It's mid-summer and with the warmer temperatures, many of us look for ways to beat the heat. Read on for our top suggestions of how to beat the heat this summer. There are many ways you can dress to keep cool from your clothing choices to the hat atop your head. . . Keeping your cool is no secret if you dress for it. Cotton and light-colored clothing should top your list of clothing to keep cooler. Also wear loose-fitting clothing to allow your sweat to, well, do its job which is to cool you down. Darker colors tend to absorb heat and that won't keep you very cool even if that black leather jacket is stunning! According to an article on healthline.com, "Sunglasses are chic and functional. They prevent UV rays from scorching your corneas and will protect your eyes for many more summers to come. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, you should pick sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays." See? You can look cool and feel cool at the same time! Additionally, donning a wide-brimmed hat can be fashionable and protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun. Make sure the brim is at least 3 inches wide. Keep your sunscreen and lip balm close at hand . . . A sunburn can be a nasty customer and can even lead to skin problems and cancer later on. Keep yourself protected by using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Be sure to cover areas that you don't want to be burned like your ears, nose, etc. If you intend to swim or play in the water, make sure the sunscreen is waterproof. Don't forget about the SPF lip balm, as well. If you do get a sunburn, don't forget to use your Pure&Clean Hydrogel. It will cool, soothe and heal up your sunburn quickly. Check this out: In our partnership with Pure&Clean, we can provide solutions to many of the problems that ail you. For example, the very versatile Pure&Clean Hydrogel can work wonders on your bug bites and sunburn, and more. Check out the following about the product. Pure&Clean Hydrogel Statements: • Non-Cytotoxic • DIY Skin Protection • An environmentally friendly product • Doctor and Pharmacist Recommended • Works to manage the wound and skin, frequent and regular applications will help accelerate the process and return your skin back to its normal healthy state. • Simple to use: Just spray it on! • Contains no antibiotics, no steroids, and no alcohol for a sting-free first aid product! • All-natural • Promotes health and wellness • Manages wounds and skin with positive results • Spray all intact skin including hands Safe for the management of: • Minor wounds • Cuts • Scrapes • Scratches • Blisters • Sunburns • Poisoned plant sap irritations • Rashes • Insect bites and stings Key Features: • Gel alternative over a liquid • Prevent wounds from drying out • Aids to keep burns moist Pure&Clean Hydrogel is unlike other wound care products, most of which are very toxic, especially to the sensitive cells that are trying to heal around the wound. Pure&Clean Hydrogel is a one-step, easy-to-use, no mix, no dilution, no-rinse solution that deactivates many harmful microorganisms that are common in and around the wound area. Pure&Clean Hydrogel is intended to be used in the management of cleaning and debriding of skin abrasions, lacerations, burns, minor irritations, cuts, and intact skin. Its pH is in the physiologically acceptable range of your skin and is also shelf-stable. Stay hydrated. . . Sometimes we just forget to drink water. But part of staying well-hydrated is sipping water throughout the day. It will help to keep you from becoming dehydrated which can cause other nasty problems. If you don't care much for water, you can try other hydrating beverages like sugar-free juices. There are also a host of carbonated waters out there that are hydrating as well as refreshing. Caution: As fun and refreshing as alcohol might sound, it can seriously dehydrate you. If you get dehydrated it is not a fun experience. Couple that with being intoxicated and you might find yourself in a bad situation. If you are trying to keep cool, a cold beer in an air-conditioned room followed by a glass of water might be the way to go! Along with drinking water, the sorts of foods you eat can also help keep you cool and hydrated. According to healthline.com, "Fruits and vegetables are easy to digest and often high in water content. Salads and other dishes rich in seasonal produce will keep you feeling light and hydrated, too. Hydrating foods and beverages include: watermelon strawberries broths and soups tomatoes bell peppers coconut water If you are active when out in the heat, be sure to drink plenty of hydrating fluids and take frequent rest times when you can get out of the heat and into the shade or into a cool building. Remember, having fun in the sun should stay fun and enjoyable. Following our tips can help you have a cooler and safer summer! Questions or want more information? If you have further questions or want to know more about how we can help you with your sunburn or any sanitizing of your home, office, church, etc., please contact us and we will set you up with an agent near you that will be happy to assist you. Resources: https://www.healthline.com/health/beat-the-heat

Being prepared . . . Although we can never be 100% prepared for natural disasters, we can equip ourselves to be more prepared for the "expected" unexpected. What I mean is, that we can pack supplies that can get us through some tough times when a natural disaster strikes. We never really know when a catastrophic event will occur like a tornado or a flood or a fire or a host of other events that we are never fully ready for. After having had an EF1 tornado do some serious damage to my home in early May, I wanted to share some things that I have learned as far as being prepared for the future. Always expect the unexpected I am not saying that we should live in fear of the unknown, but we should prepare ourselves and our families as much as possible for when the unexpected hits. The time to prepare is BEFORE the event happens, not DURING or AFTER. If you anticipate your needs before a disaster strikes it is a lot easier to deal with the event. Notice, I did not say "easy" I said "easier." Dealing with natural disasters or even man-made disasters is not easy. The first thing you are going to do is prepare an emergency plan. The Emergency Plan An emergency plan can be pretty basic. It gives you and your family some basic guidelines for what to do in any given emergency situation. For example, if you are in a tornado warning, the plan would be to get into a basement, a strong interior room if a basement is not available or a storm shelter. If you are driving, seek shelter or get into a depression or ditch. If it is a fire, go over your escape routes from your home and have a safe place to meet up. Since there are many different kinds of emergency situations that you might find yourself in, we won't list them all here. Just be aware of the many forms and have a plan for the ones that are potential hazards for your life. Although the nature of an emergency can vary, there is one thing that you can plan that will be very much the same or similar no matter the emergency... The Emergency Kit The emergency kit is probably one of your most important things to have in an emergency. It can include things like extra clothing, a first aid kit, food, water, flashlights and more. I thought of all these things after we experienced the tornado in May. We had a few scented candles scattered throughout the house, but no idea where any matches or lighterswere located. Flashlights? Forget about it. The one we could find had dead batteries in it! A good, all purpose emergency kit should contain (according to FEMA, information courtesy of FEMA.gov): Flashlight. Extra batteries for the flashlight are also a good idea. If your power is out and you have no way to charge your phone, you might need to rely on a flashlight to get around at night. Whistle. A whistle can help you signal for help if you are stranded and need search and rescue to hear you. Dust Mask Depending on the emergency, you may need a mask to help protect you against contaminated air. Local Maps. If you need to evacuated but have no power or access to the internet, you may need to rely on a paper map to find your way to safety. Manual Can Opener. Your emergency kit is probably made up of canned food, which lasts for a long time. If you don’t have power, you’ll need a way to open these cans. Battery-powered or Hand Cranked Radio. A radio will help you receive updates on the disaster and any known safety risks. Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children. Disasters can be stressful. If you have fun games or activities that your children can do when the power is out, this can help them cope with the stress. First Aid Kit. Conditions during and after a disaster can vary dramatically. You may need to provide immediate care to an injured family member. Supplies for your pet. Your pet is a member of your family. You will want to have enough of their supplies to several days, as well as a favorite toy to comfort them. Wrench or pliers. These tools can come in handy if you need to turn off utilities. The Survival Kit You may be asking yourself, "What is the difference between an emergency kit and a survival kit?" Not a lot really, however, your survival kit is going to contain some special items designed to help you not only survive a natural disaster but also clean up and keep safer. Your survival kit should contain some basic products from LastGerm.com that will help you make a healthier go of things before, during and after a disaster. First off, make sure your kit has Vital Oxide in it. It has the word "vital" in its name for a reason! Vital Oxide is our Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered, NSF approved and hospital grade sanitizing product. It kills 99.999% of viruses, bacteria and pathogens. It even works against Covid-19. It also meets the EPA's emerging pathogen requirements for viruses showing efficacy against enveloped and nonenveloped virus, both large and small. In other words, don't leave home without it! Secondly, always keep a container of our alcohol-free hand sanitizer in your survival kit. There may not be clean running water. This will help protect you from all those nasty things you may have to touch in the process of dealing with whatever the disaster is. BIOPROTECT™ Hydrating Hand Sanitizer BIOPROTECT™ Hydrating Hand Sanitizer is an FDA-registered hand sanitizer that kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria on your hands up to 6 hours! Moisturizes and hydrates hands as it kills germs and bacteria. Infused with soothing aloe vera. Fragrance-free, dye-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free. This stuff works and it really does make your hands softer! So if you are constantly washing your hands, this would even help to soften them! Third, you are going to want to have Pure&Clean First Aid Spray in your survival kit. Spray this on cuts and more to clean out the wound. Then spray on the Pure&Clean Hydrogel. This stuff works! Check out some of the case studies of people treated with this and find out more! In fact, my friend kept having chapped, cracked skin on her hands. One finger was especially a problem and was cracking open and bleeding all the time. We did a few treatments of Hydrogel and within two weeks her finger was healed and it has not cracked or broken open since we did the treatments. She continues to do the same work with her hands, so the only thing that changed was the treatment with the Hydrogel! The great thing about these products is that you can use them all the time, but in the case of an emergency, they can prove to be real life-savers! Questions? If you have questions about Pure&Clean and how Lastgerm is working with them to bring you more quality products that make your life safer and better, contact an agent near you who will be happy to assist you.

I just read an article that should have scared me silly. It was titled, "Superbugs could trigger health crisis worse than Covid, experts warn." It was written by Sam Blanchard for the US Sun about a week ago. The article was, as the title implies, about superbugs (bacteria and their buddies) that are able to slip past all the current medicines we have available. According to the article, these superbugs are already infecting between 50,000 and 70,000 people in England and are causing about a million deaths globally—per year! Because everyone was so concerned with COVID, the problem with superbugs is just getting worse because research on the topic halted in favor of seeking causes and cures for Covid. "Professor Mark Woolhouse, of the University of Edinburgh, told MPs: “I think we’re in the quite advanced stages of a global public health emergency. The issue is that this emergency, unlike Covid-19, is a slow-burner. It’s one that accumulates over decades.” Part of the problem that we have been told about for many years now, is the overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals. It used to be not all that long ago, if you went to the doctor for a sniffle, you came home with a prescription for antibiotics. As doctors began to see this was becoming a problem, they slowed the prescriptions, but not before we got some pretty scary "superbugs" that don't care if you use antibiotics for your illness. They don't care because the medicine doesn't affect them. Not anymore. Just like humans, these bugs have developed a tolerance for antibiotics and sneer in the face of those who attempt to use antibiotics as a weapon. In a nutshell, the antibiotics we used to know and love and use and overuse may not work anymore. "Lord Jim O’Neill, the author of a government report, added: “The health and economic damage from antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could be much worse than Covid if we don’t treat it more seriously. From what I can see there is hugely stalled attention despite endless talk on this in most parts of the world.” Some of the bugs that are getting harder to treat, according to the article, include: E coli MRSA C. diff Gonorrhoea (An STD or sexually transmitted disease) The article went on to say that about "2500 people in the United Kingdom die of untreatable infections each year." "Professor Alison Holmes, from Imperial College London, told the Commons’ Science and Technology Committee: “The impact on what we can do in terms of healthcare is a major challenge. Whether it’s to be able to deliver safe surgery or appropriate immunosuppressive therapy. Also simple, regular, clinical interventions would be completely threatened and undermined.” Scary stuff, right? But as I started the article with, I should have been scared, but I wasn't. It's not because I am especially brave or anything like that. It is because I know something that many of them do not know. Or if they do know it, they are not admitting it. I can only imagine that money is at the root of the illness called "greed." Why else would someone not talk about ways these superbugs can be stopped DEAD in their tracks without antibiotics? So how do we stop these superbugs DEAD in their tracks? Well, first and foremost we use prevention. Common sense tells us (or at least it should tell us) to wash our hands—frequently. Hand washing is the number one thing that most healthcare professionals recommend. If you can't wash your hands, Lastgerm.com has a solution for you. BIOPROTECT™ Hydrating Hand Sanitizer Hydrating Hand Sanitizer BIOPROTECT™ Hydrating Hand Sanitizer is an FDA-registered hand sanitizer that kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria on your hands up to 6 hours! Moisturizes and hydrates hands as it kills germs and bacteria. Infused with soothing aloe vera. Fragrance-free, dye-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free. This stuff works and it really does make your hands softer! So if you are constantly washing your hands, this would even help to soften them! Next, let's keep those bugs from even becoming a problem in our homes, workplaces, churches or other gathering spots. You know it is my favorite because this stuff is so versatile! That's right, Vital Oxide. If you only had one sanitizer that you could use daily this would be the one! And when it is used as step one of our 2-step process, bugs, even superbugs don't stand a chance. They won't know what hit them! It is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered, NSF approved and hospital grade. It kills 99.999% of viruses, bacteria and pathogens. It even works against Covid-19. It meets the EPA's emerging pathogen requirements for viruses showing efficacy against enveloped and nonenveloped virus, both large and small. Viruses, bacteria, mold and mildew have no chance of survival with Vital Oxide and our Lastgerm.com products!

