatly reduce the number of contaminants you come into contact with. And because there is very little water left in steam, carpets and rugs are usually completely dry within 10-15 minutes of being steam cleaned.

This reduces the chance that mold and mildew will begin growing after cleaning. Further, carpets and rugs are safe for children and pets immediately after steam cleaning because toxic chemicals are not used. Steam cleaning pet bedding and plush toys will kill fleas and their larvae.

Cleaning Hardwood Floors:

Steam evaporates almost as quickly as it’s created. Therefore, steam cleaning tips are often provided by hardwood floor manufacturers because the steam will clean and disinfect the wood without warping it.

Other steam cleaning tips for your home include:

• Sanitize the Refrigerator – Great for removing that four-month old piece of melting fruit at the bottom of the crisper
• Clean Your Favorite Jewelry – Removes built-up dirt and grime quickly without subjecting precious metals to excessive water
• Steam Your Golf Clubs – While steam cleaning your nine iron may not make you a better golfer, it will easily remove dirt and grass from the club face
• Degrease the Outdoor Grill – Since most outdoor grill manufacturers recommend that soap and commercial cleaners not be used on the grill or shell, steam cleaning is the perfect alternative to remove grease