Frequently Asked Questions about Steam and Steam Cleaning

What is wet steam?

Everyone is familiar with vaporous steam. When water is under normal pressure it changes from a liquid into a vapour at 212F (100C). This vapour is excellent for sanitizing, but it has very little cleaning power due to the fact that it's under low pressure and has a very low water volume. The steam cleaner, however, puts regular cold water under pressure (from 300 to 2000 PSI depending on the model). It is this pressurized water that is heated above steam temperature to give you both cleaning power and the sanitation effects of steam. When water is under high pressure it does not turn into a vapour at 212F. All Alpina Steam Cleaning systems can heat to 178°C.They are normally operated in the range of 148-178°C to allow you to kill bacteria and thermally break down substances like grease, oil, mould, fatty tissue, sugars, etc., without the assistance of chemicals.

Is the steamcleaner similar to a pressure washer?

A pressure washer tries to blast a surface with high water volume and high pressure. A steam cleaner uses both water volume and pressure, but at a much lower level. A steam cleaner does not attempt to blast things clean. Instead, it uses the steam heat to clean the surface. The pressure and water volume simply make the job faster and easier. In the food industries you don't want the "splash over" effect that you get from the pressure washers. Most importantly, a pressure washer does not have sufficient heat to thermally remove grease, oil and dirt, or to kill bacteria. You need to use vast amounts of chemicals, foamers and sanitizers to do what a steam cleaning machine does thermally.

Will a steamcleaner make pathogens airborne like a pressure washer?

The food Industry has issued warnings against using pressure washers on production equipment because they can make pathogens like listeria airborne and actually spread it around the plant. Wet steam, on the other hand, kills all of these pathogens on contact. We have customers who have experienced listeria problems in the past, and after failing to kill the listeria with chemicals (including quaternary ammonia), they finally solved their problem by purchasing a steam cleaner to sanitize their facilities.

How do you sanitize without chemicals?

The effect of sanitizing is achieved by temperatures of between 120-150°C. At these temperatures all pathogens, such bacteria, viruses, germs, parasites, are instantly killed. Outbreaks of Listeria, E-Coli, Salmonella and Bird Flu can also be effectively controlled by our Steam Cleaning Systems.

How dangerous are chemicals?

The extensive use of industrials chemicals, coupled with failures to adequately deal with chemical wastes in the food Industry has caused extensive chemical pollution of the environment, with many of these chemicals finding their way into the food chain. Steam cleaning systems have provided the answer for controlling this problem.

How safe is wet steam?

Wet steam is much safer than vaporous / dry steam. If sprayed accidentally on employees, it will not cause burns or blistering. However, some basic precautions should be taken to protect employees from touching metal parts that are exposed to heat and any personnel operating the machines should always wear gloves.

Can the steamcleaner be used anywhere within my facility?

A steam cleaner can be operated anywhere that you have natural ventilation or forced ventilation. It should not be operated inside a cold storage area where the air is not exchanged but continuously re-circulated. In this case, the machine should be operated in the normal/forced ventilation area and the steam hose taken into the refrigerated area.

How safe is the steamcleaner for my employees to use?

The steamcleaner has the most comprehensive automatic safety cut-off systems of any unit on the market. These systems monitor water flow, temperature, pressure and ignition. They automatically turn the Steam Cleaner off if a problem is detected without the employee having to be aware of it. Alpina's attention to safety has allowed us to pass rigorous safety tests by many of the largest food processing and food service companies in the world. We recommend that gloves be worn by employees when in operation.

How easy is the steamcleaner to use?

Two switches control the entire operation. An employee can be properly trained within 15 minutes. And users always enjoy using the steam cleaning machines because it makes their task so much easier!

What accessories might be useful?

If you have hard water you will want to use a descalent filter. And for reaching into tight spaces, we offer shorter wands (12" and 3"). We also offer extra 50" lengths of steam hose joined together by quick connect fittings to allow you to go up to 200" from the unit. A 3 nozzle spray bar is good for cleaning wider areas.