Members of the CLEANpHIRST™ team are dedicated to helping you create the cleanest environment in which you live. Our goal is for our products and cleaning information to minimize the health risks posed by unwelcome allergens, bacteria, germs and viruses in your home, school, workplace or other location by equipping you with first-in-category cleaning solutions.
Six Steps To Protect Against The Spread Of Norovirus
Norovirus is the second most frequent cause of illness after the common cold. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and occur between 24 and 48 hours after exposure. Norovirus can be life-threatening for the elderly and immunocompromised.
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has six simple steps to protect families against noroviruses. These include:
Step 1. Practice Proper Hand Hygiene
Frequent hand washing is always the best defense. This includes washing hands for at least 15 seconds (sing the happy birthday song twice) or using hand sanitizers like CLEANpHIRST™ Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer, which has a 99.999% kill rate; – rubbing until hands are dry.
Step 2. Clean with CLEANpHIRST™
If you’ve had the bug, use CLEANpHIRST™ Decon 3D to disinfect all surfaces. Wear disposable gloves, and don’t forget to maintain frequently used surfaces like door knobs and light switches with CLEANpHIRST™ Ultra Clean. After cleaning, dispose of or sanitize cloths in hot water and CLEANpHIRST™ Decon 3D.
Step 3. Food and Water Safety
Avoid joining an estimated 9.2 million cases of foodborne norovirus infections each year by preventing food contamination. Always wash raw food before eating, and don’t eat food prepared by someone who is ill until 2-3 days after symptoms have cleared.
Step 4. Don’t Air Your Dirty Laundry
Direct contact with a sick person is not required to contaminate soft surfaces. The norovirus can spread from a contaminated pillowcase to a clean towel in a pile of laundry. To disinfect laundry, wash with hot water and CLEANpHIRST™ Laundry Detergent, then dry on “high.” Add CLEANpHIRST™ Decon 3D to your wash for more heavily soiled items.
Step 5. Contain Outbreaks
Immediately quarantine those who are sick. Don’t forget to disinfect everything with CLEANpHIRST™ Decon 3D, and wear protective gloves while cleaning.
Step 6. Prevent Outbreaks
Don’t wait for an outbreak to occur to clean up. Ward off norovirus by maintaining a clean household and regularly disinfecting surfaces with CLEANpHIRST™ products.
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More than 200 known diseases are transmitted through food. In the United States alone, an estimated 6 million to 81 million illnesses and up 9,000 deaths are caused by food borne diseases each year.
Salmonella
Keeping the kitchen clean with CLEANpHIRST™ products is a simple, yet effective way, of preventing several cases of food borne illness. CLEANpHIRST™ products are 99.99999% more effective than bleach. Here are some easy steps you can take to make your kitchen a safe and happy area of your home.
Step 1
It is easier to clean a kitchen when you do not have to fight your way through it. Toss out or give away any gadgets and appliances you no longer use. Store small appliances in cupboards and cabinets. Display only a few decorations on your countertops. Keeping the extra surfaces to a minimum will provide less breeding ground for bacteria.
Step 2
Clean out your refrigerator on a regular basis. The easiest time to do this is before you do your weekly grocery shopping. Discard any food that shows signs of spoilage. Wipe down the shelves and door using CLEANpHIRST™ Ultra Clean.
Step 3
Use CLEANpHIRST™ Ultra Clean to clean up any spills on your stovetop each time you cook. If you have used the oven, wipe the surfaces and racks after the interior has cooled. It is easier to remove drips and grease from the oven as they happen. Remember to wipe down your stove hood and filter with CLEANpHIRST™ Decon 3D to remove grease and splatters after each use, as well.
Step 4
Wipe out your microwave after each use. Use a damp dishcloth that has been soaked in hot, soapy water. Use a little bit of baking soda to remove stubborn food sticking to the sides. If there are strong odors lingering in your microwave, put a couple slices of lemon or some vinegar in a bowl of water and heat it on high for 2-3 minutes to freshen the interior, and then wipe out it out once more.
Step 5
The work surfaces are the most dangerous areas in the kitchen. Food, utensils and hands come directly in contact with these surfaces several times per day. Wipe down the work areas of your countertops before and after using them. Use hot, soapy water or CLEANpHIRST™ Ultra Clean to clean your countertops. Remove everything from the countertops and wash the entire surface once per week. Allow the counters to air dry. Wipe the surfaces of any appliances kept on the countertop as you put them back into place.
Step 6
Wash dishes as you use them. Do not let dirty dishes sit out on the counter. Bacteria and mold grows quickly on dirty dishes, especially in warm temperatures. Dirty dishes attract flies and other insects, as well as rodents. Wash dishes by hand or put them in the dishwasher each time you eat or prepare food.
Step 7
Change your dishtowel and sponge daily. Bacteria can survive for weeks in a wet dishcloth or sponge. It is therefore important to change your dishcloth, dishtowels and sponges on a daily basis. Use one dishcloth or sponge for cleaning the counters and another for washing the dishes. Use disposable paper towels when cleaning up spilled fluids from raw meat. If you plan to use a single dishcloth throughout the day, let it soak in a little water that has a few drops of CLEANpHIRST™ 3D added to it between uses.