Just when you thought it was safe to book that adventure to the jungle--monkeypox rears its head. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "The CDC is tracking multiple cases of monkeypox that have been reported in several countries that don’t normally report monkeypox, including the United States." The CDC is also urging healthcare providers in the United States to watch for patients who have rash illnesses that are consistent with monkeypox (we will get into what that means in a moment). They are working with state and local health officials to identify people who may have come into contact with other people who have tested positive for monkeypox. This is so that their health can be monitored. The CDC does want people to know that "monkeypox is rare and does not spread easily between people without close contact. The threat of monkeypox to the general U.S. population remains LOW." What is monkeypox? The CDC says this about monkeypox: "Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox. "Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research. Despite being named “monkeypox”, the source of the disease remains unknown. However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) may harbor the virus and infect people. "The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970. Since then, monkeypox has been reported in people in several other central and western African countries. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, nearly all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa were linked to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs, or through imported animals." Symptoms The CDC reports that "monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox." Symptoms of monkeypox can include: Fever Headache Muscle aches and backache Swollen lymph nodes Chills Exhaustion A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus. The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. This process can take several weeks Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash. How it spreads The CDC says that monkeypox spreads in different ways. The virus can spread from person to person through: direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta It’s also possible for people to get monkeypox from infected animals, either by being scratched or bitten by the animal or by preparing or eating meat or using products from an infected animal. Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take several weeks. People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others. At this time, it is not known if monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids. How to prevent getting monkeypox Again, this information is from the CDC. "There is a number of measures that can be taken to prevent infection with monkeypox virus: Avoid contact with animals that could harbor the virus (including animals that are sick or that have been found dead in areas where monkeypox occurs). Avoid contact with any materials, such as bedding, that have been in contact with a sick animal. Isolate infected patients from others who could be at risk for infection. Practice good hand hygiene after contact with infected animals or humans. For example, washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients." We also recommend using Vital Oxide and the 2-step process to keep your living spaces clean and sanitized against not only monkeypox but against a host of known and unknown viruses, bacteria, and other nasty customers! As of June 21, 2022 the total confirmed monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases in the United States is 142. Treatment The CDC says, "There are no treatments specifically for monkeypox virus infections. However, monkeypox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, which means that antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox may be used to prevent and treat monkeypox virus infections. "Antivirals, such as tecovirimat (TPOXX), may be recommended for people who are more likely to get severely ill, like patients with weakened immune systems. "If you have symptoms of monkeypox, you should talk to your healthcare provider, even if you don’t think you had contact with someone who has monkeypox." Questions If you have questions about how Vital Oxide can help you lead a safer life, contact us and we will connect you with an agent near you who will be happy to assist you.

When it comes to cleaning, few of us can claim to be experts. Honestly, I would assume that most of us probably don't even want to be experts! I know I don't want to be. I have worked in the cleaning industry for many years so I do know a thing or two about it, but still, I do not claim to be an expert. However, I would like to share some of the top cleaning tips I have learned and used over the years to help you with your household chores. Toilets/Sinks/Tubs/Showers The bathroom is often one of the "dirtiest" rooms in the house. It is where we get rid of the waste our bodies produce and also the dirt and grime from day-to-day living. But it doesn't have to be. It can be the cleanest room in your house if you give it a good cleaning and then protect your surfaces from bacteria, microbes, and other infectious materials. I like to start with the toilet. If you clean it often, you can easily use a gentle, natural cleaning product like Vital Oxide for your daily cleaning. You know that with Vital Oxide you will have cleaner/sanitized surfaces. I pour a little into the stool and let it sit for a few minutes before I use a non-abrasive toilet bowl mop/brush to wipe out anything that might be hiding. I also spray Vital Oxide on the seat to give that a nice cleaning. I use Vital Oxide on all the bathroom fixtures like the sink, tub, and/or shower. Once every three months, I also use the 2-step process to refresh and revitalize the anti-bacterial properties in the room. Floors A couple of times per week our hardwood and linoleum flooring surfaces get a good sweeping and mopping. We don't have a lot of traffic in our house, so this usually takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays when we have grandchildren visiting and a lot of in and out traffic. I don't know how they do it, but they can find mud when it is 100% dry! Sweeping is very typical. I get in those hard-to-reach corners and between the stove and refrigerator and under the counters. Because the floors tend to build up dirt in the grooves, I make sure that I go over them briskly. A good, stiff straw broom is perfect. When I mop, I do put Vital Oxide in my mop water. It does wonders and doesn't remove anything from the wood finish. I actually use a sweeper-type mop with a cloth that does a very nice job of cleaning. When I am done with the cloth, I throw it into the washing machine and it'll be ready for another day. With the sweeper-type mop, I don't get a lot of excess water onto the floor so my floors don't get too much water on them which can damage them over time. Walls When I worked as a janitor I learned a secret about washing walls. Most people start at the top of the wall and let the dirty water run down the wall causing streaking and other issues. The secret I learned was to start at the bottom of the wall. While this practice doesn't seem to make sense on the surface, when you see the results you will become a believer. Again, for washing the walls, I use Vital Oxide. I don't wash the walls very