Green Cleaning With Steam: Energy Products Articles: Eco20/20

Green Cleaning With Steam

Guest Article

We all know the importance of living a green lifestyle and every person that lives in an eco friendly manner is creating a positive impact. For those that are sitting on the fence and unsure whether they're ready to change their lifestyles, we appeal to you. The state of the earth is quickly deteriorating, and it is only a matter of time before the damage becomes irreparable. Some folks think that it is already so, but not me or the people who are trying to change the world. I'm not asking you to don a superman suit, even though I bet you'd look great ;) Rather, just take a few simple steps to reduce your negative impact on the environment.

Are chemical cleaners really all that bad? It doesn't make sense… you use them to clean! How can they be harmful? Well, that is the irony of life sometimes. Even though those detergents and cleaning solutions appear to be relatively harmless, they are far from being so. In fact, these solutions are so packed with chemicals; it's almost like having a mini chemical plant in your home!

When you use these cleaners to clean your home or yard, they are eventually washed down your pipes and some find their way down storm drains. Then, these chemicals find themselves in our waterways which lead to our rivers and eventually the sea. The long term effect of this is devastating. They pollute the ocean which causes fish and plants to die. The chemicals increase the rate of algae growth which then smothers other plants which causes them to die.

Many cleaners are also found to contain numerous carcinogens which are cancer causing agents. This puts you and your family at risk. So what can you do?

One Answer: Use Steam To Clean

One of the solutions I've found to cleaning in a chemical free manner is to use steam i.e. steam cleaners and steam mops. These products only use water (no chemical solutions) which is then heated to produce steam at very high temperatures. You then use the steam to clean a wide variety of surfaces including all types of floors, kitchen counters, bathroom surfaces, grout, outdoor furniture and more. The uses are almost limitless.

The steam is so hot that it instantly kills germs and bacteria on contact. You can even use steam cleaners to clean your carpets as it causes deeply embedded dirt to loosen which you can easily vacuum. There are two main types of steam that steam cleaners can produce (dry steam or normal wet steam). You can purchase a steamer that creates dry steam which is basically steam with very low water content. This causes the steam to evaporate almost immediately on contact and you will have almost no water residue remaining. This type of vapor cleaner is the most recommended when it comes to cleaning carpets, upholstery and wood floors.

Fortunately, steam cleaners are moderately priced and you can purchase one for as low as $40. There are many heavy duty or commercial models which cost in the hundreds and thousands. It all depends on your specific needs and cleaning desires. You can check out these steam cleaner reviews to determine the best brand and type for you.

A Recommended Model

One of our recommended models is the McCulloch MC-1275. This is a steam cleaner that will not leave you disappointed. It is rated as a heavy duty steamer and you will get the very best out of this machine. You can use it for a wide range of cleaning applications including upholstery, carpets, grills, detailing cars, patio furniture, toilets and just about anything that won't be damaged by steam. It is moderately priced at $98.54 and has a four star rating which attests to its quality.