May 21, 2012

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for Vapor Cleaners

Caring For Ceramic Tile

December 23, 2009 By

Ceramic tile has become a popular flooring choice for kitchens, bathrooms and even living areas in homes. It is a great durable material that will stand up to much abuse. It does however require some regular cleaning and maintenance to keep it in great shape. Read this article and learn a few tips to help you take care of your tile floors.

The most basic thing that you should do is mop your ceramic floor regularly with a good household detergent or floor cleaner. You want to do this often to prevent stains from sinking into your grout lines which is much harder to clean. Use the hottest water possible to allow the cleaning chemical to work at maximum efficiency. To mop, mix your water and then mop a thin layer over the entire floor. Let the solution dwell for a few minutes to loosen stuck on soil and food. Then mop the solution up, rinsing and wringing out your mop often. If you find that you have some stubborn spots you can use a soft brush to help you loosen them. Avoid using scouring pads or steel wool which could remove the finish from or scratch your tile. Once you have finished, rinse the floor with clean water. This will remove any detergent residue from the floor making it brighter and keeping it from re-soiling too quickly. If the grout lines are dirty you can clean them with a concentrated mixture of detergent followed by a good fresh water rinse. For tougher grout line stains consider using a home vapor steam cleaner to clean them. Get one with a nozzle that directs the steam into a thin stream.

As you can see it is very easy to care for tile floors. If you get to the point where you just can not clean them any longer you should consult a local carpet cleaner for an estimate on tile and grout cleaning. Sometimes it just takes a professional to do the job.

Learn more about this and Fort Wayne carpet cleaning and tile cleaning at the authors website.
Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , ,

Why You Should Switch?

December 23, 2009 By

Here’s WHY thousands of people every month are SWITCHING STORES…

Environmental Protection Agency studies have shown that indoor air pollutants are 3 to 70 times higher than outdoors.

The following information came from a conference call with Kay Heizer, Director of “Healthy Choices” (a non-profit organization comprised of doctors, nurses, environmental scientists and educators committed to teaching the public about the hazards of chemicals in our home and how we can avoid or minimize the risks): :

50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality [Source: 1989 State of Massachusetts Study]

Since 1950, at least 70,000 new chemical compounds have been invented and dispersed into our environment. Only a fraction of these have been tested for human toxicity. We are, by default, conducting a massive clinical toxicology trial, and our children and their children are the experimental animals.

[Source: Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Raising Children Toxic Free]

150 chemicals found in the home are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.[Source: Consumer Protection Agency (CPA)]

The United States of America Federal Code of Regulations exempts manufacturers from full labeling of products if used for personal, family or household care. [Source USA FCR: Section 1910.1200C, Title 29, Section 1500.82 2Q1A]

3 groups of people are primarily affected by indoor chemical concentrations because they spend more time indoors and their immune systems are weaker. The 3 groups are:

·Infants and toddlers
·Chronically ill
·Elderly

[Source: 1988 EPA, 5-year study]

In 1901, cancer was rare: 1 out of 8,000. Since the Industrial Revolution, the cancer rate today has risen to 1 in 3 and by the year 2002, it will be 1 in 2. [Source: The American Cancer Society]

The top 12 cancer-causing products (called the “Dirty Dozen”) in the average home include the following:

·Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder w/Talc
·Crest Tartar Control Toothpaste
·VO5 Hair Conditioner
·Clairol Nice-n-Easy Hair Color
·Ajax Cleanser
·Lysol Disinfectant
[Source: The National Cancer Prevention Coalition]

Liquid dish soap is the leading cause of poisonings in the home for children under the age of six (over 2.1 million accidental poisonings per year). Most brands of liquid dish soap contain formaldehyde and ammonia.

Of the chemicals found in personal care products:

·884 are toxic
·146 cause tumors
·218 cause reproductive complications
·778 cause acute toxicity
·314 cause biological mutations
·376 cause skin and eye irritations
[Source: United States House of Representatives Report, 1989]

The State of California recently passed legislation requiring a 45% reduction in the amount of toxins found in:

·Hairspray aerosols
·Furniture polish
·Window cleaners
·Air fresheners
·Shaving cream
·Laundry detergents
·Nail polish remover
·Insect repellent
·Hair styling gel and mousse
[Source: Healthy Homes in a Toxic World]

Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home.[Source: State of California Study]

Just by reducing (not eliminating) environmental carcinogens alone, we would save at least 50,000 lives taken by cancer annually.[Source: Dr. Lee Davis, former advisor to the Secretary of Health]

Most laundry detergent contains a form of NTA. NTA is a substance we may reasonably anticipate to be a carcinogen. [Source: The Merck Index]

Household bleaches which claim to disinfect are classified as pesticides under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Inadvertently mixing bleach with other cleaners that contain ammonia produces a toxic chloramines gas. These toxic gases can cause coughing, loss of voice, a feeling of burning or suffocation, and even death. [Source: Guide to Hazardous Products Around the Home, Household Hazardous Waste Project, 1989]

Women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside of the home.
[Source: 17- year EPA study]

150 chemicals found in the home have been connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders. [Source: The Consumer Protection Agency)

As more toxic chemicals have been introduced to our everyday environment in greater amounts over the last 20 to 30 years, the level of toxins stored in adipose tissues (fat cells) of our bodies have risen. Bioaccumulation studies have shown that some toxins store in our bodies for life. Greater and greater amounts are being stored at younger ages. One study showed that in the fat of 100% of the people tested was 1,4-Dichlorobenzene, a chemical found in most household deodorizers and room fresheners.