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A carpet cleaning solution that kills odors and removes stains is something that we have all searched for...
We have heard all of the suggestions from all of the sources: Infomercials, friends, and retailers. The truth is there is no perfect or best carpet cleaning solution for every situation. We have developed the best carpet cleaning solution for killing germs and eliminating odors. The reason we can't tackle stains in the same solution is that stains vary in their chemical make up.
DepHyze™ Carpet Cleaner provides 100 percent biological and chemical odor negation (i.e., true chemical neutralization instead of simply masking odors). A two-part liquid, it is extremely effective at neutralizing tough odors in carpet caused by mold, mildew and pets as well as smoke from fire, cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Rather than simply masking fire, cigarette, and other tobacco smoke odors for short periods of time, DepHyze™ Carpet Cleaner neutralizes odors immediately and permanently and can be used along with DepHyze™ Decon 3D aerosol (airborne odor removal) to leave your car and entire home (carpets, furniture, drapes, etc.) free of both unpleasant odors and harmful pollutants found in second-hand smoke. Even long-standing, embedded odors don’t stand a chance!
In a typical upright carpet cleaning machine, 12 ounces of DepHyze carpet cleaning mixture will clean approximately 1,000 sq. ft. of carpet. Actual coverage will vary depending on the soil load, type of carpet and the type of machine being used.
Best Carpet Cleaning Solutions For Stain Removal
Here are some tips for stain removal. The best method may be to try experimenting for a while. Do not try more radical methods first though. Your carpet is a big investment and to ruin it in an attempt to save a couple bucks would be a real shame.
Ammonia
Ammonia is the all purpose cleaner. You will probably find that no matter what you are cleaning someone somewhere will suggest ammonia. This isn’t bad advice really. Ammonia can be a great cleaner, as long as you use it sparingly and you take precautions. For instance, be sure to open all of the windows when you are cleaning. Also, be sure that your pets aren’t exposed to the solution. It could disrupt their…housetraining.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is probably your best bet. If you want to save money, save the environment and get rid of odors and stains, use baking soda when carpet cleaning. Sprinkle the baking soda on the carpet and mist the area with hot water. If it's a really tough stain or odor, apply a lot of baking soda and scrub with a stiff brush. Leave the baking soda on to soak and work it's magic, then vacuum it. Rinse the area with water and use the wet vacuum to drink up the water.
Elbow Grease
The problem that most people encounter when they have a carpet is that they only clean it once a year so they have no choice but to rent a carpet cleaner. However, a mixture of ammonia and water, with a little vinegar can make all the difference if you clean it once a month. Most of us have better things to do with out time, even doing this once a season will go a long way to keeping your carpet looking new.
Club Soda and Salt for Stain Removal
This is the tried and true, old wives tale carpet cleaning solution that has rendered the best result over the years. It is cheap and safe and it works. All you have to so crush some salt into the stain and add club soda. Come back in an hour and vacuum, then rinse and your stain will be gone!
Bonnet (Dry Cleaning)
Again, this is not dry cleaning in its most strict sense. Often this is a cleaning product that is mixed in with carbonated water (club soda does it again). This mixture is then deposited onto the carpet in the form of a light spray of a mist. After this a round buffer is then used to scrub the carpet in a rotating fashion. The cleaning mixture and the carbonation work in tandem to lift of particles.
The only real drawback to this method is that it often takes a long time to clean and that it usually only cleans the top one third of the carpet. This is perfect if the carpet has no sentimental value, and you are just looking for a quick cleaning solution. However, if you want to get down to those smells and deep down grime you are going to need to find another solution.
Clothing Detergent
One carpet cleaning solution, and this one is my favorite, is using simple laundry detergent. When you think about it, if it can get wine and bile out of a tuxedo, it can get spaghetti sauce out of your carpet. It also smells nice. Just watch out for static cling!
Water
Yeah sometimes water is all you need. Do not be surprised if all it takes to remove a stain is water. This of course depends on the stain. For instance you will never get grease or oil out of a carpet with water. If the offending stain is organic in nature, like say grass, water will get right to the satin and remove it.
The ConsumerMan at MSNBC has a stinky laundry problem and we have the solution...
When you buy a new washing machine, you don’t expect it to stink up your house. But that seems to be a common problem for people who own high-efficiency front-loading washers.
Rae Lembersky of Seattle likes her front-loader. It saves water and electricity and gets the family’s clothes clean. But she hated the smell.
"Imagine that you're in one of those movies where there's a swamp monster and it's that kind of swampy, musty, sort of yucky smell."
Lembersky could see what was causing the stink. She found “black, gooey, slimy stuff” growing inside the rubber gasket which goes around the glass window on the washer door. That was quite a surprise because she regularly cleans the machine and runs loads with bleach and hot water.
“It just gives me the willies,” she says. “I don't like the thought of mold in my washer.”