often, usually once in the spring and then touch-ups when needed. But no matter when I do it, I start at the bottom. Dishes/Microwave/Countertops/Cabinets/Stove Kitchen cleanup is always a challenge for me because while I enjoy eating, I don't enjoy cleaning up afterward! After an especially good and filling meal, it can be hard to motivate yourself to get up and do the dishes and clean up. One trick I have learned is to do the cups and glasses first when I do the dishes. Once they are washed, they can have a few minutes to dry, can be put away, and make room for the other dishes to be washed and put in the dish drainer. After doing up the dishes, I then wash up the inside and outside of the microwave (if I used it in the meal preparation), wash up the stovetop and the countertops and give the cabinet handles and faces a quick wipe down. It takes just a few extra minutes but keeps the cabinet doors from accumulating food and other debris. To Sanitize Food-Contact Surfaces: Mix 9-parts water to 1-part Vital Oxide. Spray onto the surface from a distance of 6-8 inches, wetting thoroughly. Let stand for 1 minute (or longer if specified by the government sanitary code). Allow the surface to drain or air dry. Do not rinse or wipe. To Sanitize Non-Food-Contact, Non-Porous Surfaces: Mix 9-parts water to 1-part Vital Oxide. Spray onto a surface from a distance of 6-8 inches, wetting thoroughly. Let stand for 5 minutes. Wipe and allow to air dry. No rinse is required. Carpets Outside of vacuuming the floors that are carpeted on an every other day basis, I don't do a whole lot with the carpets. I have pets, so on occasion, I will spray Vital Oxide to keep the odors down. Vital Oxide is great for dealing with pet odors along with cigarette smoke and other odors. Check out this article. When I wrote this article, it was really the time that I began to believe in the power of Vital Oxide. It is one thing to use something but another to be a believer. After using it to take care of cat urine odors, I became a believer!! To Sanitize and Deodorize Carpets and Rugs: Mix 5-parts water to 1-part Vital Oxide. Spray onto the surface from a distance of 6-8 inches. Work the product down to the carpet pad (a brush may be used) Allow enough ventilation to air dry. Repeat process as needed. Test for colorfastness first in an inconspicuous space. Do not use on wool fabrics. Ceilings/Ceiling Fans Okay. Confession time. I don't usually wash my ceilings! I do have a lot of cobwebs and dust webs, however, so I do periodically take a broom and sweep them away. I do not have ceiling fans in my current home because the ceilings are quite low, but when I did, it was important to keep them clean. You would not believe the amount of dust that accumulates on those fan blades! I usually used a feather duster and it was very effective. But one thing that I did learn, keep up with them. Dust them frequently because otherwise, you will have these "animal-like" dust balls that fall down all over the place! Steps/Stairs Depending on what type of surface your steps have will determine how to take care of them. We have carpeted steps in my home, but at the house where I clean, there is linoleum on the steps. At home, I tackle the stairs about once a week. When I was younger it was nothing for me to handle the vacuum and move it along each step. Now that I am older and perhaps a bit wiser, I use the attachments that came with the vacuum to clean each step. Again, because we have pets, I typically spray some Vital Oxide on the carpet after I vacuum. When I sweep the steps where I work, I start at the top and work my way down. A good trick is to make sure you get into the corners of the steps because dirt can build up there very quickly. I mop these steps once or twice a week with Vital Oxide in the mop water. Steps and stairways often are a neglected part of housework, but once a week is usually enough at our house. With vacuuming or sweeping, start at the top so the dirt goes downward! Windows When I owned my own window cleaning business many years ago, I used old newspapers for my wiping cloths. I still recommend them today. They are perfect for streakless windows! That is just one little tip. Another is no matter what you use to clean your windows, wipe them quickly or you will have streaks no matter what you use to wipe them! Doors If you have kids, you undoubtedly have sticky doorknobs! (Along with a lot of other sticky surfaces!) When I clean up, I typically wipe off doorknobs and handles along with the window and the area on the door that get touched the most. Once in a while, I will even wash the entire door (starting from the bottom, just like on walls!). Keeping metal and even wood doors clean and germ-free is a great use for Vital Oxide! Here's a little something about garage doors that I read, too. Is your garage door looking a bit grungy? Try this: Spray it down with the hose and remove any dirt with a scrub brush. Spray any stubborn stains with Vital Oxide and scrub in a circular motion. Rinse, and then spray Vital Oxide on the whole garage door, and voilà: A beautifully clean garage door that should stay clean and mold-free for months. Dusting I actually like to refer to this one as "undusting" because the surface is already dusty, but I digress! A secret to dusting is to do a little bit every day and to use a damp cloth rather than a dry one. I used to save all my dusting up and do it once a week, but that can be overwhelming especially if you have pets as we do. If you do a little bit of undusting every day, you can keep up with it and you won't end up with surfaces that look like a nuclear fallout area! Dusting is probably one of my least favorite cleaning tasks. I do like to spray a little Vital Oxide and use that over other "dusting" polishes. This is mostly because I can't stand the smell of the polishes. For extra dust-busting, use Vital Oxide. You can either spray it directly onto surfaces after cleaning to remove dust, or spray it onto a cloth and wipe. Vital Oxide has a unique ability to significantly reduce allergen levels in most common household triggers, dust mite allergens included. It also neutralizes other common allergens like cat dander and molds. As you can see, I like to keep things as simple as possible when it comes to cleaning. I also don't like to spend a lot of money to get things clean and sanitized. With Vital Oxide, a vacuum, broom, and water, I can do a lot of cleaning for very little cost! Questions or want more information? If you have further questions or want to know more about how we can help, please contact us and we will set you up with an agent near you that will be happy to assist you. Please Note: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently reviewing the way third parties will be able to carry "green" claims on all disinfectant labels. EPA policy at this point does not allow "green" claims to be placed directly on any disinfectant product's label. While Vital Oxide is mild on skin, hard surfaces, and fabric, and will certainly qualify for "green status" when the designation is allowed, we cannot advertise this claim until it is permitted by the EPA. Vital Oxide is also a powerful disinfectant able to kill some of the toughest and most resistant forms of bacteria and mold. The chemical composition of Vital Oxide is such that it has a minimal impact on the environment and contains no ozone-harming volatile compounds (VOC).