Diseases that used to occur later in life are now appearing at younger ages. Diseases that used to be rare are more frequent. For example

·There has been a 28% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products.
·Cancer is now the #2 killer of children - second only to accidental poisonings. Since 1977 the rate of cancer among American children has been steadily rising at a rate of nearly 1% each year.[Source: National Cancer Institute]
·There is an increased risk for leukemia in children where parents have used pesticides in the home or garden before the child’s birth.[Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute]

Some products release contaminants into the air right away, others do so gradually over a period of time. Some stay in the air up to a year. These contaminants, found in many household and personal care products can cause dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, eye/skin/respiratory tract irritations and some cause cancer.[American Lung Association]

Asthma was once a very rare disease. Now the condition is extremely common – the asthma rate has tripled in the last 20 years with nearly 30 million Americans currently afflicted.[Source: Consumer Federation of America, 1997]

In one decade, there has been a 42% increase in asthma (29% for men, 82% for women). The higher rate for women is believed to be due to women’s longer exposure times to household chemicals. [Source: Center for Disease Control]

Childhood asthma has increased by more than 40% since 1980. [Source: Environmental Health Perspectives, June 1997; 105 (6)]

Asthma death in children and young people increased by a dramatic 118% between 1980 and 1993.[Source: Environmental Health Threats to Children, Environmental Protection Agency 175-F-96-001, September 1996]

The average child visits the doctor 23 times in the 1st 4 years of life, with the most common complaint being respiratory ailment.[Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 1997]

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in adults and children is also rising – in 1993, 4.5 million children took the drug Ritalin so they could sit still long enough to learn. By 1998, 11.4 million children were being drugged with this powerful Class-2 narcotic.[Source: Your Children and Ritalin, The Detroit news (March 8. 1998)]

Even small doses of neurotoxins, which would be harmless to an adult, can alter a child’s nervous system development. [Source: Environmental Health Perspectives 106 Supplement 3:787-794 (June 1998)]

Developing cells in children’s bodies are more susceptible to damage than adult cells that have completed development, especially for the central nervous system. During the development of a child, from conception through adolescence, there are particular windows of vulnerability to environmental hazards. Most disturbing – until a child is approximately 13 months of age, they are virtually no ability to fight the biological and neurological effects of toxic
chemicals.[Source: Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Raising Children Toxic Free]

Today, children have chemical exposures from birth that their parents didn’t have until they were adults. Because children are exposed to toxics at an earlier age than adults, they have more time to develop environmentally triggered diseases, with long latency periods, such as cancer. [Source: Environmental Policy and Children's Health, Future of Children, Summer/Fall 1995; 5(2): 34-52]

Formaldehyde is a highly toxic substance. It is a known cancer-causing agent. It damages the neurological connectors in the body. It is an irritant to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs and may cause:

·skin reactions
·ear infections
·headaches
·depression
·asthma
·joint pain
·dizziness
·mental confusion
·nausea
·disorientation
·phlebitis
·fatigue
·vomiting
·sleep disturbances
·laryngitis

One in five people are sensitive to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is commonly found in:

·drugs
·mouthwash
·hairspray
·cosmetics
·cleaning products
·perfumes
·waxes
·hair setting lotions
·shampoo
·air fresheners
·fungicides
·fingernail polish
·floor polishes
·dry cleaning solvents
·toothpaste
·laundry spray starch
·antiperspirants
·… just to name a few

DO YOU STILL WANT TO USE PRODUCTS IN YOUR HOME THAT CONTAIN FORMALDEHYDE?

Due to the increase in toxic buildup in our bodies, including the toxic buildup of formaldehyde, dead bodies are not decomposing as fast as they used to.

·Bodies now start to decompose within 7 to 10 days after death.
·During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese bodies started to decompose within 24 to 48 hours. However, Americans didn’t start to decompose for 4 to 5 days.
·Twice as much formaldehyde was needed to embalm a person 20 years ago compared to today.

How many of these names would you have recognized as formaldehyde?

·Formalin
·Methanal
·Methyl Aldehyde
·Methylene Oxide
·Oxymethylene
·Bfv*
·Fannoform*
·Formol*
·Fyde*
·Karsan*
·Methaldehyde
·Formalith*
·Methylene Glycol
·Ivalon*
·Oxomethane
·Formalin 40
·Formalin
·Formic Aldehyde
·Hoch
·Paraform
·Lysoform*
·Morbocid
·Trioxane
·Polyoxmethylene
* denotes trade name

The following products are just a few that are so toxic that they should be disposed of in a toxic waste dump:

·floor care products
·furniture polish
·window cleaners
·bug spray
·nail polish remover
[Source: Water Pollution Control Federation]

Warning labels on containers refer only to toxic hazards from ingestion; however, only 10% of health problems from chemicals are caused by ingestion. 90% are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of particles.

