What is steam?
Steam is completely natural. Quite simply, it’s good old H2O -  heated and pressurized to a high enough temperature and pressure to vaporize the water. When steam reaches a temperature of 175 degrees F, it’s hot enough for you to kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Steam is natural. Steam is green. Steam is power.

What is steam cleaning?
Steam cleaning is a great and effective way of cleaning and removing dirt and stains; and kill bacteria, mold, viruses, dust mites, and spores. Our Steamfast and McCulloch steam cleaners sanitize and disinfect, without the use of harmful chemicals. Good for you, and good your family and pets.

What can steam do for me and my family?
Our steam cleaners are the perfect household cleaning tools for allergy sufferers and all those wanting a clean and healthy home environment, without using chemicals. Steam cleaning uses just plain water. You get the peace of mind knowing you are using a natural source to keep your home free of germs.

How do steam cleaners work?
The steam cleaner works like a pressure cooker pot. When water in a steam cleaner heats up, it boils and converts to steam. This change of state increases water’s volume by about 1,600 times. This huge volume increase generates a tremendous amount of pressure wanting to escape. A steam cleaner lets steam release as a very hot gas through a tiny hole of a nozzle. It comes out under pressure - blasting dirt and micro-organisms of all kinds.

When this high pressure steam hits a grimy surface it expands, explosively loosening dirt, grease and grime, and dissolves them in a small amount of steam that liquefies on the surface. Then, all you have to do is to wipe with a cloth, and you have a germ and dirt-free surface.

Another big advantage of steam is that you can reach places that your brush or sponge can’t.

Does steam really kill germs?
You bet it does. Besides its amazing cleaning power and efficiency, steam cleaning also kills bacteria, viruses, molds and other micro-organisms.

How does steam kill germs?
To sanitize, aim the steam at the surface to reach a minimum of 175ºF for a minimum of five seconds at a close range.  The temperature of the steam at ½ inch from the nozzle of Steamfast steam cleaners is actually much higher- more like 220ºF.

Yes, but can you prove it?
In our independent lab tests against a leading household countertop cleaner, Steamfast was almost twice as effective at eliminating bacteria and other microorganisms (kill rate of 65% versus 36%).  Against a leading toilet bowl cleaner, Steamfast again outperformed the leading brand (kill rate 97% versus 85%).  In both instances the lab noted that longer exposure to steam heat results in higher kill rates.

The lab further noted: “Scientific literature also indicates that steam heat is effective in the removal of bacterial biofilms.

What are biofilms?
They’re organic adhesives and microbial cells that build up on your surfaces where bacteria have attached and colonized.”  Chemical cleaners, while killing bacteria do not always remove the biofilms.   In addition, the lab noted: “…that unlike the (chemically) treated surface, the (Steamfast treated surface) did not require a rinsing.  Improper or inadequate rinsing of the (chemical) product from a surface could transfer chemicals and odors to anything that subsequently contacts the treated surface.”  Now what do you think?

Do you realize that you may have a million or more dust mites thriving on your bed? They cause allergies and make life miserable. As we said, you can kill nasty dust mites and control their population from multiplying with a McCulloch or Steamfast steam cleaner. Instead of using chemicals to destroy these pests, Steamfast uses water heated to temperatures of 140 degrees F is to kill these critters.

You’ll get rid of more dust mite allergens with regular steam cleaning and vacuuming of mattresses, bed clothing, carpets and upholstery. (in case you are into studies on this subject: a study conducted by M.J. Colioff et. al. [Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 1995, volume 25, 1061-1066] concluded that the best way to reduce the dust mites is to combine steam cleaning with vacuuming.)

A practical way of eliminating dust mites is to use one of our Steamfast or McCulloch steam cleaners - and then vacuum up their remains before they can affect you again. Their droppings and carcasses are allergy-causing as well.

Tell me about bed bugs.
Another real nuisance. Have you ever stayed at a hotel, on a cruise ship, or at someone else’s place, and attracted bed bugs with the bonus of taking them home with you? Steam also kills these travelers. Wash your clothes AND steam your mattress, luggage and other things that may have attracted these alien beings.

Can steam kill molds?
Steam cleaners are effective in killing of surface mold spores in bathrooms, basements, window encasements, other damp areas where they flourish. Remember though, steam will not necessarily eliminate mold ingrained in drywall.

Has Steamfast been endorsed by anyone special?
In 2003, the California Certified Environmental Appraisers Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (EPA) certified that that Top Innovations, Inc. (Steamfast brand steam cleaner) Model SF-275, “was proven under field conditions to effectively destroy Micro-Organisms, Toxic Bacteria, Mold Spores, and Fungal Growth.”