Yep, the cartoonist who inked this strip sure had that right! Mosquitoes suck! Mosquitoes and other insects can make your summertime outings less enjoyable especially when they bite you.That itch can not only be unpleasant but can also get infected if you scratch it. According to WebMD there is something in the mosquitoes spit that causes the small itchy welt wherever the pesky thing decided to bite you. The article went on to say that for most people, the bite will be better after a few hours, but for some people who are more sensitive, the symptoms could last for days. They suggest not scratching that itch. But that is much easier said than done. However, what happens when you do scratch it is that you create openings in your skin that "allow bacteria in and cause infection." Can you avoid being bitten in the first place? Certainly, but you will miss the prime fishing times! The WebMD article listed the following steps to avoid being bitten. Stay indoors at dawn and dusk, and in the early evening. Wear long pants and long sleeves when you go outdoors. Apply bug spray with DEET or picaridin to all exposed skin. (Not recommended by LastGerm.com!) Use screens on windows and doors to keep the bugs out. You can also take steps to lower the mosquito population in your yard by getting rid of standing water which is where the mosquitoes lay their eggs and breed. That bird bath might be pretty but be sure to change the water out frequently. The birds will thank you and the mosquitoes won't be able to keep up if you change the water frequently. But I already have been bitten. Now what do I do? Well, there are several things you can do to reduce the itch. Again, WebMD suggested the following: Wash the area with soap and water. Apply calamine lotion or anti-itch cream. Put an ice pack on the bite. Take an over-the-counter antihistamine. But what if there was a better, all-natural solution that would speed up the recovery time and be helpful in so many other ways, too? For example, if you were out helping your neighbors clean up after one of the storms that have been striking and you got a sunburn. Wouldn't it be nice to have a product that would help with the bug bites and the sunburn? LastGerm has got you covered! In our partnership with Pure&Clean, we can provide solutions to many of the problems that ail you. For example, the very versatile Pure&Clean Hydrogel can work wonders on your bug bits and sunburn and more. Check out the following about the product. Pure&Clean Hydrogel Statements: • Non-Cytotoxic • DIY Skin Protection • An environmentally friendly product • Doctor and Pharmacist Recommended • Works to manage the wound and skin, frequent and regular applications will help accelerate the process and return your skin back to its normal healthy state. • Simple to use: Just spray it on! • Contains no antibiotics, no steroids and no alcohol for a sting free first aid product! • All natural • Promotes health and wellness • Manages wounds and skin with positive results • Spray all intact skin including hands Safe for the management of: • Minor wounds • Cuts • Scrapes • Scratches • Blisters • Sunburns • Poisoned plant sap irritations • Rashes • Insect bites and stings Key Features: • Gel alternative over a liquid • Prevent wounds from drying out • Aids to keep burns moist Pure&Clean Hydrogel is unlike other wound care products, most of which are very toxic, especially to the sensitive cells that are trying to heal around the wound. Pure&Clean Hydrogel is a one-step, easy to use, no mix, no dilution, no rinse solution that deactivates many harmful microorganisms that are common in and around the wound area. Pure&Clean Hydrogel is intended to be used in the management of cleaning and debriding of skin abrasions, lacerations, burns, minor irritations, cuts and intact skin. Its pH is in the physiologically acceptable range of your skin and is also shelf-stable. Key Features: • Gel alternative over a liquid • Prevent wounds from drying out • Aids to keep burns moist You can order Hydrogel from us and get 10% off your first order! As a last bit of advice, if a bite causes fever, vomiting, or shortness of breath, call 911 or get to an emergency room immediately. This indicates a more serious problem and you should seek medical attention. Questions or want more information? If you have further questions or what to know more about how we can help, please contact us and we will set you up with an agent near you that will be happy to assist you.

About three weeks ago, the city of Clarissa in the state of Minnesota was rocked when an EF1 tornado tore up the town. That was on Thursday, May 12. Approximately three weeks later, the scene above greeted people in the city of Eagle Bend which is located about five miles from Clarissa. To have one tornado go through the county was a rarity but to have two in less than one month's time was devestating. We realize that there were areas that were hit harder by the storms of Monday, May 30 but when I was in school I was taught to "write what you know." I know Eagle Bend. We were actually in Osakis when this storm hit. We were heading toward Alexandria to have a fish fry for the Memorial Day holiday. However, we got there a little late! As we were arriving in the outskirts of Osakis, I could hear the sirens blaring indicting that this weather event was no longer a tornado watch but was now a warning which meant either a tornado was spotted or a radar-indicated tornado had been seen. We wasted no time speeding through town to find shelter. Because it was Memorial Day, we were not sure we would find anything open. To our relief, Dollar General was open and the gentlemen who were working there let us in and told us to go to the women's restroom as that was the designated shelter. We hunkered down in there with two other women who soon became friends sharing about themselves and their families as we did likewise. The two male employees would periodically check in with us to give us updates on the storm as we could see nothing in this small, windowless, inner room. We sure could hear it though. It sounded like a roaring lion out to devour whomever got into its way! I half expected to open the bathroom door and find that the women's room was the only thing left of Dollar General. But the storm had mostly passed after what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only about 45 minutes. When we left the store we did go to Alexandria and enjoyed our fish fry with friends and shared our tale as they shared about sheltering in the basement with water pouring in. We saw quite a bit of damage from roofs being torn off of buildings and trees uprooted. In fact, on the way home, we had to stop because of a tree that had fallen across the highway. Two men had stopped and were sawing it up when we arrived. We thanked them and they said they were just trying to get home after spending a few hours in Eagle Bend helping there. They had their chainsaws with them and made short work of the felled tree. We live in a largely rural farming community and this is another site we saw all the way home. We saw hundreds of acres of already planted fields that now resembled lakes. The Land of 10,000 Lakes (Minnesota's nick name) looked more like the land of 100,000 lakes! These things were small compared to the photos we were seeing of the city of Eagle Bend, however. The damage and the clean-up Eagle Bend was much like Clarissa had been three weeks prior: trees uprooted everywhere and tossed onto houses, on power lines, blocking streets. In addition to the damage caused by the tornadic activity, there was also water damage as the circular pouring rain made conditions even worse because no one could see more than a few feet if that. As we know, water can cause mold and mildew problems as well as generally ruining things. Part of the clean-up process we used in our house after the Clarissa tornado included using Vital Oxide to help with the odors caused by the water pouring into the hole in our ceiling. We sprayed it on the carpets and let it work its magic. Within a few hours, the odors were mostly gone as Vital Oxide worked to kill the mold and mildew and bacteria. We know the people of Eagle Bend are going to have a long haul of cleaning ahead of them and our hearts go out to them for their losses and for the hard work coming. I know from experience that Vital Oxide can help with the process. Use it to clean up and sanitize everything in your house and outside of your house, too. I think we may be seeing a lot more of this sort of weather this summer. I heard on the radio today that the storm chasers who usually spend a lot of their time in Oklahoma are planning to spend a lot of time in Minnesota this season. It's not the kind of news we want to hear, but if we do have more weather-related events, we will be here to make clean-up easier at least as far as mold, mildew and bacteria-growth goes. Whether you are "weathering" a storm or just need to make sure your home, work space, church or other gathering area is safer, talk with us, we can tell you all the ways we can help you. How LastGerm can help you... LastGerm can help you with mold and mildew remediation. It is what we do. We have the equipment to help you. We can spray your wet basement, your carpets, or anywhere you need it. We don't just help when the storms of life hit, but all the time. We can either do the job for you or we can set you up with what you need to do the job yourself. Contact us about special pricing to help you deal with the effects of this recent storm. If you have further questions or what to know more about how we can help, please contact us and we will set you up with an agent near you that will be happy to assist you.