Government regulations require that only the most EXTREMELY toxic substances must contain a warning label. Labels that say the following should be removed from your house immediately:

·”Do not induce vomiting”
·”Corrosive – rinse from skin immediately”
·”Harmful or fatal if swallowed”
·”Call physician immediately”
·”Warning!” (may mean that as little as 1 teaspoon of product can harm or kill adult) ·”Danger!” (means that as little as 5 drops can harm or kill an adult)

Phenol is an extremely caustic chemical that burns the skin. Absorption of phenol through the lungs or skin can cause:

·central nervous system damage
·pneumonia
·respiratory tract infection
·heart-rate irregularities
·skin irritation
·kidney and liver damage
·numbness
·vomiting
·and can be fatal

Phenol is a very common chemical and is regularly found in the following common products:

·air fresheners
·aftershave
·bronchial mists
·chloroseptic throat spray
·deodorants
·feminine powders & sprays
·hair spray
·decongestants
·mouthwash
·aspirin
·solvents
·acne medications
·antiseptics
·calamine lotions
·cleaning products
·detergents
·furniture polish
·hair setting lotions
·lice shampoo
·polishes
·cold capsules
·all-purpose cleaners
·aerosol disinfectants
·anti-itching lotions
·carnex
·cosmetics
·disinfectant cleaners
·hand lotions
·lip balms
·sunscreen and lotions
·insecticides
·cough syrups
·… just to name a few

DO YOU STILL WANT TO USE PRODUCTS IN YOUR HOME THAT CONTAIN PHENOL?

There is an alternative. Safer, better products that cost less then the toxic products.

More information I’m a mother of 2 and I love using safer, non-toxic, less expensive products in our home.
Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: ,

5 Easy Carpet Cleaning Tips Guaranteed To Prolong Its Life

December 22, 2009 By

Fitness doesn’t just apply to human health. To extend the life of your carpet, it too must stay fit.

At 50 years of age, some people look like they are in their 30′s while others look like they are in their 60′s. Genetics play a part, but it’s also how they take care of themselves. The same is true for carpet.

10-year-old carpet can look new while a carpet that is only a few years old is worn out and needs to be replaced. The quality of the carpet sometimes accounts for these differences, but most often it can be attributed to the level of care the carpet received.

Professional carpet cleaning companies like to emphasize the need to have your carpets deep cleaned. According to them, they have the best cleaning method. It’s true that you should have your carpets cleaned by a professional, but that is only one of the five processes that you should perform as part of a routine maintenance program to keep your carpets looking like new.

It’s all too obvious, but few people realize how much damage to your carpet is preventable. Here are a few examples:

Soil Prevention: – Keep the areas outside the entries to your home clean. – Collecting oil, tar, sand, mud, chemicals, etc., is the job of long mats that should be placed outside and inside all entries to your home.

Vacuuming: Regular vacuuming can remove more than 80% of dry soil. Under a microscope, dry soil has razor sharp edges that can cut and scar carpet fibers. The scars cause the reflected light to bend, creating a dull hazy appearance on the carpet surface. Daily vacuuming is required for all heavy traffic areas such as entry mats, foyers, and halls. Medium traffic areas can be vacuumed twice a week, while light traffic areas can be addressed once a week. Note: Consult the Carpet and Rug Institute for recommendations of vacuum cleaners.

Spotting: Immediately blot spills with a clean, white, absorbent towel and repeat until the spill is full absorbed. A portable spot removal extractor can be used for a final rinse. Avoid the use of chemicals as these can “set” the stain and make it difficult or impossible for a professional cleaner to remove at a later time.

Interim Cleaning: Just as we recommended with vacuuming, some areas in the home need more frequent cleaning than others. Those areas should be addressed by your carpet cleaner several times a year as required.

Restorative Deep Cleaning: Deep cleaning should be performed once a year under normal circumstances. To maintain their warranty, major carpet cleaners such as Shaw and Mohawk require hot water extraction (Steam Cleaning).

What is in your carpet? According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, carpet can hold as much as one pound of soil per square foot before it is noticed.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC www.iicrc.org) has performed numerous studies that estimate the typical soil composition found in carpets to be:

- 74% Insoluble – Sand, clay, minerals, and debris tracked in from outside plus fibers from fabrics, people, newspapers, clothing and plants.

- 12% Water Soluble – Fluid residues normally from food and drink spills, and sugar or starch.

- 10% Dry Solvent Soluble – Tracked in asphalt sealant and tar, and from body oils, machinery, cooking vapors or general work process.

- 4% Moisture of undetermined origin.

Fred Terlaak is the CEO and co-founder of Service Depot. Started as an Austin carpet cleaning and restoration service organization, the company has operations in San Antonio, and Houston Texas. A strong belief that educated customers become life-time customers, service depot provides technical information on its blog to help their customers maintain a safe and clean home. For more tips and tools visit => http://www.servicedepotonline.com

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Indoor Air Pollution is Your Worst Enemy According to Recent Researches

December 22, 2009 By

Air is a mixture of several gases, mostly nitrogen and oxygen. The air has no color, no smell, and no taste. Pure air has vital role in all living beings; we cannot live without it. Unfortunately, the air we breathe is not always pure. The air is polluted by solid particles: dust, sand, soot, etc. Air pollution is not a game; it causes respiratory diseases and death. The indoor air pollution is a real public health issue. It is responsible for large numbers of diseases in United States. To optimize indoor air we breathe in our house or office, it is important to add an air purification system.

