While pressure washers are the way to clean just about anything, there are some power washing projects that require a bit more heat to do the job.
Steam is introduced at much higher temperatures and a lower GPM flow. These cleaners don't just use pressure to remove the worst stuck-on dirt and grease.
Instead, they use very hot steam to loosen and wash away stubborn stains and build-up. Because there's less water being used in steam cleaning, there is less runoff. Steam also cleans faster and more efficiently, which reduces labor and operating costs.
Steam cleaning offers a huge advantage over pressure washing when it comes to removing grease and oil. Some oily residue can be left behind with pressure washing, even if you use a hot water pressure washer. But if your pressure washer is capable of high enough temperatures to produce steam, it'll remove all oily residue completely.
This is important if you're working on cleaning an engine to rebuild it, or if you're cleaning a restaurant where you need to remove months or years of built-up grease on the floors and walls.
Steam cleaning also produces less runoff and less splatter. Even with a hot water pressure washer, you will splatter any oily residues that you do remove, and there will be a lot more water runoff.
For professional pressure washers, the reduced runoff with steam cleaning means less reclamation to deal with. Professionals know that many big jobs will require that you reclaim the runoff water to conform to EPA regulations.
The main advantage of steam cleaning is the heat. The heat provides faster and more effective sanitation, getting the job done quicker with less water. Chemical detergents work better when paired with higher temperatures, emulsifying the dirt and oil much better. This results in a deeper clean with no oily residue at all, which is perfect for surfaces that you plan to paint or refinish. And with no oily residue, surfaces will stay cleaner longer.
Because steam pressure washers use less water, and because the hot water from them evaporates at a much higher rate, you'll find that there's approximately 55-percent less runoff compared to a standard pressure washer. This equates to less consumption, runoff, and waste. Because you use less water and have less runoff to combat, your operating costs are lower. This is a huge advantage for professional cleaners who benefit from decreasing expenses anywhere they can.
Steam cleaning has far too many applications to list them all here, however, we'll share the most common ones so you have an idea of the versatility of these cleaning machines.
Cleaning gum from a sidewalk or driveway can be very difficult, but not with a steam pressure washer. The extreme temperature combined with the pressurized steam breaks the bond between the gum and the surface to sweep it away.
In restaurants and food processing plants, grease traps are one of the toughest areas to get clean. The use of a steam pressure washer helps break up the grease, so you can actually get the trap completely clean without all of the elbow-grease.
Auto shops may use these cleaners to clean off cars, engines, and transmissions prior to working on them. It makes it easier to see where things are and makes getting things apart much easier.
Cleaning monuments, headstones, and historical buildings require great care to get the job done without creating any damage. Steam pressure washers are the ideal tool for these kinds of cleaning jobs. Steam pressure washing produces less pressure against the surfaces you're cleaning, significantly reducing the likelihood of damage. There are many great applications for a steam pressure washer, and these are only a few.
Get one of your own, and send us a video sharing how you make use of your steam pressure washer.