Thermal disinfection

The efficiency of thermal disinfection with hot water steam is based on a simple principle. While viruses, bacteria, yeasts and other pathogens survive without difficulty for a long time on surfaces such as metal, stone, wood, ceramic, plastic or paper and can remain infectious, they are extremely sensitive in reacting to high temperatures.

Steam cleaners and steam vacuum cleaners from Kärcher produce hot water steam, which escapes from the nozzle at 100 °C and higher under high pressure. With this, even extremely short contact times are sufficient to reliably kill or inactivate bacteria and viruses. So an independent laboratory was able to prove that, with a slow traversing speed of 30 cm a second, bacteria and viruses are disinfected – for bacteria by 99.999%*, for viruses by 99.99%**.

Thermal sanitation with hot steam therefore proves itself to be a reliable and easily applicable means of inactivation or killing of micro-organisms without the aid of chemical disinfectants. Hot steam can also effortlessly penetrate into difficult-to-access points, such as crevices or joints, and clean these thoroughly. Only coarse dirt should be removed in advance, as germs could be hiding underneath.

Thermal disinfection with steam cleaners and steam vacuum cleaners is not only extremely effective, but will also impress you with its extremely easy application. As only water is required for sanitation with steam and there is no need for chemical additives, this kind of routine disinfection is especially suitable anywhere where the focus is on food, such as

• in food processing and the food industry
• in the hotel and restaurant trade, in canteens and industrial kitchens
• in supermarkets for freezers, deli counters or shelves

Chemical-free sanitation is also extremely well suited to smaller to medium-sized surfaces in kitchens, sanitary facilities and changing rooms, such as

• in hospitals, care homes and retirement homes, doctor's practices, schools and nurseries
• in sports facilities and in the wellness sector

Sanitation of plastics for vehicle interior cleaning is also possible.

An independent laboratory* confirms: even at 65 °C and a contact time of under a minute, hot water high-pressure cleaners from Kärcher effectively remove enveloped viruses such as coronavirus from contaminated surfaces – from 75 °C, non-enveloped viruses are also effectively reduced and inactivated.

Particularly spray lances from Kärcher that were originally developed for weed control, such as spray lances WR 10, WR 20, WR 50 and WR 100, are suitable for dispensing the hot water. As these also allow applications without pressure, splash-free disinfection can also be realised without a problem on large surfaces and in outside areas.

For this, the lance and appropriate nozzle are simply connected to the hot water high-pressure cleaner and the water temperature set to maximum so that the water escapes the boiler outlet at approx. 90–98 °C.

Finally, the surface to be disinfected must be treated with slow movements.

* Effective against enveloped viruses and adenoviruses, rotaviruses and noroviruses (limited virucidal PLUS according to RKI).

Everywhere where the use of chemical cleaning agents and disinfectants is not desired or is forbidden for reasons of environmental protection, disinfection measures with hot water high-pressure cleaners from Kärcher are a reliable alternative. Possible areas of application on large surfaces in inside and outside areas are, for example, train stations and stops, playgrounds and park benches, stadiums and swimming pools, or in the hotel and restaurant trade, on campsites and on cruise ships. Can also be used in agriculture to combat bird flu and African swine fever.