If you are a fan of the British comedy troupe Monty Python, the title of this blog will probably spark memories of some of your favorite skits and sketches that the talented group put on.
If you are not familiar with them or simply not a fan, ignore that first sentence, and let's move on to the topic for this week's blog--something completely different.
Spring Cleaning
I know we did a post about this topic a couple of weeks ago, but it is a topic that has come more and more to mind over the past few days when temperatures have been rising, the snow has been melting and the mud has been tracking in from the outdoors almost as if on its own!
It is also important to remember that with spring come smells (like elderberries!), allergies, and the like. Cleaning and disinfecting aren't just about your home, office, church, or wherever looking and smelling good, it is about real sanitary conditions.
Most of us probably think we do a pretty good job of keeping our house looking clean (Nah, who am I kidding!) and sanitary. But really are our homes as clean and sanitary as we would like them to be?
Probably not. Probably not even close.
They might smell good even lemony-fresh, but does smell equal clean? Not really. In fact, most fragrances that we use to "freshen" up our homes, offices, etc. are actually doing more damage than actual good.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "products that contain synthetic fragrances release harmful particles into the air, called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These can cause respiratory irritation, headaches, liver and kidney damage, and even cancer."
So, yeah, your house might smell terrific but you can be doing more harm than good. In fact, the EPA lists more negative health effects.
Health effects may include: (1)
Eye, nose, and throat irritation
Headaches, loss of coordination, and nausea
Damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system
Some organics can cause cancer in animals, some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.
Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include:
conjunctival irritation
nose and throat discomfort
headache
allergic skin reaction
dyspnea
declines in serum cholinesterase levels
nausea
emesis
epistaxis
fatigue
dizziness
These don't sound like very pleasant "side-effects" for having a "fresh" smelling home or office!
Use Vital Oxide to freshen your spaces
You may be asking, "Well, what can I use that is safe?"
I'm glad you asked because Vital Oxide is the perfect solution for almost any cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting problem you could encounter.
Vital Oxide is effective on some of the most noxious odors, like cat urine. It eliminates these odors at the molecular level, not by covering them up with fragrances!
Vital Oxide is fragrance-free, bleach-free, phthalate-free, VOC-free, and allergen-free.
Some places you might not think would be causing odors in your home could be the chief culprits, including:
Your front-load washer
Your dishwasher
Your trashcan
Your bedding
Your pet's bowls
Your carpets and rugs
Vital Oxide can help remove odors by killing mold, germs, and bacteria that like to hide in these places and more. I would even add your drapes where cooking smells can gather and stink.
Safe on your ductwork and HVAC systems
If you really want to get to the bottom of some odors, you might consider using Vital Oxide in your HVAC and air ducts. (2)
These include:
• Furnaces. • Air Handlers. • Packaged units including Rooftops and Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (PTAC) units. • Fan coil units. • Air distribution components such as air handlers, mixing boxes, transfer boxes, transitions, turning vanes, dampers, fans, fan housings, and associated components. • Condensate drain pans. • Unlined sheet metal ducts. • Air supply and return ducts and plenums fabricated with plywood, OSB , or other wood-like material. • Flexible air ducts fabricated of metal or plastic. • Humidifiers. • Dehumidifiers; both Desiccant and Refrigerated. • Registers, Grills, and other air intake and discharge devices.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
• Wet the surfaces with the spray, giving special attention to cracks and crevices. • Vital Oxide will not stain any materials not stained by water. We suggest testing for compatibility on the surface of concern first. • Allow ten to twenty minutes for drying. No rinsing or wiping is required. • Following the elapsed drying time it is best practice to purge the system, by increasing the negative pressure through the outdoor exhaust or negative air machine or by turning on the vacuum used to pre-clean the HVAC system, while removing the duct openings seals. This will minimize the release of scent into the spaces served by the system.
APPLICATION TECHNIQUES
• Vital Oxide must be applied evenly to surfaces that are being treated. • Even and uniform application is essential for satisfactory results. • The procedures, equipment, and techniques described below have been tested and provide the desired results. • Other procedures, equipment, or techniques may also achieve satisfactory results.
APPLICATION FREQUENCY
Normally, infrequent application (every 3 months for HVAC Systems and every 6 months to every two years for air ducts) will provide effective control. Some critical applications such as HVAC and duct systems serving critical health care spaces or clean rooms where it is essential to minimize the generation of particulate matter that may be released as a byproduct of microbial growth may require more frequent treatment.
Do not apply more often than monthly and then only if there is evidence of re-growth. This product must only be used in those cases where visible microbial growth has been detected in the system and then only after removing that growth and identifying and correcting the conditions that led to that growth. Prior to reapplication in such cases, investigate to determine the cause of re-growth and correct that problem prior to re-application.
Also make sure the reoccurrence of microbial growth does not have another cause such as persistently high humidity, standing water, or hidden leaks.
Prior to reapplication, the interior of the ducts and other surfaces must be inspected and found to be free of accumulated soil. If soil or growth is found, the cause should be determined and corrected and then the ducts cleaned in accordance with accepted industry practice. If microbial growth persists in air ducts following application re-inspect for duct leaks, carryover of water from cooling coils or humidifiers, and other sources of moisture promoting growth. Eliminate such sources of moisture before retreating.
Conclusion
There you have it. You can make your home, workspace, office, church, school, or other gathering places smell fresher without using potentially harmful chemicals to do so.
Our 2-step process begins with completely killing any existing bacteria, viruses, and germs that are on a surface and getting in deep and eliminating those nasty odors, too!
If you want to learn more about how Vital Oxide and/or how the 2-step process can help you or if you have any questions about odor elimination, you can contact an agent near you. They will be happy to assist you.
Resources:
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality
https://vitaloxide.com/pages/hvac-and-air-ducts