Desperate for relief, she hired technician Scott Wiseman to remove and replace the disgusting rubber gasket. Once he took the washer apart, Wiseman found mold inside the machine, too. The job cost $300.
“It’s a very common problem,” Wiseman tells me. “I get calls about this all the time.”
In fact, there are over 200 comments on Herb Weisbaum's story on stinky laundry machines.
DepHyze™ Laundry Detergent is an extremely-safe, non-toxic and ultra-powerful chemical decontaminant, antimicrobial disinfectant, and moldicide available in a liquid formulation for disinfection, decontamination, demolding and mold prevention in industrial and consumer laundry machines. This means no stinky laundry room, machine or clothes!
Use 1 oz of each Part I and Part II (2 oz. total) for each load in a residential washing machine, each Pack contains enough detergent for 30-32 loads.
While we encourage you to use the laundry detergent with every wash cycle, it is not necessary. The detergent will build “zones of protection” on the textiles that inhibit the growth of micro-organisms that should last through 2-3 wash cycles of your regular detergent. Sports uniforms and other workout clothes that can trap odor causing bacteria from sweat, might need to be treated more often.
As a result of an unprecedented Log 5 efficacy (99.999 percent), medical, veterinary and laundry facilities no longer need to use less effective products that require hot water to kill germs and bacteria; instead, they can use DepHyze™ Laundry Detergent to wash hospital gowns, scrubs, sheets, uniforms, aprons, etc., without the assistance of heat and, thereby, reduce energy consumption and lower energy bills.
If you are looking for germ killing products, you come to the right place...
BE CLEANpHIRST & Get The World's Most Effective Germ Killing Products!
Here at CLEANpHIRST, we don't just make things shiny... WE MAKE THEM CLEAN FIRST! Those of you interested in germ killing know that just because something looks clean, it doesn't mean that it is. We have a redefined the meaning of "clean" with new cleaning technology and germ killing products that obliterate up to 99.99999% of illness causing germs.
We have designed a cleaning system based on the recontamination cycle to continuously keep you protected from germs in your surroundings
CLEANpHIRST can train you or your custodial staff to eradicate highly contagious germs and viruses such as MRSA Staph, Norovirus, Influenza A, and H1N1 Swine Flu with unprecedented safety and unmatched results (99.99999%).
Using our 3-step cleaning process will safely leave a residual germ killing effect to reduce contamination and labor.
1. Use DepHyze Decon 3D, the world's safest and most powerful anti-microbial, disinfectant agent that eradicates microbes to Log 7 (99.99999%) efficacy by fogging common areas.
2.DepHyze Ultra Clean is used daily like a multi-purpose cleaner to disinfect and reduce recontamination and labor costs.
3. Our Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer is a powerful antiseptic and reduces your liability of the use of alcohol-based products, that are both flammable and could potentially be ingested by children (intentionally and unintentionally). It is also better for the skin and kills more germs than alcohol at 99.999%.
10 Best Ways to Prevent Flu Symptoms Without Vaccines
Nobody wants to get the flu and have to endure the pain and discomfort of its symptoms. So, out of fear, every time the 'flu season' comes around, many people do not need to be persuaded to get a seasonal flu shot. Of course, there is no guarantee that getting a flu shot will prevent the symptoms, but you always hope for the best and feel safer after getting the vaccine.
Here are some alternative preventive measures to take as a defense against the flu, rather than take the risk of getting a vaccine with possible side effects:
1. Dress Warm
Dressing warm is obvious and makes sense, especially in colder climates. Shivering and tension from cold decreases circulation in your body and reduces your chances of keeping away cold and flu viruses.
2. Avoid Stress
Stress in any form should be avoided at all times but especially when there is a higher risk of catching colds and flu viruses, such as during cold, winter months.
3. Prevent Contact
Making direct contact with a virus is something you don't want to do. Here are some suggestions: a) Wash your hands frequently. b) After using a public bathroom, wash your hands and use a paper towel on door handles instead of your bare hands. c) Do not touch surfaces in public areas with your bare hands. d) Wear a mask in high density areas, medical clinics, hospitals and other public places where there is a high risk of contacting viruses. e) Remember, out of respect for others, to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. f) In the home, disinfect air, clothes and bedding, and carpet.
4. Maintain a Good Diet
Maintain a balanced, healthy diet. Do not deprive your body of vital energy by eating too little, especially during the colder months of the year. a) Consume -- Garlic -- I know it can keep away people, it just might work to keep away viruses! b) Avoid -- Sugar -- eaten in moderation is not a problem, but excessive amounts of sugar in your diet has been shown to lower immunity.
5. Relax
Do not underestimate the value of relaxation. Set aside at least 30 minutes a day to consciously relax the whole body, especially the neck area.
6. Take Food Supplements
If your diet consists mostly of foods that are lacking in nutritional value, with little or no vitamin and mineral content, I suggest taking supplements such as vitamin C, multi-vitamins, mineral drinks, herbal teas etc.