Nearly every week we talk about what Vital Oxide can do. What we don't talk about is what Vital Oxide cannot do. Vital Oxide cannot do anything unless you use it. That makes sense, right? For example: It cannot kill mold and mildew... if you don't use it It cannot kill odors associated with mold and mildew or bacteria...if you don't use it It cannot sanitize your working surfaces...if you don't use it It cannot kill microbes associated with disease...if you don't use it It cannot help prevent illnesses by keeping spaces clean & disinfected..if you don't use it. It cannot do anything if you do not use it. It will merely sit on a shelf amongst your other "cleaning" products and gather dust. Not using Vital Oxide is the equivalent of not using moisturizer on chapped hands. Not using Vital Oxide is like going into the arctic air without a jacket on. You are not protected. Why would anyone want to risk hypothermia without that jacket? In like manner, why would anyone risk illness without Vital Oxide? It just doesn't make sense. Using Vital Oxide for its proven qualities I could tell you all day long how good Vital Oxide is, but I will let the science speak for me. The Science Behind our products Conventional disinfectants and antimicrobials kill microbes by poisoning them with toxic chemicals. Even those that achieve results with nontoxic ingredients are designed to both act and dissipate quickly to avoid harm to humans and animals. Unfortunately, as soon as the disinfectant evaporates, so does its killing properties. Unlike other antimicrobials, our system is odor-free, environmentally neutral, safe to use in child and pet areas, and can remain antimicrobial active for an extended period of time. ​ Our 2-step process begins with completely killing any existing bacteria, virus and germs that are on a surface. Vital Oxide is a hospital grade disinfectant that is EPA Registered and can be found on the N list as a product that successfully eliminates SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). This product is applied with an electrostatic sprayer, allowing every surface point to be sanitized. After 5 minutes, 99.999% of microbes are eliminated. The unique part of our process is our second product. BioProtect is an anti-microbial surface protectant. EPA Registered and FDA Approved, this product can be used in any facility, including areas where children and pets play and on food prep areas. Once again, we use our sprayer to lay down a protectant on all porous and non-porous surfaces and this barrier provides a continual elimination of any microbe that lands on this surface! ​ Just spray, mist or fog onto a surface directly from the bottle or electrostatic or ULV sprayer, it’s as easy as that! No rinse is required, even for food surface contact, and remains effective for up to 90 days. We know that Vital Oxide is an all-in-one Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered hospital-grade disinfectant, cleaner, sanitizer, mold and mildew remover, and odor eliminator! We also know that Vital Oxide is very effective against Sars-CoV-2 and other virus and bacterial infections such as MRSA, Staph and the Flu! That "hero" ingredient is called Chlorine Dioxide. This is the power of Vital Oxide that creates a fast-acting, environmentally-friendly, effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. "Chlorine dioxide is a versatile disinfectant that was introduced to the United States in the 1940s to disinfect drinking water. While it has chlorine in its name, it’s very different from chlorine bleach." And we know that bleach is not the best thing for us to use! But, again, Vital Oxide cannot do anything if it is sitting unused on a shelf! Check out our New Family Bundle, for only $69 and FREE SHIPPING thru May 31! Questions? Vital Oxide can do a lot of things, but the number one thing it cannot do is work if you don't use it! Do you have questions about what Vital Oxide can and cannot do? Find an agent near you who will be happy to assist you.

Many of us are familiar with the classic movie, "The Wizard of Oz." The story is one of coming to the realization that we already have what we were searching for in the first place: Dorothy only wanted a home The Scarecrow wanted a brain The Tin Man wanted a heart The Cowardly Lion wanted courage None of this would have been possible without the star of the show, however, the Twister. I don't know what the tornado, twister, or cyclone wanted other than to shake things up. Perhaps it wanted more. This is no laughing matter... The storms that hit much of Central Minnesota this past week were no joke, though. The tornadoes and straight-line winds didn't appear to whisk any of us away to a colorful land where our greatest desires would come true. Instead, they left thousands of dollars worth of damage trailing behind them. In the small city where I live, much of the damage in town happened on our end of town in a two-block radius. Because we had three trees hit our house, I didn't spend a lot of time checking out the damage as I was attempting to stave off further damage to my home. This storm system was very widespread covering multiple counties in Central Minnesota on Thursday, May 12. When we awoke on Friday the thirteenth (I know, I know!), we had no idea about the extent of the damage. All we knew for sure was that we had no electricity, we had two trees still lying on our house along with seven other trees that had been uprooted and thrown on the ground like they were discarded flowers. We went back into our house and looked at the mess the trees coming into the house had caused. The damage... Other than the initial damage we saw on the outside of the house, we had damage inside from the area where the tree had compromised the roof and broken through the rafter, and opened up the ceiling. As is typical of a violent storm, there was a lot of water that accompanied the thunder, lightning, and wind. As you can imagine, that water was pouring into my house in that corner bedroom and onto the carpet along with everything else that had been in that corner of the house. We were just sick. This was our home. We had worked hard to make it our own personal "castle" and now our "fairy tale" was crumbling, quite literally, around us. Still, we knew that things could have been much worse. Now it was just a matter of accessing the damage and coming up with a plan to keep the damage from getting worse. Several times over the past few days I have said, "I wish there was a manual that would tell you what to do when things like this happen." I guess I will probably be writing that next! The only thing I knew for sure to do was to reach out to my insurance agent and hope that we had some good insurance. (It turns out it's pretty good!) We also had a friend of ours who does contractor work come over to the house to give it a good once over to make sure it was safe for us to stay there. We went back home after spending a couple of days in a hotel. Still, it was difficult because we had no electricity. You never really know how much you depend upon electricity until you don't have it! There was damage on all sides of our house. Along with the exterior damage, there was also quite a bit of damage upstairs with the plaster cracking and falling in various places. Our bathroom is on the side of the house that was hardest hit and there is a lot of cracking and damage to the exterior and interior walls. The smell . . . When the rain pours into your house and absorbs into your carpet and your walls and floors, it can leave a really dank and disgusting odor. The rain came into our house for much of the first night as it was too dark for us to get the trees off the roof and get any tarp up there. We put some buckets, tarps, and towels on the floor, but the damage was happening and we needed to at least slow the bleed, so to speak. The next day my friend was over with his skid steer, log chains, and chain saws. He worked hard for about 12 hours and got the trees off the house and most of them were cut up and piled. He also took down two other trees that had been partially uprooted and would cause trouble should another storm descend. Once we had electricity on Sunday night, we were able to get a much better look at things and noted a lot of damage we hadn't seen when we were looking with only the filtered light of flashlights and windows. We also got a really good whiff of the mildew that was already actively stinking up the upstairs where the rain had come in. I would like to tell you that we quickly became used to the smell and it didn't bother us, but that would be a lie. If anything, I think the smell grew bigger and more menacing the more time we spent up there! "Well, I use Vital Oxide for nearly everything else," I thought. "Why not use it now and see if it helps with that odor?" We went up armed with spray bottles filled with Vital Oxide and attacked the carpet and wall with muster! The smell did not immediately dissipate but having had experience with pet odors, I had anticipated that it would take a little time. The next day, the smell was down to a very dull roar and it was much easier to breathe in that room! Later in the day, the smell was mostly gone! Vital Oxide really does work at killing mold and mildew! That is what it is designed to do and it does it very well. How LastGerm can help you... LastGerm can help you with mold and mildew remediation. It is what we do. We have the equipment to help you. We can spray your wet basement, your carpets, or anywhere you need it. We don't just help when the storms of life hit, but all the time. We can either do the job for you or we can set you up with what you need to do the job yourself. Contact us about special pricing to help you deal with the effects of this recent storm. If you have further questions or what to know more about how we can help, please contact us and we will set you up with an agent near you that will be happy to assist you.

