The Steam Revolution
Steam generation for both engines and cleaning is not a new revolution but simply a revisit of practices long gone. After all, steam was the driving force of the Industrial Revolution that began in England over 150 years ago. The world then had coal fueled steam trains, engines, boats, tractor and steam was used extensively for cleaning of factories.
With the advent of the ever present petro-chemical era, steam machines, appliances and its achievements were gradually withdrawn from the market place and replaced with combustion and jet engines, new cleaning agents, fertilizers and pesticides. The world is now completely dominated by the need for oil to make many of the products that we have grown to depend on.
The Italians in the 1970/80s started experimenting again with electrically powered, portable steam-vapour machines for cleaning. Recognising the enormous potential of highly pressurised, low moisture content steam as an indoor and general cleaner, they were excited by the sensational results they achieved with the early prototypes. The effectiveness on difficult surfaces and the sanitizing capabilities by these highly portable steamers far exceeded their initial hopes. Steam-vapour cleaning had begun its inexorable growth as the modern, environmentally friendly cleaning alternative.
Unfortunately many of the early appliances brought to the market were cumbersome to use and unable to maintain a constant steam pressure to support effective cleaning and sanitizing. Experimentation and product development since has resulted in the evolution of the powerful, highly efficient and user friendly appliances that are available today.
The use of the modern steam appliances is widespread throughout Europe and America for domestic and commercial applications. Australians are just beginning to realise the power of steam for cleaning and pest control.
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