7. Avoid Physical Exhaustion
Being in a state of exhaustion invites being smitten with flu viruses. Avoid fatigue, get enough sleep and take care when exercising.
8. Use Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer
Our Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer is a powerful antiseptic and reduces your liability of the use of alcohol-based products, that are both flammable and could potentially be ingested by children (intentionally and unintentionally). It is also better for the skin and kills more germs than alcohol at 99.999%.
9. Use Effective Cleaning Products
DepHyze Ultra Clean is used daily like a multi-purpose cleaner to disinfect and reduce recontamination.
10. Decontaminate Infected Surroundings
Use DepHyze Decon 3D, the world's safest and most powerful anti-microbial, disinfectant agent that eradicates microbes to Log 7 (99.99999%) efficacy by fogging common areas.
Take the above measures seriously and you will be less susceptible to cold and flu viruses.
Fearing a H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine, and Wanting More of It
By PERRI KLASS, M.D. Published: November 9, 2009
When I tell nonmedical friends that our clinic is vaccinating children against the H1N1 flu virus, here is what they say:
With about half, it is something like: “Oh, my God, our doctor doesn’t have it! Can you get me a dose?” And with the other half, it is something like, “Oh, my God, that brand-new vaccine — do you really think it’s safe?”
There is a peculiar duality in the collective cultural mind just now, a kind of pandemic doublethink. Other doctors I know are all eagerly having their own children immunized. Many are answering frantic calls from people desperate for the vaccine. But at the same time, we are all coming up against parents who are determined to refuse that same vaccine.
Serious cases of this flu are relatively rare but far from unheard of; more than 100 children have died of H1N1. The deaths seem to occur disproportionately in children and pregnant women.
So we give the H1N1 vaccine to children whose parents are almost tearfully afraid of the virus, and we try to win over those parents who are just as tearfully afraid of the vaccine. To them, we explain over and over that in fact this is not a brand-new vaccine — it is made with the same techniques as the seasonal influenza vaccine. Yes, it has been tested. Yes, it’s safe. Yes, it’s effective.
The divided public mood about H1N1 — fear of vaccine and fear that there won’t be enough of it — reminds Dr. Offit of a joke Woody Allen tells in “Annie Hall.” One woman complains that the food at a Catskills resort is terrible, and her friend agrees: “And such small portions!”
So yes, I’m scared. I worry about H1N1 when a young child with cough and fever shows up; I worry about not being able to pick out that healthy child who may go on to get very sick, very fast. That is your basic pediatric nightmare: How do we judge which children are likely to get better and which few may get much sicker, and even die? That is why I find myself trying to offer parents exactly what I want for my own children: vaccine, protection, immunity.
In the clinic, we advise parents to have their children immunized, especially those with asthma or other chronic problems. “People all over the city are begging for this vaccine,” I heard another doctor tell a mother. “We’re incredibly lucky that we have it.”
If you refuse the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine, please use cleaning products and hand sanitizer that protect you against the spread of the virus. You can also decontaminate infected areas, rooms, schools and offices.
You may scrub your toilet and countertops until they shine, but these top 10 germ breeding grounds require just as much attention.
Germs (the catchall name for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms) are everywhere -- at home, in the office, even in your car. Luckily, about 99% of them can't harm us. But the other 1% can be annoying, uncomfortable, or downright scary: Most of these pathogens are either viral or bacterial and can cause everything from a runny nose to a potentially life-threatening infection.
You may think you know the obvious places that germs propagate -- the doctor's office, the soles of your shoes -- but many more germ-friendly locales are completely unexpected yet no less dangerous.
We uncovered a host of surprising new spots where germs like to lurk, and offer easy solutions to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
1. Kitchen Faucet
That metal aeration screen at the end of the faucet is a total germ magnet. Running water keeps the screen moist, an ideal condition for bacteria growth. Because tap water is far from sterile, if you accidentally touch the screen with dirty fingers or food, bacteria can grow on the faucet, explains microbiologist Kelly Reynolds, PhD, an associate professor of community environment and policy at the University of Arizona College of Public Health. Over time, bacteria build up and form a wall of pathogens called biofilm that sticks to the screen. "Eventually, that biofilm may even be big enough to break off and get onto your food or dishes," she notes.
Keep It Clean: Once a week, remove the screen and soak it in a decontamination solution or effective all purpose cleaner -- follow the directions on the label. Replace the screen, and let the water run a few minutes before using.
2. Garbage Disposal
Bacteria from last night’s dinner could end up on today’s food and utensils if you’re not careful. That raw chicken or spinach you're rinsing for dinner is often loaded with harmful bacteria, which can make the young, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system seriously ill. In fact, there are often more than 500,000 bacteria in the kitchen sink--about 1,000 times more than the average toilet has. Although the metal part of the disposal produces ions that can help kill germs, they still love to grow on the crevices in and around the slimy rubber stopper. That means your disposal can become party central for bacteria, contaminating whatever touches it -- dishes, utensils, even your hands.
