As housewives, the health of family members is our top concern. While doing household cleaning, we hope to provide health protection for our families at the same time.

Steam cleaning has become a choice for household cleaning because it can effectively remove dirt without the need for cleaning agents. Steam cleaning has long been a common cleaning method in restaurant kitchens and repair workshops. For nearly 60 years, jet steam has been used to remove oil stains from car engines. However, despite its multiple functions, the working principle of steam is overlooked by most people. Now, researchers from the Research and Preliminary Development Department of Huiyoudi, a cleaning expert, will present their findings to you for the first time.

They found that three factors play an important role: the mechanical effect of steam jet, the high temperature of steam jet, and the condensation effect when steam particles come into contact with the surface.

The mechanical energy generated by the steam jet comes from the overpressure produced when the boiler temperature reaches 140°C. The jet contacts the surface to be cleaned at a speed of up to 50 meters per second (180 kilometers per hour), thus overcoming the adhesion of any dirt.

Temperature is another key factor for achieving good cleaning results. The higher the temperature, the less mechanical energy is required to remove dirt. In addition, when steam hits the surface and dirt, the surface and dirt heat up at different rates, and the resulting thermal strain helps reduce the adhesion between the surface and dirt.

Steam has the same cleaning effect as tap water softened by surfactants. Its particles penetrate under the dirt (unlike cleaning brushes) and reach areas that brushes and small-diameter optical fibers cannot. As the steam condenses there, it immediately and automatically covers the dirt and then drives it away.

Another factor affecting the cleaning effect is time. Under the action of a certain period of time, common bacteria and mold can be effectively removed through the high temperature of steam, as well as auxiliary cleaning brushes or cloths.

These characteristics of steam cleaning bring many advantages to users. It eliminates the need for detergents, which is especially good news for people with sensitive skin and/or allergies. Steam is a universal medium, so there is no longer a need for any special cleaning agents to meet the special cleaning needs of many families. Since steam cleaners always use fresh water, they are cleaner than using scrub brushes and buckets. More importantly, due to the low humidity of steam, it dries quickly, so the cleaned surface can be used again soon. An important additional use is ironing. When the steam pressure reaches 4 bar, it can even penetrate multi-layered or heavy materials and iron them smooth.