A method of operating a steam generator, the steam generator comprising: - a water container with a circumferential wall, - two separate heating devices (18, 20) on the wall of the water container, in particular on a lateral outside thereof, which are provided in different height regions separated from each other in vertical direction, one heating device being an upper heating device and the other heating device being a lower heating device, - a first temperature detection device covering a temperature detection area, which temperature detection area includes at least the area covered by the two heating devices (18, 20), preferably also an area of the water container between the two heating devices (18, 20), - a control device for monitoring and evaluating the first temperature detection device and for controlling the activation state of the two heating devices (18, 20), with the steps of: - filling the water container with water, - operating the steam generator by heating with at least one of the two heating devices (18, 20) being activated, - generating steam for operation of a steam household device and finishing steam generating after operation of the steam household device, - activating at least the lower heating device, in particular the lower heating device and the upper heating device, until the first temperature detection device detects that a pre-defined first temperature threshold (T thr) has been reached, wherein the pre-defined first temperature threshold (T thr) is between 150°C and 300°C, - deactivating one heating device (18, 20), in particular deactivating the upper heating device, - pumping off remaining water in the water container for a pre-defined first pumping duration (t 0) and activating the lower heating device until the first temperature detection device detects that the pre-defined first temperature threshold (T thr) has been reached again. - a water container with a circumferential wall, - two separate heating devices (18, 20) on the wall of the water container, in particular on a lateral outside thereof, which are provided in different height regions separated from each other in vertical direction, one heating device being an upper heating device and the other heating device being a lower heating device, - a first temperature detection device covering a temperature detection area, which temperature detection area includes at least the area covered by the two heating devices (18, 20), preferably also an area of the water container between the two heating devices (18, 20), - a control device for monitoring and evaluating the first temperature detection device and for controlling the activation state of the two heating devices (18, 20), - filling the water container with water, - operating the steam generator by heating with at least one of the two heating devices (18, 20) being activated, - generating steam for operation of a steam household device and finishing steam generating after operation of the steam household device, - activating at least the lower heating device, in particular the lower heating device and the upper heating device, until the first temperature detection device detects that a pre-defined first temperature threshold (T thr) has been reached, wherein the pre-defined first temperature threshold (T thr) is between 150°C and 300°C, - deactivating one heating device (18, 20), in particular deactivating the upper heating device, - pumping off remaining water in the water container for a pre-defined first pumping duration (t 0) and activating the lower heating device until the first temperature detection device detects that the pre-defined first temperature threshold (T thr) has been reached again.