It serves to greet not only your guests but also all the bugs on the bottoms of their shoes. In fact, one study found that nearly 96% of shoe soles had traces of coliform, which includes fecal bacteria. "The area near your front door is one of the dirtiest in the house," says Reynolds. Once bacteria plant their stakes in your mat, anytime you walk on it, you give them a free ride into your home.
Keep It Clean: Spray the doormat once a week with a fabric-safe disinfectant. Leave shoes at the door, and avoid resting bags and groceries on the mat, too.
4. Vacuum Cleaner
It’s all in the bag—including spreadable germs. "Vacuums -- including the brushes and bags -- are like meals-on-wheels for bacteria," says Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental biology at the University of Arizona "You suck in all this bacteria and food, creating an atmosphere for growth." A recent study by Gerba and his team found that 13% of all vacuum cleaner brushes tested positive for E. coli, which means you could spread it around the house each time you use the appliance.
Keep It Clean: Change your vacuum bag frequently, and do so outdoors to avoid the cloud of bacteria that filters into the air. Vacuum bags that feature antibacterial linings are best, and are available for many major brands. Clean the cavity of a bagless vacuum with a decontaminant and let it air-dry. Using an anti-microbial germ killing carpet cleaner will also kill the germs in the vacuum as well as the carpet or floor.
5. Dish Towel
You know a sponge can harbor nasty germs, but dish towels are just as dangerous. A recent study of hundreds of homes across the United States found that about 7% of kitchen towels were contaminated with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), the difficult-to-treat staph bacteria that can cause life-threatening skin infections. Dish towels also rated tops for dangerous strains of E. coli and other bacteria. We often use towels to wipe up spills, says Reynolds, then reuse before washing them, which spreads germs.
This is your vehicle's second-most-common spot for bacteria and mold. Here’s why: When air—which carries mold spores and bacteria—gets sucked in through the vents, it's often drawn to the dashboard, where it can deposit the spores and germs. Because the dashboard receives the most sun and tends to stay warm, it's prime for growth. (The number one germ zone? Food spills.)
Keep It Clean: Regularly swipe the inside of your car with disinfecting all purpose cleaner. Be more vigilant during allergy season - about 20 million Americans are affected by asthma, which is caused in part by an allergic reaction to mold. You can also fog your car with a chemical decontaminant once a quarter while running the Air Conditioner to disinfect the entire interior of the automobile.
7. Soap Dispensers
About 25% of public restroom dispensers are contaminated by fecal bacteria. Soap that harbors bacteria may sound ironic, but that’s exactly what a recent study found. "Most of these containers are never cleaned, so bacteria grows as the soap scum builds up," says Gerba. "And the bottoms are touched by dirty hands, so there's a continuous culture going on feeding millions of bacteria."
Keep It Clean: Be sure to scrub hands thoroughly for 15 to 20 seconds with plenty of hot water -- and use an alcohol-free foam hand sanitizer after you leave the room to disinfect.
8. Restaurant Ketchup Bottle
Those condiments on the tabletop are grimier than you think. It's the rare eatery that regularly bleaches down condiment containers. And the reality is that many people don't wash their hands before eating, says Reynolds. So while you may be diligent, the guy who poured the ketchup before you may not have been, which means his germs are now on your fries.
Keep It Clean: Squirt hand sanitizer on the outside of the bottle and your hands before you grab it. Holding the bottle with a napkin won't help--they're porous, so microorganisms can walk right through, says Reynolds. Our travel size alcohol-free hand sanitizer keeps killing germs for up to 30 minutes, so one application when you sit down should protect you throughout the meal.
9. Refrigerator Seal
Do you scrub the inside of your fridge? It’s not enough. A University of Arizona survey of 160 homes in three US cities found that the seal around the fridge tested positive 83% of the time for common molds. The mold can spread every time the refrigerator door opens -- exposing anyone who's susceptible to allergies and potentially contaminating the food.
Drop your cell any place that’s convenient when you get home? Read this first. Several studies on cell phones and PDA's found that they carry tons of bacteria, including staph (which can cause skin infections), pseudomonas (eye infections), and salmonella (stomach ailments). Many electronic devices are sheathed in leather or vinyl cases, which provide plenty of creases and crevices for germs to hide.
The statistics are startling, the symptoms are unpleasant and the illness can be deadly. So what's the average person to do when it comes to preventing H1N1 swine flu? Start at home.
Approach home flu prevention like home security, but instead of keeping out burglars, take precautions to keep out germs and bacteria. Your home is one place where you can actually help stop the spread of germs that cause the seasonal flu and H1N1, known as swine flu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released information on how long the influenza virus can live on common household surfaces like countertops and doorknobs. The numbers are unsettling. The virus can live on a surface and infect people for two to eight hours. Fortunately, there are easy ways to disinfect your home and help prevent the spread of germs.
Start with common areas
Sanitizing your kitchen is one of the best ways to help prevent H1N1 at home. Kitchen counters have always been a breeding ground for germs. And with frequent snacking and hand-to-mouth activities in the kitchen, the risk of spreading bacteria increases. Wipe down counters, kitchen tables, refrigerator and dishwasher handles, and any other commonly touched areas with a strong household disinfectant.
