- Please email questions: chris@ussteam.net
What we know about Steam and COVID-19.
Steam has been tested on the COVID Sars-CoV-2 virus and we are waiting results. (8.16.21)
***Unfortunately, the best way to kill COVID-19 is unknown but we do know COVID-19 Virus can survive on surfaces for 1-3 days, depending on the type material (https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973). We know that the Sars-CoV-2 has many similar characteristics to the Sars-CoV-1.
The World Health Organization publication stated the Sars-CoV-1 virus went “inactive” at 132°F. (https://www.who.int/csr/sars/survival_2003_05_04/en/). US STEAM® commercial steam cleaners produce steam with temperatures of 300ºF in the boiler and provide a cleaning temperature of 250ºF.
How to Clean Hard Surfaces and High Touch Areas.
All pathogens can survive on surfaces under a thin layer of protection called a “BioFilm”. To attack and remove the pathogens, the biofilm needs to be “broken”. Soap is the best and easiest way to breakdown a Biofilm. Soap attacks the lipids (fats) found in its cellular matrix giving exposure the pathogen.
Once the pathogen is exposed, it must be deactivated and stop the spread of transmission. The CDC recommends a list of EPA approved chemicals capable deactivating viruses. High pressure steam is also proven capable of penetrating and deactivating the pathogens. As an example, hospitals use steam autoclaves for sterilization of their surgical instruments.
Our recommendation is to have a cleaning routine where high-touch areas are cleaned and steamed daily. Kitchens, bathrooms, conference rooms, shared cubicles are all high-risk areas. Spray these surface area with soap to expose any surface pathogen and attack with steam. This keeps your house or office sanitized, increasing the chances of slowing down the spread of the virus.
Where can coronavirus live?
- Countertops
- Tabletops
- Doorknobs
- Bathroom fixtures
- Toilets
- Handrails
- Cardboard boxes
- Steel appliances
***The CDC posted a list of products with an EPA rating, known to deactivate the coronavirus when administered correctly. (CDC LIST) You MUST CLEAN ALL SURFACES WITH SOAP AND WATER and then following the manufacturer’s instructions for disinfecting. All disinfectants have a mandatory dwell time. Some as short as 1 minute and others, up to 10 minutes. Dwell time is how long the chemical must sit on a surface to kill or deactivate the virus.
