Steam cleaning apparatus

A steam cleaning apparatus (100) comprising:

• a water tank (10) having a first inlet (12) for water, a second inlet (14) for air, and an outlet (16), the first inlet (12) being sealable in an airtight manner;
• a first valve (20) having an inlet (22) and an outlet (24), the outlet (24) being in fluid communication with the second inlet (14) of the water tank (10), the first valve (20) being arranged to allow air to flow into the second inlet (14) of the water tank and to prevent air and water from flowing out therefrom;
• an air pump (30) having an inlet (32) in fluid communication with atmospheric air and an outlet (34) in fluid communication with the inlet (22) of the first valve (20);
• a second valve (50) having an inlet (52) and an outlet (54), the inlet (52) being in fluid communication with the outlet (16) of the water tank (10), and the outlet (54) being in fluid communication with an inlet (42) of a boiler (40), the second valve (50) being arranged to allow water above a first predetermined pressure to flow into the inlet (42) of the boiler and to prevent steam from flowing out therefrom;
• the boiler (40) being electrically powered and heating water to generate steam and having an outlet (44) for such steam;
• a steam cleaning head (60) in fluid communication with the outlet (44) of the boiler;
• and
• an on-off switch (70) having an “on” state for supplying electrical power to the air pump (30) and to the boiler (40) and an “off” state for preventing supply of electrical power to the air pump and to the boiler, when the on-off switch (70) is placed in the “on” state, the air pump (30) pumps air through the first valve (20) into the water tank (10), pressurising the water therein until the water reaches said first predetermined pressure, whereupon the water flows from the water tank (10) through the second valve (50) into the boiler (40), where the water is heated to generate steam which emerges from the steam cleaning head (60).