Below are some of the pollutants that can cause diseases and death:

Heavy metals – Heavy metals include a family of compounds quite extensive; the most common is the lead, most located in the particle, with the exception of mercury (gas). The main metals suspected are Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). They come from burning coal, oil, garbage and some industrial processes (Non Ferrous Metals in particular). The metals accumulate in the body and cause toxic effects. They can affect the nervous system, kidney function, liver, respiratory, etc.. The potential toxic and carcinogenic, however, varies considerably from one compound to another.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) – Sulphur dioxide (SO2) comes mainly from combustion of fossil fuels, volcanic eruptions, biomass burning. Coal burning is the single largest man-made source of sulphur dioxide, accounting for about 50% of annual global emissions, with oil burning accounting for a further 25 to 30%. It is an irritant gas, colorless and soluble in water. Health effects caused by exposure to high levels of SO2 include breathing problems, respiratory illness, changes in the lung’s defences, and worsening respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

Nitrogen oxides (NOX) – These compounds are formed by oxidation of nitrogen (N 2) during combustion (mainly at high temperature) of fuel at high temperatures. Nitrogen oxides, with volatile organic compounds, are involved in the formation of the photo-oxidising pollution and ozone in the lower atmosphere. It penetrates the respiratory system and may, from 200 ? g.m – 3, lead to impaired lung function and bronchial hyper-reactivity in asthmatics. In children, it increases the sensitivity of the bronchial microbial infections.

Carbon monoxide (CO) – Traffic represents the main source of carbon monoxide. It comes from Unvented kerosene, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves; generators and other gasoline powered equipment; automobile exhaust from attached garages; and tobacco smoke. Incomplete oxidation during combustion in gas ranges and unvented gas or kerosene heaters may cause high concentrations of CO in indoor air. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue

Dust - airborne dust from certain industrial processes (cremations, quarries, cement), domestic heating in winter but mostly in car traffic near roads. The finer (<5 ? m) penetrates the alveoli and may, especially in children, irritate the respiratory tract or impair lung function.
Ozone (O3) – Ozone is a colorless gas and a powerful oxidant penetrating easily to alveoli. It causes, from prolonged exposure of 150 to 200 ? g.m – 3, eye irritations, headaches, coughing and impaired lung especially among children and asthmatics. Physical exercise may worsen the effects.

What can you do?

- ventilate all parts of the house and do so regularly,
- Use decorative products to be low emission of pollutants
- Do not smoke inside your home especially when there are children
- Pay attention to maintenance products that you use and respect the doses
– And the most important, Use air cleaners. Our Air cleaners deliver a complete filtration solution, removing a wide variety of particles, sub-micron particles, chemicals, gases, micro-organisms and odors. This includes such things as dust, mold, pollen, tobacco smoke, chemical vapors, gases, viruses and bacteria. To learn more about our air cleaners, Visit home air cleaner website.

Raphaelo is a nutritionist who strongly believes in natural healing and disease prevention. He loves to share his own personal beneficial experience with natural remedies to others. To learn more about air cleaners, Please visit home air cleaner website.

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Natural Cleaning Products That Increase Your Overall Well Being

December 21, 2009 By

Chemicals can hurt the body. For this reason natural cleaning products are truly the way to turn, but how to know which organic cleaning products help you. The solutions developed by select companies may be claimed as organic, but adding vinegar to alcohol does not really mean your problems will be cleaned away and stayed away.

Natural cleaning products are quite difficult to develop, but once developed correctly the results are amazing. Discover how the correct organic cleaning products can promote well being. These natural ingredients are formulated so they clean and remove and some actually will prevent mold, mildew, and grunge from coming back. While cleaning the location is important blocking and preventing is possibly more important. Using bleach and acids actually will hurt the body as well as the toxins from mold and mildew, this is what can be called a double whammy. Both the cleaners and mold and mildew are actually giving you a whiff of some very toxic fumes that may be dangerous to use indoors.

Chemicals can be harsh to the human body. When cleaning in your house or on a job site you would need to consider the amount of toxins that are released into the air. These toxins can become deadly to certain individuals. Natural cleaning products or “Green” cleaning supplies are developed to remove these toxins from the process. While dealing with mold and mildew there are microbial toxins that can affect your lungs and cardiovascular system. Adding on toxic chemicals to these mold spores can really send your body into a tailspin. Let me explain what these toxins can do from chemicals and from microbial mold spores.

When applying a cleaning solution the chemicals turn into vapor which are inhaled by the body. This vapor can be harmful to children, elderly, and immunocomprimised. During a heavy duty cleaning project the home owners are usually asked to leave the location because of the toxins.

Now to the mold spores, as if the chemical was not bad enough. When dealing black mold and mildew you must consider these spores that attach the surface of your lungs. When a mold spores settles on the wall or some other building material, it actually begins eating that surface.

When the mold spore becomes full it develops excrement like any other living organism. This excrement is what makes individuals sick.

The challenge is when dealing with a mold cleaning project, most chemicals like bleach are harmful to you but only temporarily clean the area. Another challenge is most green cleaning products have a hard time with killing mold and mildew as well.