Vital Oxide kills the adenovirus that may be leading to an outbreak of hepatitis in kids! Adenovirus 41. As of May 6, 2022, at least 24 states and Puerto Rico have reported outbreaks of hepatitis in children. Approximately 14% of the children have required liver transplants. The CDC reports that five children have died and 109 have been sickened in connection with the mysterious hepatitis outbreak as of May 6, 2022. We live in scary times. There are threats coming at us from all sides. For the past couple of years, it has been COVID-19 and its many variants. Now, our children are falling ill with a disease that doesn't typically affect them as it has been. But we are not defenseless. Head these diseases off at the pass Vital Oxide is on the G List. What does that mean? It means that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that Vital Oxide is good for killing adenovirus. Why is that important? The CDC has reported that most of the children who've contracted hepatitis also have an adenovirus infection. You know what else? Since hepatitis is often spread through fecal matter, BioProtect Hydrating Hand Sanitizer is also an ideal choice for use with kids (who don't always wash their hands after they use the toilet), and for people who change diapers like at daycares. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is often caused by a virus. The most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Many of the cases the CDC is seeing currently include children who have hepatitis and adenovirus 41. The CDC has drawn the conclusion that the adenovirus may be a part of the cause of the outbreak, but they are not ruling out other environmental causes either. Early symptoms that the children have experienced include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, joint pain, and jaundice all of which are tell-tale signs of hepatitis. According to a report on businessinsider.com, "More than half of the children in the US had an adenovirus infection when they contracted their liver inflammation, suggesting there could be some kind of viral trigger for this hepatitis, but it's still unclear exactly what is causing these cases. On Friday, the UK Health Security Agency released a technical briefing, saying the 'leading hypotheses remain those which involve adenovirus.'" The article went on to say, "The CDC, like the UK HSA said it's possible environmental factors, medicines, or other non-adenovirus infections (like COVID-19 infections) could be playing a role." They were very adamant in pointing out that the COVID-19 vaccines have nothing to do with this outbreak because the median age of the children infected is two-years-old and children that young are not vaccinated for COVID-19. How do Vital Oxide and BioProtect Hydrating Hand Sanitizer help? Germs are all around us, from door handles to airplane trays, to your children’s toys. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your colleagues from getting sick is to keep your hands clean! BIOPROTECT™ Hydrating Hand Sanitizer kills germs and bacteria! BIOPROTECT™ Hydrating Hand Sanitizer is an FDA-registered hand sanitizer that kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria on your hands for up to 6 hours! Moisturizes and hydrates hands as it kills germs and bacteria. Infused with soothing aloe vera. Fragrance-free, dye-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free. I use this everywhere I go. Because it is alcohol-free it doesn't make my hands smell funny and it moisturizes while it kills germs and bacteria. It is my go-to product when I am on the go. I use it with my granddaughter, too. One pump of this is enough for your hands so it goes a long way! VITAL OXIDE alone or as part of the two-step process is a killer when it comes to destroying germs, bacteria, and other microbes. Vital Oxide is an all-in-one Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered hospital-grade disinfectant, cleaner, sanitizer, mold and mildew remover, and odor eliminator! It is also very effective against Sars-CoV-2 and other virus and bacterial infections such as MRSA, Staph, and the Flu! This is why I trust Vital Oxide . . . I feel safer and I feel that my family, children, and grandchildren are safer from diseases when we use Vital Oxide regularly. If you have questions or would like more information about any of our products, please contact an agent near you who will be happy to assist you.