If your family spends quality time in the living room, you'll want to spend some extra time sanitizing that area, too. Start with your TV's remote control. It's commonly known that remote controls harbor some major bacteria and are rarely cleaned. The same goes for video game remotes. While you're cleaning them, add children's toys to the list. They can be easily cleaned with the appropriate disinfectants and clean toys will help improve home safety.
Surprisingly, the bathroom is not the biggest bacteria threat to your home. The kitchen is said to have more germs, but you'll still need to clean bathrooms frequently to keep germs to a minimum. Bathtubs are full of bacteria and using Ultra Clean is the best bet for disinfecting them.
Take the same countertop approach as in the kitchen. Keep toothbrushes in separate areas. When they are all in one cup, bacteria can spread and lead to multiple family members getting sick.
Don't miss these surprising germ zones in your home
You might not guess it, but your home office could have a higher germ count than any room in the house. This popular area where the family computer is usually located can be filled with hidden spots were bacteria can thrive.
A desktop has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, according to University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba. Focus your cleaning efforts on the keyboard and mouse, which are typically the biggest germ carriers.
Once you finish scrubbing and sanitizing, take a look at all the cleaning supplies you used. Your work isn't quite over. If you're not sanitizing mops, sponges and other cleaning products after using them, you could be doing more harm than good to your home. Bacteria can live on cleaning supplies and spread through your house as you use them. Sanitize mops and sponges with Decon 3D to disinfect them.
Follow flu prevention basics
Washing hands is the number one way to prevent the spread of germs. Do it often and be thorough. If someone in your household is diagnosed with the flu or H1N1, quarantine that person to a bedroom, preferably with its own bathroom to help increase home safety. Only one person should be responsible for caring for him or her to prevent spreading the illness to other family members. Most important, those with flu symptoms should not return to school or work until 24 hours after their fever is gone.
For a complete flu prevention house cleaning kit, contact CLEANpHIRST today!
According to research performed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hand sanitizer is considered as effective at killing germs as washing your hands with soap and water, unless hands are visibly soiled. Clean hands are very important for stopping the spread of germs. Hand soap and cleansers need to not only wash away dirt and grime, but kill the germs and prevent them from spreading from one person to another.
Here’s ways on keeping your hands sanitized effectively:
When you have time, wet your hands with warm water and then lather up with soap.
Rub your hands together and scrub all the surfaces, including your palms, wrists, between your fingers, and under your nails. Rub and scrub for about 30 seconds.
Rinse and then dry your hands on a paper towel or clean cloth.
In public bathrooms, turn off the water using a paper towel to avoid getting germs on your clean hands.You can use the same towel to open the door. Door handles are great carriers of germs.
When you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, a good alternative is to use an alcohol-free hand-sanitizing foam. Alcohol-based gels will dry out your skin and lead to cracking and they are less effective than the non-alcoholic hand sanitizer.
It sounds almost too simple to be true. But, an important part of staying healthy this flu season is to wash and sanitize your hands. Try it! You won’t be sorry you did!
Alcohol-free hand sanitizers kill certain germs that are easily transmitted. Studies have shown that families who use hand sanitizer are 59% less likely to spread sickness to other members of their family who also use hand sanitizers than they are to spread it to people outside of the family who do not use hand sanitizer.
Keep a portable size hand sanitizer in your purse, diaper bag and car to make sure you have it whenever you may need it and soap and water is not available to use. How many times have you used a public restroom to find there is no soap to wash your hands with? One squirt of our hand sanitizer into the palm of your hand is enough to spread all over both hands to effectively kill 99.999% germs you may have on your hands. You do not need to rinse off the sanitizer- it dries quickly and as it does, gets rid of the germs. Our alcohol-free hand sanitizer also continues to work up to 30 minutes, compared to 4 or 5 minutes for alcohol based sanitizers.
As an added warning when purchasing hand sanitizers, it is important to check their alcohol concentration. Only alcohol-based sanitizers with a minimum of 60% ethyl alcohol, ethanol or isopropanol can effectively kill the most harmful bacteria. Also, these items should be kept away from children, since the high concentration of alcohol could result in alcohol poisoning if ingested. However, our alcohol-free hand sanitizers are strong enough for the military and safe enough for moms, but should still not be ingested. Finally, hand sanitizers are not cleaning agents. Therefore, when removing visible dirt, blood or other bodily fluids from your hands, you must wash your hands first with soap and water in order for the the sanitizer to be effective.
Here are our top 10 tips to boost your immunity, stay healthy, and prevent H1N1 Swine Flu this flu season.
1. Optimize your vitamin D level. Adequate levels of vitamin D are essential for our immune systems to function optimally. Unfortunately there are no significant dietary sources of vitamin D, most of our intake comes from exposure to sunlight. If you live far from the equator, you simply don’t get enough sun through Fall and Winter to make all the vitamin D you need. So unless you supplement during this period, your innate immunity will be compromised. vitamin D plays such a crucial role in so many aspects of your body’s functioning, that supplementing with it makes sense whether you decide to get the flu shot or not.