What you really need is a powerful organic cleaning product that removes mold and blocks it’s growth. These natural cleaning products are hard to find due to the formulations of the product, but once found and used you are guaranteed safety to use around children, pets, etc. Also, you have the confidence that the area you have cleaned whether it be mold, mildew, soap scum, or other type of grunge will be cleaning and protected for the future. That is correct, instead of battling mold, Property Perfections simply developed a natural cleaning product that prevents it’s growth.

Find the right solution for your natural cleaning products. Entirely tax free and guaranteed 100%. Learn today how black mold may affect your life.
Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Replace the Bleach when Getting Rid of Black Mold

December 21, 2009 By

Abode proprietors might use bleach and detergents in getting rid of black mold. Cleaning black molds off the walls of our homes is not that simple because there are some perils under that surface.

Bleach-water solution vaporizes quickly but leaves the water behind. This, in effect, doesn’t dry as fast as necessary to get rid of spores. Moreover, ordinary bleaches in our households contain 5.25% sodium hypochlorite or NaOCl. This sodium hypochlorite forms hypochlorous acid or HOCl when mixed with water. Hypochlorous acid is effective against bacteria and viruses thus bleaches are used as disinfectants. Studies revealed nonetheless that the use of bleaches is not suitable for home use due to some health risks. Aside from its health hazards, its effects against molds are not much successful due to the water, which feeds the spores, left when bleach vaporizes. If you might notice when you use bleach-water mixture to remove visible molds on your basement or bathroom walls, the molds usually grow back after just a few days after you clean them. There are a number of indoor mold species blamed for mold-related diseases. These species are Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium which ordinarily trigger allergies especially among kids. It is thus a crucial move to simply clean black mold contaminations right away and with proper cautions.

By merely touching the mold colony, there is a great chance of risking oneself of inhaling the spores or its toxic discharges. When handling mold contaminations or mold-infested materials, wear protective gloves, goggles, and optimal air-purifying respirator if possible. Thus, Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is much essential.

With the exception of visible mildew growths, mold spores are too small to be seen by the naked eye. But seeing an accumulation of molds are sure signals that there is much more molds in the surfaces in the room. This most likely includes the carpets, furniture, the air conditioners, air ducts, heating vents, and furnace filters.

The only way to clean black mold is to inspect all the suspicious parts of the house. If you detect a visible mold growth, however faint or small, act on measures to eliminate it as quickly as you can. The mold colonies can rapidly spread throughout the house. Check the pets as they are good agents to transport spores rapidly. Without inspecting these agents, a simple mold can later cause a widespread mold infestation in your house.

Use special products for black molds instead when disinfecting. Try to leave the room drier and cleaner always after the thorough cleaning. Retest after three months. In the soonest time, you will finally get rid of that black molds in your abode.

Confused with Black Mold Contamination in your house? Here are recommended sites for details on How to Kill Black Mold with mold removal products and mold clean up methods.

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , ,

California Toxic Tort Lawyer On Toxic Fumes Exposure Injuries & Deaths at Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Medical Offices, Schools, Malls & Public Places

December 21, 2009 By

Hospitals, schools, nursing homes and public places today are faced with a serious dilemma. Risk the spread of germs that can inhibit the recovery of patients, cause students, shoppers, fitness center members and other members of the public to become sick and allow their germs to spread to others, or utilize dangerous sanitary cleaners and disinfectants, which if used incorrectly or diluted improperly can be fatal to patients, workers and visitors alike.

Common disinfectants used by hospitals today can cause toxic fumes which if a patient, visitor or hospital worker is exposed to will injure their lungs and other areas of their body and can cause death. The warning on such products, many of which are used widely by hospitals and other medical facilities state in bold print on the warning labels such as, Danger! Causes Digestive Tract, Eye and Skin Burns. Causes Respiratory Tract Irritation. May be fatal if inhaled. Do not get in eyes, on skin or on clothing. Avoid breathing vapors, spray or mists. Use only with adequate ventilation.

With such dire warnings, the question one must ask is, what is such a product doing in a hospital? Today, hospitals must cope with viruses and germs such as the H1N1 virus, and bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV. They must deal with blood and bodily fluids on the floors, on the bed sheets and on medical instruments.

The risks of catching such germs and viruses by patients, extends to visitors alike and to hospital workers. To prevent the transmission of such germs and viruses to everyone in hospitals and medical offices, disinfectants have been produced and are now being sold to and used by medical providers the world over.

Visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com and call us if you’ve been seriously injured by toxic fumes or a toxic chemical exposure at a hospital, medical office, nursing home, school, fitness center, shopping mall or other public place.

The first problem with using such products is that even under the safest of conditions, there is the risk that such products will be made stronger than they should be. Despite quality controls, mistakes in the manufacture of anything, can happen. Machines fail, humans make mistakes, and products can come out of a manufacturing plant with the wrong levels of chemicals. Prior to manufacture, research can be faulty as well. What may be thought to be a safe level of toxicity when put into the stream of commerce, years later it may be determined to not be safe at all.

