From Contaminants to Cleanliness: Electro-Steam’s Sanitizing Solutions for Conveyor Belts

In food manufacturing, cleanliness is about more than providing quality–it’s a regulatory requirement and a cornerstone of consumer trust. Yet, one of the biggest challenges plant managers face is keeping conveyor belts free of bacteria, residues, and allergens that can compromise product quality and safety.

Electro-Steam has developed innovative dry steam solutions that simplify conveyor belt cleaning without compromising performance or damaging delicate materials. The result is a safer, more efficient sanitation process that meets high food safety standards. Below, we’ll discuss the importance of sanitation and how Electro-Steam’s portable steam sanitation solutions can be used to safely and effectively clean and sanitize conveyor belts.

The Challenge of Food Safety

Conveyor belts play a crucial role in food safety. The continuous movement of food products and packaging materials allows debris, grease, and moisture to accumulate quickly. Over time, these residues can harbor dangerous pathogens, such as Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli.

Traditional cleaning methods can be inefficient and labor-intensive. In many cases, they also create additional challenges, including:

• Water waste and runoff. Excessive water use can lead to high sanitation costs and environmental impact.
• High pressure water. Can damage delicate parts, produce overspray and harm electronics and other non-washdown areas.
• Chemical residues. Harsh cleaning agents may require multiple rinse cycles to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
• Downtime. Manual cleaning often requires halting production for extended periods, cutting into profitability.

The Electro-Steam Advantage: Hot, Dry Steam for Effective Sanitation

Electro-Steam’s portable, non-pressurized steam generators are specifically engineered to meet the demanding sanitation requirements of food and beverage operations. Unlike traditional cleaning systems, Electro-Steam uses the natural cleaning power of dry steam to sanitize surfaces, loosen residues, and eliminate bacteria without chemicals or excessive moisture.

Gentle Yet Effective Cleaning

Dry steam is produced at high temperatures and low moisture content. The absence of harsh chemicals and minimal water usage allows it to penetrate porous surfaces and remove grease, grime, microorganism and some allergens effectively and safely.

Some key benefits include:

• High sanitation levels. Steam effectively destroys harmful bacteria, viruses, and mold on contact.
• Surface protection. Innovative design prevents damage to delicate conveyor components.
• Eco-friendly operation. Reduced chemical use and minimal wastewater promote a greener facility.
• Faster turnaround. Steam cleaning results in less downtime than manual or chemical cleaning methods.

Portability and Versatility

Electro-Steam’s portable units can be easily moved between production lines, eliminating the need for fixed sanitation systems. This adaptability allows operators to target multiple contamination points throughout the facility with a single machine. CIP solutions are also available to save time between set-up and breakdown while moving between production lines.

This level of versatility makes Electro-Steam generators an essential addition to food processing plants, packaging facilities, and chemical processing environments where cleanliness directly impacts product quality and compliance. They enable quick deployment and easy integration, and are compatible with existing cleaning protocols and standard facility utilities. Electro-Steam generators also will simplify cleaning processes for maintenance staff and greatly reduce manual labor.

A Client Success Story: Meeting and Exceeding Expectations

A major food processor was looking for a more effective and less labor-intensive method for cleaning conveyor belts between production runs. Their previous approach relied on manual scrubbing, which was time-consuming and ineffective.

How Electro-Steam Delivered a Better Cleaning Process

After implementing Electro-Steam’s portable steam cleaning system, the facility saw immediate improvements in both efficiency and cleanliness. The application of dry steam loosened and removed residue from the belts easily, eliminating the need for chemical rinses and as a result greatly reduced drying time.

Key outcomes from using the portable steam cleaning system included:

• Reduced cleaning time, allowing faster changeovers between production shifts.
• Lower water and chemical usage align with the company’s sustainability goals.
• Improved inspection results, with consistent microbial reduction verified through swab testing.
• Extending equipment lifespan, as the gentle cleaning method reduced wear on belt and conveyor materials.

Partner with Electro-Steam for Industrial Sanitation Excellence

Electro-Steam has spent nearly five decades helping manufacturers maintain compliance and product integrity through advanced steam-based cleaning solutions. With a proven track record in the food, beverage, and chemical processing industries, we keep setting the standard for safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible cleaning technology.

Contact us to learn how our steam generators can improve your conveyor belt cleaning process.