This is a hard post for me to write. You see, this will be the first Mother's Day that I will spend without my mother. Since she passed away on September 29, 2021, I have experienced a lot of "firsts" without her: The "first" Halloween and seeing the grandchildren and great-grandchildren dressed up The "first" Thanksgiving My "first" birthday without her The "first" Christmas Her "first" birthday And now, the "first" Mother's Day without her. My mom suffered a lot of physical ailments throughout a lot of her adult life. Some were undoubtedly the result of her having polio when she was a girl. She worked hard all of her life. She raised us kids and took care of my dad when he began to have memory problems. Her physical health gradually deteriorated to the point that she kept having falls. They were increasing in intensity and it got to the point that my dad and I couldn't get her back up when she fell. We had to call the ambulance at least three times to help her up after a fall. She ended up in the hospital after each fall. I think her last fall, which happened about 6 months before she died, was what did her in. She fell and hit her head. She had a bruised head for months. (I bet if we had access to Pure&Clean products we could have helped her injuries heal faster, though.) The photo at right was taken about two months before she died. I'm not telling you this story to depress you or anything like that. I am telling you this story because moms are important. I know all of us moms have our faults, but most of us do our best to raise good kids, keep good homes, have careers, love our significant others, and do all we can to give our children a brighter, happier future. I know my mom did. Growing up with dreams . . . Much like me, my mom was a dreamer. She had a vivid imagination and I think that explains my love of writing and creating works with words. She and her brothers would travel all over the country and never leave the driveway of their home! She was the oldest and had five brothers. My mom would tell us stories about the car adventures that they went on (while never leaving the parking spot). Later, she told us about real stories that she and her brother would go on. I think my mom was an adventurer at heart. Meeting and falling in love with my dad was probably one of the biggest adventures she ever embarked on. My dad was a hard worker like my mom. He was also quite handsome. He still is, but that's another story! I love this photo of them at their wedding. They were both so young and happy and had the entire rest of their lives in front of them. They could do whatever they wanted to do. They chose to have children and raise us on a family farm in Minnesota! It was the best life. I didn't always think so, because running a farm was a lot of work for everyone including us kids. But we did it and I think it made us better people. We understood the value of a hard day's work and the fruits of those labors when we could all sit at the table and enjoy a meal together. Later, after all the chores were done, we might sit together for an hour or so and watch an episode of Bonanza or Little House on the Prairie or The Wonderful World of Disney. Whatever we did, we did it together. My mom and dad did everything together while mom was alive. The photo below is one of my favorites of them. They always did things like this! It brings a tearful smile to my face when I look at it now. But that was mom. Since she has passed on, I have come to realize and appreciate so many things about her. You know, the things you miss when they are gone. The phone calls...even if she did have the habit of calling exactly when I sat down for supper almost every night. The road trips. The holidays. Every day... The best Mother's Day ever . . . So, you may be asking yourself how I could think of the upcoming Mother's Day celebration as the "best Mother's Day ever." Well, I will tell you it isn't without pain. I miss that woman that I called "Mom" "Mommy" Mama." Some days are spent just remembering and missing her and crying. But most days, I try to live out the lessons she taught me. I think of the good times and the bad ones, too. Because I believe that we can learn just as much, if not more, from the low times in our lives as we can from the good times. I hope that you have the best Mother's Day, too, whether your mom is still with you in person or if you will be spending the day remembering her! Something special . . . Our moms are special. So let's take care of them like they have taken care of us! And we can take care of ourselves a little, too with a great family bundle with free shipping during the month of May! This is an amazing value! Buy one for yourself and for mom! It includes: Vital Oxide BioProtect Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer Pure&Clean First Aid Spray Pure&Clean Hydrogel Plus more! There is no better time to try out these great products and at great price savings, too! (You save almost $20 bucks plus you don't have to pay for shipping which is huge!) Contact an agent near you who will be happy to assist you.

If you are a CPAP user (Constant Positive Air Pressure) you might appreciate this article. My story . . . I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea 7 years ago. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea. The main types of sleep apnea are: Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax Central sleep apnea, occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea If you think you might have sleep apnea, see your doctor. Treatment can ease your symptoms and might help prevent heart problems and other complications. My condition was serious. I would stopping breathing for a minute or longer about 38 times an hour. I don't know how I got any sleep at all! I was crabby and tired all the time. When I finally received my CPAP machine I thought my sleep problems would be all over! Boy was I wrong. Adjusting to the CPAP machine and learning how to breathe while using it was no treat for me. I am a mouth-breather and learning to breathe through my nose so that the machine would work was torture. I felt like I was suffocating all the time! For a long time, I was getting less sleep than I had been before because I spent the first four hours trying to sleep just fighting the machine! After four hours, I usually gave up, threw off the mask and hose in frustration, and tried to sleep the "old-fashioned way"--CPAP-free! Then there was cleaning the apparatus... As I may have alluded to in previous articles, I am not a person who enjoys cleaning. I enjoy the "after it's all done" look but not the steps I have to take to get there. The recommended cleaning of the CPAP machine was a lot of piddly stuff and since my bedroom was upstairs and my nearest water source was downstairs, I have to admit that I didn't give my CPAP the TLC it needed or required. I found myself getting sick more often because I wasn't cleaning the machine like I needed to be doing. I checked into one of those machines that would clean the CPAP hose and mask (nose piece), but it was hundreds of dollars and I would still have to either carry the parts downstairs or carry the other machine upstairs full of water and cleaner... I figured my hundreds of dollars could be better spent elsewhere, so I continued the trudging up and down the stairs. Today . . . After COVID-19 struck, I took more care to keep my CPAP clean because I didn't want to get any illnesses. It wasn't long after the emergence of COVID-19 that I started using products from LastGerm. It never occurred to me to try using Vital Oxide to disinfect my CPAP machine, though. That is, not until about three months ago. Because the CPAP machine is a medical device, I recommend that you talk to your doctor or medical supply dealer about using Vital Oxide to disinfect your machine. What I am writing about next is my PERSONAL experience of using Vital Oxide to disinfect and sanitize my equipment for my CPAP. I still use the baby shampoo to gently clean my equipment. I am still using the same machine as when I started using the CPAP 7 years ago, so apparently, I did something right. But about three months ago, I started to question whether I could use Vital Oxide to disinfect and sanitize my breathing hose, nose mask piece, and the water basin. I did some research online and found that there were some other Vital Oxide users that did indeed use the sanitizer to disinfect their CPAP machines. Knowing what I did about Vital Oxide from using it on many different cleaning/sanitizing projects, I figured it would be safe and effective to use on my CPAP equipment as well. If you are not familiar with Vital Oxide here's a brief summary. Vital Oxide is an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant cleaner, mold killer, and odor eliminator. Its formula contains a unique form of stabilized chlorine dioxide that is very effective at killing bacteria, viruses, and mold yet is non-corrosive to treated articles and gentle enough to handle without causing skin irritation. It is ready to use with no mixing required—just spray, wipe, or fog right from the bottle. That all sounded like something I could use on my CPAP. I also knew that Vital Oxide killed 99.999% of bacteria and other microbes. I knew it was safe to use on food prep surfaces, in air ducts, and more, so I decided to give it a try on my CPAP. I also liked the part about it killing odors. If you have breathed through a CPAP hose/mask, you know that even with diligent cleaning, it can get an odor. So I gave it a try . . . The results have been very good. I have only used Vital Oxide about once every two weeks when I do a more thorough cleaning of my machine, but so far (a total of six times) I have not been disappointed! The whole thing smells better! I know feelings don't mean a lot in the cleaning/disinfecting game, but I "FEEL" safer. I haven't gotten sick since I started using this process of using Vital Oxide to disinfect my equipment every couple of weeks. It doesn't take much either. A few sprays of the stuff and my work is done! Again, I recommend checking with your doctor before using Vital Oxide on your CPAP but since hospitals trust it for disinfecting their equipment and surfaces, I feel pretty good about using it everywhere in my house including on my CPAP. Again, I can't provide medical advice. The views expressed in this article about using it on a CPAP machine are mine. Questions... Do you have more questions? Find an agent near you who will be happy to assist you.