Steam under less pressure works really well in getting rid of those unsightly wrinkles. Our Steamfast fabric steamers refresh your clothing and other fabrics. You can also refresh and remove wrinkles from your curtains, upholstery and your delicate fabrics faster and easier with a fabric steamer.

Steamfast is also very effective in removing wrinkles from the newest delicate organic fabrics, such as the biodegradable ingeo (corn), bamboo, seaweed and other organic fabrics. Linda Loudermilk studio in Los Angeles (www.lindaloudermilk.com) used our Steamfast fabric steamers to refresh their organic fabrics when ironing destroyed the delicate earth-friendly materials.

Will using a fabric steamer save money over dry cleaning?
Steam is a great improvement over the ubiquitous iron. One, because people can reduce their trips to the dry cleaners – saving money and two, reducing the use of harmful chemicals that dry cleaners use on your clothing.

There are many other applications for our McCulloch and Steamfast steam cleaners in the specific use of wallpaper stripping, car and boat detailing, cleaning vents, stove-tops and oven interiors, kitchen drains, BBQ grills, inside the microwave and refrigerator. Steam cleaning is ideal for toys and pet area cleaning because it is pure steam – no chemicals. You can also use a steam cleaner to sanitize tooth brushes and other personal use items around your home.

Not too long ago, the Wall Street Journal rated the Steamfast model SF-465 Professional Garment Steamer as Best Overall - over several other national brands. Our Steamfast brand is the only fabric and steam cleaner line to carry the Good Housekeeping Seal on many of our models.

In April, 2007, Good Housekeeping rated our Steamfast Multi-Purpose Steam Mop as Best over the Conair Lysol steam mop and the Reliable Steamboy steam mop, and featured the report in its April issue, sending video clips to 117 television stations across the country.

Create your own uses for steam

Okay, now it’s time to come clean with you . While steam cleaners have many advantages and uses for the typical household, we challenge you to use your own creativity in even more uses of steam. Here are some hints to get you started:

• Helps kill germs and bacteria.
• Killing of mold spores in bathrooms, basements, window encasements, and other damp areas where mold spores flourish.
• Steam cleaning clothes gets rid of both toxic dry cleaning fluids, and wrinkles.
• Disinfects and cleans cat litter box, and pet odor laden areas.  Cleaning of bird-cages.
• Detail car interiors- upholstery, carpet, infant seats, engine, wheels (do not use on body work).  You can also degrease the car engine, car tools without solvents or toxic fumes. Brake dust can also be removed from car wheels.
• Vinyl tile, marble tile, smooth concrete quarry tile for dirt and wax removal and grout cleaning.
• Polish silverware and brass.
• Children's toys - kill germs and remove dirt without exposing your child to any chemicals
• Carpets.
• Stripping wallpaper.
• Cleaning of soiled paint-work, useful in washing down a large area of grimy wall.
• Vents, returns and ductwork entries, which often accumulate tremendous dirt, pet hair, dust and allergens.
• Sliding glass door floor sliders for French doors or windows.
• Golf club cleaning.  It just whisks off the dirt.
• Kitchen: the baked on grime and grease of stove-tops and oven hoods and interiors.  The cleaning and interior of microwaves.  The accumulated hardened spilled foods and mildew at the bottom of refrigerators.  The dust, grime, and pet hair, on the underside of your refrigerator. Grimy bottoms of household pots and pans. Sanitizing of kitchen drains.
• BBQ grill cleaning. Using a wire brush and, with vapor steam, clean the crud from the grill rack.
• Restaurant grills, ovens and other surfaces
• Hospitals who are concerned with maintaining a clean germ and virus free environment.  The sanitation applications in a hospital environment are endless.
• Bathroom and kitchen sinks, faucets.
• Cleaning of bathroom tiles, floors, bath surrounds, toilet interiors, shower curtains, shower stall doors.  All the areas of the bathroom which harbor bacteria, germs, viruses, mold and odors.  Your bathroom will smell fresh and be completely sanitized.  Vapor steam cleaning is very effective in bathrooms.
• Wood paneling or decks, outdoor furniture, especially useful for not only the cleaning of dirt, but for mold removal.
• RVs and decks and trim of boats.
• Metal Venetian blind cleaning.   Just steam and wipe.
• Mirrors and windows.
• Freshen up and sanitize children's stuffed animals.  Complete sanitation of the children's nursery.
• Jewelry.  Sparkle and shine in moments.
• Garage floors.
• Swimming pool and sauna tile.