When your business needs to be cleaned and sanitized, it’s important to have a professional service take care of this. If you already have a professional cleaning service, what methods do they use? If they utilize steam cleaning systems, then your business may be free of contaminants. However, if you’re not using a service that employs steam cleaning methods, you will discover that they are more effective than the current system you have in place.

Types of Contaminants in Kitchens

When you operate a kitchen, you want it to be free of hazards and contaminants. In order to ensure that the food you prepare and serve is safe, it’s necessary to be aware of these contributing factors:

• Biological contaminants
• Chemical contaminants
• Physical contaminants

To be more specific, microorganisms are a type of biological contaminant. Solvents and pest control substances are chemical contaminants, and hair, dirt, and other matter are examples of physical contaminants.

You may be aware that people can become ill from consuming contaminated foods and beverages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 1 out of 6 people in the United States becomes ill every year as a result of drinking and/or eating contaminated food products.

Furthermore, unsanitary bathrooms can also harbor germs and illnesses. As a result, 29% of the participants in a recent survey indicated that they would never return to a restaurant that had an unsanitary bathroom. The same would apply to other types of food establishments such as cafeterias.

Types of Contaminants in Hospitals

Whether they’re working, visiting, or staying in a hospital, people may encounter a variety of potential hazards. When not properly sterilized, surgical instruments alone can create life-threatening issues. So, too, can poorly cleaned surfaces, floors, linens, and other equipment. On an annual basis, the CDC reports that nearly 100,000 people die from diseases that they acquired while inside a hospital.

The Benefits of Dry Ice Blasting and Steam Cleaning

In order to properly address cleaning and sanitizing, steam cleaning is recommended. When dry ice blasting is used, for example, the delivery system provides a high-temperature and low-moisture vapor. A benefit of this is that the vapor only contains 5% to 6% water. Furthermore, this vapor is also considerably less dense than breathable air.

Steam can kill 99% of common germs and bacteria, such as E. Coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus. As a result, superheated steamers are able to clean faucet handles and paper towel dispenser handles much more effectively than traditional methods. Studies show that after steam cleaning, these fixtures had 1/10th as many germs remaining on their surfaces.

It’s also important to note that steam can effectively kill dust mites and bed bugs. This can be effective when bed bugs are in gaps as well as surfaces, including fabrics.

Another benefit to using a steam cleaning system is that it can also eliminate any chemical residues that may remain on a surface during the sanitization process. Since just 1.5 quarts of water per hour is used, this cleaning method doesn’t create the typical mess associated with traditional cleaning methods.

A Comparative Trial Study

The University of Washington’s Odegard Library decided to conduct a trial study on the difference between their existing cleaning methods and a superheated steam cleaning system. Since this library is used by up to 15,000 students every day, they wanted to ensure that their restrooms were as clean as possible.

As a result of this trial study, the University of Washington found that it took less time to clean each restroom when using a superheated steam cleaning system. Their existing program had taken 46 minutes to clean a restroom, and the superheated steam system took an average of 42.5 minutes per restroom. While this may not sounds like a significant difference, consider the frequency with which restrooms need to be cleaned in public spaces.

Keeping Your Business Clean and Sanitary

If you haven’t directly experienced the benefits of dry ice blasting or dry vapor steaming for your business, you may want to consider contacting a professional cleaning company that provides dry ice blasting and other services. Even though you may believe your existing system is effective, it’s possible that you will notice a significant difference by changing your cleaning system.