Does Steam Cleaning Kill Mold?

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Your household items and surfaces could be home to mold. It is critical to clear mold before it spreads since it can endanger your family.

Steam cleaning is an effective way to kill mold. This sanitation procedure is more effective than others since it can eradicate mold in as little as twelve seconds. You can use steam cleaning on various materials and surfaces, including carpets and other fabrics.

This article discusses how steam can eradicate molds effectively. I will also explore why steam cleaning works better than other cleaning methods to eradicate mold, so read on!

Does Steam Cleaning Kill Mold?

Mold can grow both indoors and outdoors. It is a fungus that can thrive in your house’s shady, warm, and damp areas. Having it in your place is not dangerous per se, but physical contact and inhaling its pores can result in symptoms similar to an allergy

Living in moldy regions increases your propensity to respiratory diseases. Over time, you might become more sensitive to mold and present allergic reactions when exposed to the slightest concentration of mold. 

Mold also damages your house. A mold infestation can destroy drywall, ceilings, and flooring materials, including carpets. 

Steam cleaning is one effective way to kill mold. Mold dies at the temperature range of 140°F to 160°F (around 54°C to 71°C). The steam cleaner’s high temperature and pressure will quickly kill the fungi.

Steam vapor temperatures increase as the steam pressure increases. If you adjust the pressure of the steam cleaner, it will easily reach temperatures that exceed the maximum temperature tolerance of molds. 

How Long Does It Take for Steam To Kill Mold?

Other cleaning methods take a while before they can kill mold. Using steam, however, takes cleaning to another level.

Steam can kill molds as fast as 12 seconds. Given the proper machine settings, the 12-second contact time on the surface is enough for a steam vapor to eliminate more than 90% of mold spores. 

Still, this speed will depend on the surface being cleaned. If, for example, you are cleaning a tightly woven fabric, it would take extra time before the mold finally disintegrates.

Does Steam Cleaning Kill Mold in Carpet?

Carpets continue to be one of the leading choices in the floor-covering industry in the United States. These popular floor covers face one great enemy—mold. Molds grow in carpets easily if the carpets are dirty or wet, or both. 

Steam cleaning is great for killing mold in carpets. It is proven more effective than other cleaning methods, such as high-flow hot water extractor treatment and detergent with hot water extractor treatment. 

While carpets are said to last for as long as ten years, you may consider replacing your carpet once carpet shampoos can no longer remove stains and when molds start harboring the floor cover. 

That is where the beauty of steam cleaning comes, as it can completely eradicate stubborn stains and mildew in the carpet. When you consider cleaning your carpets using steam cleaners, it will immensely prolong the life of your precious carpet.

Check out this demonstration video of mold being removed with a steam cleaner.

Will Steam Get Rid of Black Mold?

There are some varieties of steam systems used in the cleaning industry. One of these is dry vapor steam cleaner which produces 5% less moisture than ordinary steam cleaners. 

Steam vapor can get rid of black mold. In addition, dry vapor steam cleaning is considered very effective in killing a variety of unwanted substances or stains like dirt, grease, and oil, as well as various microorganisms such as germs, microbes, and bacteria. 

However, you cannot ensure that your household is already free from black mold just by using steam cleaners. It is integral to know what is causing mold growth in your home.

Experienced mold technician Karl Coppen advises consulting a cleaning professional to ensure proper treatment and prevention are employed even on the sources of the black mold. Not doing so will only remove the mold for a while. This fungus will come back after some time.

Where Does the Dirt Go When You Steam Clean?

You might wonder what is next after you steam clean your home to remove dirt. Do they disperse as non-toxic molecules in the air?

In actuality, dirt does not go anywhere after steam cleaning. Steam loosens up the filth once it penetrates a piece of fabric or comes in contact with a surface. The previously unwanted substances then break down into small particles and remain on the surface. 

You can remove this loose debris by wiping them with any cloth or microfiber pad. You can also vacuum clean them if you want.

Can You Put Bleach in a Steam Cleaner?

One advantage of using a steam cleaner is that it is more environmentally friendly. It requires no additional solvent to clean a surface effectively.  As a result, steam cleaning produces less hazardous waste and harmful air pollutants than solvent degreasing. 

You cannot put bleach in a steam cleaner. Doing so is very dangerous once it becomes part of the vapor and enters your system, especially if you are cleaning a poorly ventilated area. It may irritate your eyes and throat and can cause dizziness and headaches.

Furthermore, slow heartbeat, chest pain, confusion, and possibly coma are some severe conditions one can experience if not treated immediately. It might also damage some surfaces and fabrics you want to clean. 

Lastly, it can damage the machine as much as it can damage your health because it can degrade the plastic and rubber parts of the cleaner.

Conclusion

Steam cleaning is now getting more popular in the industry as it is effective on mold. This machine uses high temperatures and pressure to kill fungi, and it has proven helpful in eliminating unwanted substances in your household materials and areas. Given the correct steam cleaner settings, it will be easy for you to sanitize your residence. 

Be careful to apply the steam to your carpets for at least 12 seconds, and use sufficiently high temperatures to kill the mold. Avoid adding bleach or other cleaning materials to the steam cleaner. 

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