Even when a product is made safely, the warnings on such products can be unclear or not sufficiently dire. The warnings and directions may be misread, ignored or not followed correctly. Products that need to be diluted before use, may be used in their concentrated level instead by mistake by workers who cannot read the warnings or directions due to a reduced proficiency in English, in their reading skills or due to being put under pressure to clean up a spill quickly before someone slips and falls.

Directions for dilution of the products only in safe rooms with protective gloves, breathing apparatus or safety goggles may be ignored or not followed by mistake. The vapors from such products may then be breathed into the lungs of the hospital workers, the patients, the medical staff, nurses and visitors. Patients who seemed on the road to recovery may suddenly develop new and more deadly symptoms that make no sense to their doctors, who themselves feel worse the longer they are at the hospital or in certain rooms where the products have been used.

While workers may use precautions for their own safety, they may forget to use such precautions for the safety of patients, staff and visitors. Directions to only use such products in well-ventilated areas to prevent breathing in concentrated fumes may be forgotten when such products are used in patient, staff or visitor areas that are not well-ventilated.

Anyone thinking that the cleaning and disinfectant products used by hospitals are the same as what one finds and uses at home is sadly mistaken. Many of the products used by hospitals have numerous ingredients which have high toxicity. With hospitals using different brands of disinfectants along with germicidal products such as wipes for surfaces throughout the hospital, the risk of overexposure is high with the possibility of irreversible eye damage, redness, swelling, itching, dermatitis, intense pain, blistering, tearing, ulceration, tissue destruction, nasal discharge, headaches, nose and throat pain, cough, vomiting, drying, defatting and cracking of the skin, burns to the mouth, throat and stomach, dizziness, drowsiness, incoordination, slowed reaction time, slurred speech, severe mouth, throat and abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, blood in the feces or vomitus, liver damage, shortness of breath, cloudy appearance of the cornea, chemical burns, damage to the central nervous system and significantly impaired vision, or complete loss of vision. If the cause of such symptoms is not discovered soon enough and proper medical treatment is not administered quickly, unconsciousness and death can result. Years later, the chemicals can cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. Some chemicals in such products can also cause asthma and cancer.

Today there are hundreds of thousands of hospitals, medical offices, schools, fitness centers, grocery stores and other places frequented by the public and the sick at which the staffs are concerned about public safety and the spread of germs and viruses, and at which these highly toxic and dangerous products are being used. And while they address their concerns by using highly toxic disinfectants and cleaning products and even encourage the public to use such products themselves, many are failing to protect the public and themselves from the dangers of overuse, misuse, combined uses and over-concentrated uses of such products.

If you’ve been exposed to such toxic chemicals by contact or by breathing in their fumes at any public facility of this nature and have suffered any of these life-threatening or life-altering injuries, first we encourage you to seek proper medical treatment immediately. Tell your doctor what you suspect you’ve been exposed to. If you are in a health plan such as an HMO that first requires you to be seen by a general practitioner, ask your doctor to refer you on an emergency basis to a toxic exposure specialist and if your doctor won’t refer you, speak to someone at your health insurance company and demand to be seen by such a specialist so the proper blood work and lab work can be performed and your symptoms addressed, studied and treated.

As the germs and viruses that cause illness to humans become more resistant, ironically we can expect more and more toxic exposure injuries in public facilities concerned about public safety.

Once you’re receiving the proper medical treatment, call the law offices of Sebastian Gibson at (800) 589-3202 or e-mail us from our website at www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com Toxic exposure cases are lengthy and expensive and require a significant injury and medical bills in order for it to justify the time and costs involved in their prosecution. However, if you’ve been hospitalized and/or have suffered permanent injury as a result of a toxic exposure, call us.

Mr. Gibson?s firm practices law in a wide variety of areas of law including California toxic tort and toxic chemical and fumes exposure in hospitals, medical offices, schools, fitness centers, shopping malls and public places that cause serious injury or death, personal injury, auto, pedestrian, motorcycle, car, truck and bicycle accidents, wrongful death and insurance law throughout Southern California from San Diego, Orange County, Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Huntington Beach, La Jolla, Temecula, Buena Park, Riverside, Escondido, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, Indian Wells, Fullerton, Orange, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Newport Beach, Carlsbad and internationally.

If you?ve suffered a severe toxic exposure injury at a hospital, school, medical office or any public place, visit us at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and call us at any of the numbers easily found on our website or click on one of these links, California Toxic Exposure Attorney and California Toxic Tort Lawyer for representation throughout California.

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Dry Cleaning Works?

December 20, 2009 By

When you drop your clothes off at the cleaners, the employees follow a pattern that holds true at just about any dry-cleaning operation running today. Your clothes go through the following steps:

1. Tagging and inspection – Some method, whether it is small paper tags or little labels written on a shirt collar, is used to identify your clothes so they don’t get mixed up with everyone else’s. Clothes are also examined for missing buttons, tears, etc. that the dry cleaner might get blamed for otherwise.
2. Pre-treatment - The cleaner looks for stains on your clothes and treats them to make removal easier and more complete.
3. Dry cleaning – The clothes are put in a machine and cleaned with a solvent.
4. Post-spotting – Any lingering stains are removed.
5. Finishing – This includes pressing, folding, packaging and other finishing touches.

The following sections look at each of these steps in detail.