The current recommendations from the Food and Nutrition Board of the U.S. Institute of Medicine: from 200 to 600 IU/day depending on one’s age, are way too low. Although the current normal range is between 20 and 50ng/ml, this is much too low for optimal health. You want your level to be between 50 and 70ng/ml.
This is the most important step you can take to prevent the flu! It may require a number of months taking 5,000 to 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily (especially during winter) under a doctor’s supervision, to optimize your blood level. Monitor your 25 hydroxy vitamin D status every three months until you are in the optimal range, then cut back to a maintenance dose of at least 2,000 IU a day.
2. Get adequate sleep. This is an indispensable requirement for a strong immune system.
3. Get adequate exercise. This keeps you robust.
4. Take actions to lower your stress levels. Do breathing exercises, meditate, practice yoga, spend time doing something that makes you happy. Feeling spent, overwhelmed and or mentally run down has a causal relationship to your physical health.
5. Wash your hands frequently but not excessively. It decreases your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap because of the risk of creating resistant bacteria. Rather use a simple alcohol-free hand sanitizer.
6. Watch what you eat. Avoid sugar and processed foods as they decrease your immune function dramatically. Eat phytonutrient rich meals (lots of colorful salads and dark greens). Eat lots of garlic, it works as a broad spectrum antibiotic.
Keep a supply of antiviral herbal supplements on hand. As opposed to antiviral drugs, antiviral herbs do not cause resistant strains because they are multifaceted and contain literally thousands of different medicinal compounds. Thus they are able to attack viruses with a full spectrum of synergistic substances. Andrographis, Olive leaf extract, Grapefruit seed extract and Elderberry extract all have antiviral properties. Use one or a combination of some of them as a prophylactic measure, for example, whenever you travel (airports) or enter a potentially compromised environment such as a large office, auditorium, stadium, theater etc.
7. Take a probiotic daily (look for one with 10-20 billion organisms). A strong immune system relies heavily on having a strong foundation in the gut.
8. Keep homeopathic Oscillococcinum on hand. Take it at the earliest sign of a cold or flu as early intervention is essential. If you are exposed to someone with the flu directly, you can take one dose twice a day for two days. You can also take one vial once a week throughout the winter, and two or three times a week during flu season, as a preventative measure.
9. Clean your home and office with an effective multi-purpose cleaner. There is is an entirely new class of extremely safe, non-toxic, ultra powerful antimicrobial disinfectants and chemical decontaminants that kills bacteria, viruses, spores, molds, and fungus with unprecedented efficacy (99.999%) of common household germs that cause colds, flu, and food poisoning, and other health risks. For a safe and truly clean home, use DepHyze™ Ultra Clean All Purpose Cleaner.
10. Decontaminate the air in infected locations, rooms, ducts, and more. DepHyze™ Decon 3D is the world's most advanced antimicrobial / decontaminant. Decon 3D eradicates bacteria, viruses, spores, molds and fungus to 99.99999% and neutralizes toxic chemicals immediately, while being totally biodegradable and safe enough for household use. DepHyze™ Decon 3D offers top-to-bottom disinfection, decontamination, de-molding and mold prevention of commercial buildings and homes in an easy to use two-part formula.
Officially one week into autumn, many Americans find themselves driven to clean house before the cold of winter arrives and the holiday party season begins. Below, we offer six suggestions to make your cleaning easier and more effective:
Concentrate on your main rooms (i.e., living room, family room, entryway, guest bath);
Conduct a thorough top-to-bottom cleaning that includes vacuuming drapes, window treatments, baseboards and corners and cleaning all surfaces thoroughly;
Vacuum all carpets in your home, then treat those carpets with DepHyze™ Carpet Cleaner to ensure you not only clean your carpets effectively, but also eliminate odors in your home through 100 percent true chemical negation (not masking);
Use DepHyze™ Decon 3D, an ultra-powerful cleaner and disinfectant monthly to thoroughly clean your entire home and follow up by using DepHyze™ Ultra Clean as needed thereafter to keep most bacteria, germs, viruses, mold and mildew under control;
Use DepHyze™ Laundry Detergent to wash all machine-washable bedding, clothing and lines at least once every two to three loads; and
Stock up on Aloe Up® Alcohol-Free Foam Hand Sanitizer to ensure your family has ready access to an extremely-safe, effective, non-irritating, non-flammable and non-staining alternative to alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Embrace the steps above, and your home will be clean, safe and ready for both daily living and special holiday gatherings.
To learn more about any of the cleaning products mentioned above, click here.
First impressions are especially critical in today's economy. As a result, property owners and managers must do everything possible to enhance a property's perceived value in the eyes of prospective tenants. One way to enhance property value involves the use of two safe and effective cleaning products from CLEANpHIRST™.
