The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is the largest institution of its kind in the United States. Founded in 1970, the UMDNJ has several campuses and encompasses more than 5.8 million square feet of space, including a 504-bed hospital in Newark. Cleaning is obviously a major task given both the size of the Newark location as well as the breadth of operations that take place within its walls – surgery, a trama center, various non-invasive treatments, teaching, food service and administration to name a few.

Portions of the hospital are more than 30 years old, and cleaning some of the older surfaces and areas can be very challenging. A number of years ago some UMDNJ personnel began to use steam vapor cleaning as an efficient and chemical-free way to clean. Steam vapor makes quick work of residue on surfaces of all types, and it also kills mold, mildew, fungus, e-coli, Norwalk virus and bacteria. The hospital’s use of this proven cleaning method continues to grow as more cleaning management personnel witness the results of steam vapor cleaning and its contribution to a greener environment for patients and staff.

Steam cleaning uses
Jane G.W. parker, Ed. D., R.E.H., is the assistant executive housekeeper and education and training coordinator for the Environmental Services Department at the UMDNJ’s Newark hospital. She advocates dry steam vapor cleaning on a variety of fronts. "We have found over time that a number of surfaces in our hospital respond well to steam cleaning," she said. "It has many advantages."

The staff under Parker’s supervision uses steam cleaning in dietary areas for cleaning kitchen equipment. Food service areas have heavy traffic and spills often occur. Steam cleaning removes greasy residue quickly and with little effort.

Restroom floors present another cleaning challenge, which is especially true given the hospital’s age. According to Parker, steam vapor efficiently removes soil and urine that has been trapped into the floor surface and porous grout.

She recommends using chemical pre-sprays in combination with steam vapor to clean surfaces with especially heavy residue, grease or dirt. The dry steam vapor opens the pores of the surface so that the chemicals can break through the layers of dirt in less time. Chemicals become much more effective when they are super heated by the dry steam vapor. New, user friendly green chemicals are used whenever possible.

The staff has also found that steam vapor is an excellent choice for cleaning the partitions of modular cubicles. The approach works well on either plastic or upholstered units, and provides a good green cleaning approach. The brush that is available on the hospital’s steam vapor equipment completes the task in a minimal amount of time and with excellent results in Parker’s opinion.

The equipment
Parker first saw steam vapor cleaning machines demonstrated at a janitorial trade show. The hospital purchased several first-generation machines during the 1990s. The dry steam vapor cleaned well but the system wasn’t user friendly, reliable or safe. The older design took 20 minutes to heat up prior to operation, and ran out of steam in about an hour. Refilling took 25 minutes, which wasted precious labor time. The equipment also broke down frequently and it was difficult to obtain parts and to repair the units. Parker, however, saw the need for and the benefits of this cleaning technology despite the operational problems. In 2001, the UMDNJ started to replace its original machines with the MondoVap 2400 vapor cleaning system.

Ken Hatem of Vapor Clean Inc. introduced Parker to the MondoVap, and today she has eight units that are used by her department’s personnel. Hatem continually monitors the hospital’s use and service needs. The hospital has not required any service calls since the MondoVaps were purchased and consumables, such as brushes, are readily available.

Unlike other vapor systems the MondoVap 2400 has a non-pressurized, non-heated water reservoir that automatically feeds the stainless steel boiler, which enables water to be added to the unit at anytime. There are no pressure caps or reset buttons to worry about. The Mondovap heats cold water to 298 degrees in six minutes. Once hot, this unique, patented system has steam available for use at all times.

The super-heated vapor efficiently sanitizes and cleans all surfaces on contact, yet cools quickly when discharged from the machine – a safety plus. The result is a non-toxic way to kill bacteria while also melting away often hard-to-remove materials such as oil or grease.

Getting the MondoVap around the hospital is efficient and easy for personnel thanks to the equipment’s storage cart. The MondoVap 2400 and all its components are stored on a three-shelf, non-rust utility service cart that includes a portable tool tote. The cart accommodates the Mondovap 2400 vapor generator, extension handle and an assortment of brushes, cleaning supplies and a 25-foot extension cord.

The future of steam cleaning
Parker reports that her staff is a strong proponent of steam vapor cleaning. The use of chemicals is substantially reduced, which contributes to a greener environment. Using fewer chemicals also helps to reduce costs, which is especially important during tight budget times.

Perhaps the best testimonial comes from Parker’s report that other departments frequently ask to borrow the MondoVap units for their own use. She says that they realize the many benefits that steam vapor cleaning provides, and that the appreciation of the equipment’s contribution to providing the cleanest environment possible is growing.

Cleaning management professionals at other medical facilities who are searching for ways to clean would be well served to follow the example of the UMDNJ where steam vapor cleaning has and continues to offer an efficient and chemical-free cleaning solution. HPN