Tagging
When you drop off your clothes, every order is identified. Although the exact identification process may vary from dry cleaner to dry cleaner, it basically includes counting the items and describing them (e.g., shirt, blouse, slacks). Also noted is the date they were dropped off and what date they’ll be ready for the customer to pick up. Then, a small, colored tag is affixed to each piece of clothing with a safety pin or staple, and this tag remains attached to the clothing during the entire dry-cleaning cycle. The dry cleaner also generates an invoice, and information about the order — including the customer’s name, address, and phone number — is entered into a computer. This helps to keep track of the order.

If a garment needs special attention, such as removing a red wine stain from a shirt or putting a double-crease in pant legs, there’s a special colored tag that gets affixed to that particular item of clothing. Once the clothing has been washed or dry cleaned, it goes through a quality check and the order gets re-assembled. This means the clothing is bundled together for the customer to pick up. Remember, every order is identified by a colored tag with a number on it so the person who re-assembles the order knows which shirts and which slacks go together and to whom they belong.

Pre-treating Stains
Pre-treating stains is similar to the procedure used at home when you apply a stain remover to stains prior to washing them. The idea is to try to remove the stain or make its removal easier using chemicals. You can even help the process, especially if you catch the stain early! Simply apply water for wet stains (a stain that had water in it) and solvent for dry stains (a stain that has grease or oil in it). Then, gently tap and blot both sides of the fabric with a soft cloth so the stain “bleeds off” onto the cloth. Then, rinse the fabric, let it dry and your cleaner will do the rest.

If you don’t know what to do when a stain happens, call your cleaner and ask them what to apply.

Dry Cleaning
While there are many brands and makes of cleaning machines, they are all basically the same in principle and function. A cleaning machine is a motor-driven washer/extractor/dryer that holds from 20 to 100 pounds (9 to 45 kg) of clothes or fabrics in a rotating, perforated stainless-steel basket. The basket is mounted in a housing that includes motors, pumps, filters, still, recovery coils, storage tanks, fans, and a control panel. In all modern equipment, the washer and the dryer are in the same machine. Doing this makes it possible to recover nearly all of the perc used during cleaning, which is better for the environment and saves the dry cleaner money.

As the clothes rotate in the perforated basket, there is a constant flow of clean solvent from the pump and filter system. The solvent sprays into the basket and chamber constantly — not only immersing the clothes, but gently dropping and pounding them against baffles in the cylinder as well. The dirty solvent is pumped continuously through the filter and re-circulated free and clear of dirt that gets trapped in the filter.

As an example, a typical machine might pump perc through the clothes at a rate of perhaps 1,500 gallons (5,678 liters) per hour. Perc is about 75 percent heavier than water. If a cycle lasts for eight minutes, the clothes would be doused during mechanical action with 200 gallons (757 liters) of solvent. This is more than adequate to thoroughly clean the clothes.

The next cycle drains and rapidly spins the clothes to expel the solvent and then goes into a dry cycle by circulating warm air through the clothes. The remaining fumes and solvent are vaporized by warm air and then condensed over cooling coils. The distilled solvent is separated from any water (that may have remained in the clothes or system) and returned to the tank as distilled solvent. Since any moisture that may have condensed into water during the process floats on top of perc, it is relatively simple to separate it.

Cleaning plants using petroleum solvent rather than perc are exposed to a different set of circumstances and face some challenging considerations. The solvent is flammable, and therefore many fire-prevention steps must be taken for safety. The solvent is very slightly lighter than water and the two mix easily. There is also a need for higher temperatures to dry and deodorize the garments, which makes shrinkage and re-deposition of soil into the clothes more likely. These disadvantages are the reason why the industry currently uses perc almost exclusively.

Regardless of which solvent the dry cleaner uses, the quality of cleaning, the degree of soil removal, the color brightness, the freshness, the odor and the softness all depend on the degree to which the cleaner controls his filter and solvent condition and moisture. Quality control can vary day to day unless the cleaner is constantly attentive to these factors.

Post-Spotting
Post-cleaning spot removal is another part of the quality control process. Post-spotting, as it is called, uses professional equipment and chemical preparations using steam, water, air, and vacuum. Post-spotting involves a fairly simple process for removing a stain. If the stain had water in it to begin with (bean soup, for example), then it takes water or wet-side chemicals to remove the stain. If the stain was on the dry side (grease, oil-base paint, tar, nail polish), it takes solvents or dry-side chemicals to remove the stain.

In home laundry, most wet-type stains come out during the washing process. Grease does not. The opposite is true in dry cleaning — it will leave the wet-side stains intact after the cleaning cycle. On the other hand, the solvent removes grease and oils during the cleaning cycle. The exception to this rule involves incorporating a “charge” of specially formulated dry-cleaning soap (an anhydrous emulsifier) into the cleaning cycle.