Step One -- Odor is one of the biggest turnoffs a prospective tenant can encounter; therefore, cleaning all carpeted areas on your property is a must. With DepHyze™ Carpet Cleaner, you will not only clean your carpets effectively, but you'll achieve 100 percent chemical negation of odors instead of just masking them. Learn more about it here.
Step Two -- Sometimes, the most-harmful things inside a building are missed by inspectors. By treating all areas of your property with DepHyze™ Decon 3D, an ultra-powerful cleaner and disinfectant, you'll kill bacteria, germs and viruses as well as mold and mildew before they have a chance to impact any future landlord-tenant relationship. Learn more about it here.
To learn more about these and other products available from CLEANpHIRST™, click here.
Is it possible that the mother in the video above used Alcohol-Free Foam Hand Sanitizer in place of one of the leading alcohol-based brands? Seems plausible.
If you're a mom who's looking foran extremely-safe, effective, non-irritating, non-flammable and non-staining alternative to alcohol-based hand sanitizer, look no further than CLEANpHIRST™.
Right now, CLEANpHIRST™ is offering a six-month supply of Hand Sanitizer for only $30, and that includes free shipping on orders shipped to customers anywhere in the continental United States.
When you order, you’ll receive six 1.7-oz. dispensers of Hand Sanitizer, each of which provides 125 applications. That’s 750 applications in all — enough to last a mom, dad and four babies quite a while, especially when compared to similar-size dispensers (2 ounce) of the leading alcohol-based gels which provide only 39 applications.
To place an order before the babies wake from their nap, click here.
While only 1 in 10 Americans surveyed claimed to be very worried about H1N1 flu (a.k.a., “Swine Flu”), 93 percent are taking or planning to take at least one action to guard against this new flu, according to results of a recent American Red Cross poll made public in a news release this morning. Arguably the best actions Americans can take, however, is a thorough, top-to-bottom cleaning of their homes, schools, athletic facilities and workplaces using products containing DepHyze™ cleaning technology.
Available in products from CLEANpHIRST™, DepHyze™ technology was developed from a base formula originally developed at Sandia National Laboratories as a solution to the military’s need to neutralize chemical and biological weapons. Subsequent to the first Gulf War, SNL commercially licensed the formula to private-sector companies, including Aurora, Colo.-based Tionicon™.
Charlie Talley, the lead chemist for Tionicon™, was one of the first scientists to understand the potential of the base formula and conducted a decade’s worth of research to prove its capability for numerous commercial applications. Those capabilities, as offered in one of the company’s premier products, DepHyze™ Decon 3D, include the following:
Extraordinary Effectiveness – A two-part product, DepHyze™ Decon 3D has the potential to reach “7 Log” efficacy ratings — or 99.99999% kill rates against the most-potent “superbugs”. In comparison, the leading mass-marketed commercial cleaning products are limited to 3 Log (99.9%) or 4 Log (99.99%) effectiveness — vastly inferior in the world of microorganisms where reproduction rates are factored exponentially.
Residual Killing Effect – Substrates that have been cleaned with DepHyze™ Decon 3D will maintain a sterile surface for long periods and keep killing over time. For example, an interior ceiling or wall treated with DepHyze™ Decon 3D and not routinely cleaned or abraded can demonstrate residual killing ability for more than two years!
Non-toxic – Even though DepHyze™ Decon 3D is extremely powerful, it is also biodegradable and not harmful to humans or animals.
Eliminates Odors – DepHyze™ Decon 3D is 100 percent effective in eliminating foul odors, providing complete biological and chemical odor negation via true chemical neutralization instead of simply masking smells.
Easy to Use – No special equipment or training is required to use DepHyze™ Decon 3D. In fact, it can be applied in numerous ways (i.e., spray, brush, wipe, mop, mist, etc.). One gallon of the product can treat up to 2,000 square feet.
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams aired a report last night that contained a dire prediction from the Centers for Disease Control: Half of the U.S. population is likely to contract the H1N1 virus (a.k.a., “Swine Flu”). For some 30,000 to 90,000 Americans, it’s expected to be deadly, according to the report below by Robert Bazell.
Are you doing everything possible to keep your home, school, workplace or other location clean, safe and disinfected? The answer is “No” if you’re not using products from CLEANpHIRST™.
To learn more about the entirely new class of cleaning products available to help Americans combat Swine Flu and other highly-contagious bugs, click here
A new national study, conducted among 670 physicians and measuring perceptions regarding the H1N1 Swine Flu, revealed that doctors’ level of concern has steadily increased over the past month. Fortunately, CLEANpHIRST™ offers cleaning and disinfectant solutions that can help allay some Swine Flu-related fears through the effective treatment of surfaces in homes, hospitals, schools and other settings where the H1N1 virus is not welcome.
One of those products, DepHyze™ Decon 3D, was determined by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories to be highly effective at complete inactivation of the swine influenza A, H1N1 virus. Referred to in this report by its generic name, “Sandia DF200D,” DepHyze™ Decon 3D is available today from CLEANpHIRST™.