The dry cleaner will examine your clothes after cleaning is complete to see if any stains remain. If they do, post-spotting tries to get them out. A conscientious cleaner will remove the overwhelming majority of soil and stains, but there is always a small percent of very stubborn stains that may not be entirely removed for a variety of reasons, such as:

Tannin stains set by heat and time
Original dye stripped or faded
Bleached-out spots or sun-faded materials
Foreign dye deposit

Finishing
The final phase of dry-cleaning operations includes finishing, pressing, steaming, ironing, and making any necessary repairs to restore the garment. This is the least mysterious process since most dry-cleaning stores have their professional finishing equipment in plain view of customers.
Once the clothes are cleaned, they are pressed or “finished.” The steps in this process include:

Applying steam to soften the garment
Re-shaping it through quick drying
Removing the steam with air or vacuum
Applying pressure to the garment

The pressure comes from the head of the pressing machine, while steam is diffused through the bottom. Most machines not only emit steam, but can vacuum it out as well!

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: ,

The Truth Behind Steam Pressure Washers

December 20, 2009 By

The only way to truly clean surfaces is by using a steam pressure washer. The steam from the hot water will wash the surface clean as well as combine the perfect amounts of detergents, while using the natural abrasive action of300 degree steam on even the hardest to clean surfaces. There are many times that the only option an owner has is to use the steam cleaner. If cold water were used, the stains and mess would only be further cemented on to the surface, clumping together instead of peeling off. Some of the more popular industries that require steam pressure washers are the meat an pork processing plants as well as the restaurant industry.

 

The fuel that makes a steam pressure washer go can come in different forms. Some of the more common ones include gas, diesel, electric, and propane boilers, all used to head the water up to 300 degrees and higher. Because this is superheated steam, the boilers are incredibly powerful, and must keep the stainless steel heating coils at a good temperature in order to maintain the high flow-rate of water and steam. In addition, the steam must be heated in under 30 seconds in some cases.

 

While water based units also work fine, steam pressure washers have distinct advantages. There are virtually no surfaces that cannot be cleaned by steam due to the extreme heat involved. It also sanitizes in addition to cleaning, making the surface hot enough to kill most germs and bacteria, therefore getting rid of the need for harsh chemical solvents and detergents. Additionally, since the steam is superheated, many surfaces and components that would be ruined by water would be able to benefit from a steam pressure washer without damage. 

 

 

GET Your Steam Pressure Washers Tips Now. Find The Right Steam Pressure Washer at www.water-pressure-washer.com.

Dickson Yan

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , ,

Keep Your Car Looking New with a Quality Auto Detailing System

December 19, 2009 By

It’s every car owner’s dream to keep his car gleaming and spotlessly clean. However, it is not an easy task especially when you consider the dust, mud, grease and other stains that may accumulate on a car’s exterior on a daily basis. Only auto detailing can clean up all this mess and keep your car looking brand new.

The traditional method of cleaning cars includes hand washing the exteriors and vacuuming the interiors of the vehicle. However, auto detailing is a more comprehensive cleaning process that is best carried out with quality car detailing systems like mobile steam pressure washers that have been specifically designed for delicate automotive surfaces.

The moderately-high pressure levels of these portable auto detailing systems effectively serve in blasting off hardened mud, grease, treesap, oil, and other tough stains on the exterior of cars without scratching or harming the surface in any way. In addition, these mobile car wash systems have a low flow rate of 0.5 GPM – a safe yet amazingly effective rate for cleaning all vehicle surfaces. Best of all, these steam machines are capable of maintaining constant pressure and temperature levels during extended hours of operation.

Before pressure washers were configured specifically for auto detailing purposes, car owners had only two options to choose from – dry steam cleaners and traditional pressure washers. However, both these classes of cleaning machines had several drawbacks and proved insufficient for vehicle cleaning purposes. Traditional pressure washers usually feature flow rates up to 5 GPM or more that can cause considerable wastage of water. In addition, the extreme pressure of these pressure cleaners – up to 3000 PSI and higher – in combination with the high flow rates can actually cause scratches or damage to the car’s painted surfaces. As such, these machines have proved to be absolutely inappropriate for auto detailing applications.

Scratches and paint damage is an issue even if you use regular dry steam cleaners with very low pressure levels for auto detailing purposes. This is because using these dry steam cleaners that feature only about 5 percent water requires continuous wiping that can lead to paint damage. The pressure and temperature levels of these dry steam cleaners can also begin to fluctuate a few minutes into operation. In addition, dry vapor is less powerful than mobile steam car wash systems when it comes to blasting away dirt from almost all surfaces of vehicles like glass, wheels, engines and exteriors, as these machines do not generate dry vapor at sufficient pressure levels.

What really makes auto detailing systems special is that they combine super-heated, wet steam of up to 330ºF with the high pressure levels required to clean the car without causing damage. This unique combination allows you to easily eliminate soil, dirt, mud, tree sap, oil, grease, bugs, tar and lots of other substances that can mar the appearance of your vehicle. In fact, you can even use steam car wash machines in winter for melting away ice and snow that has blanketed your car.

Auto detailing with a quality mobile car wash system is a great way to achieve professional detailing results on your own. Spend some time to choose a reliable, durable, technologically superior and user-friendly steam washing machine and you will be glad you made that purchase. Go get a good auto detailing system today and keep your car looking like new.

Daimer offers the most powerful and effective auto detailing equipment in the industry along with special low-moisture mobile car wash equipment to leave the vehicle interiors drier, allowing professionals to increase productivity by cleaning more cars faster with the eco green cleaners keeping vehicle surfaces cleaner.

Filed Under: Vapor Cleaners Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »

Powered by Yahoo! Answers