The Germiest Places in America

Health.com -
Content by Health.com editors

We call them the dirty dozen. It’s our laundry list of the germiest places you’re likely to encounter during an average day. Sure, there are outbreaks of microbes and viruses across the country, but these buggers are where you live. In the office, at home, at the gym, on your vacation. “It’s enough to make even the least germophobic person a little worried,” says Dr. Germ, a.k.a. Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. After all, some of these germs lurk where you least expect them, he says: “People are more worried about the trash can than the kitchen sink, when it should be the other way around.” Dr. Germ and a panel of other experts helped us identify the dirty dozen and devise ways for you to keep clean. After all, the fight is in your hands. Literally. Eighty percent of infections are spread through hand contact. So wash up, people, and get ready to wage a bit of germ warfare of your own.

1. Your kitchen sink
“Kitchen sinks are dirtier than most bathrooms,” says Kelly Reynolds, PhD, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona. There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the drain. In fact, in a recent study, half of the top 10 germiest spots in the home were (gulp!) in the kitchen. That sponge you use to clean the counter? Crawling with bacteria, as are the sink’s basin and faucet handles. Reduce the risk: “Clean your kitchen counters and sink with an antibacterial product after preparing or rinsing food, especially raw fruits and vegetables, which carry lots of potential pathogens like salmonella, campylobacter, and E. coli,” says Philip Tierno, PhD, author of The Secret Life of Germs and director of clinical microbiology at New York University Medical Center. Sanitize sponges by running them through the dishwasher’s drying cycle. “That killed 99.9 percent of the bacteria on the sponges we used in a recent study—and we’d gotten them really good and contaminated first,” says Cheryl Mudd, a microbiologist with the Agricultural Research Service’s Food Safety Laboratory. As for the sink, clean it twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach and one quart of water. Scrub the basin, then pour the solution down the drain.

2. Airplane bathrooms
It’s not exactly a shock that there are a huge number of germs in most public bathrooms, but experts agree that those cramped and overused airplane loos (with only about one toilet for every 50 people) are the worst. “There are often traces of E. coli or fecal bacteria on the faucets and door handles, because it’s hard to wash your hands in those tiny sinks,” says Dr. Germ, a.k.a. Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. But here’s the worst news: The volcanic flush of the commode tends to spew particles into the air, coating the floor and walls with, well, whatever had been swirling around in there. Reduce the risk: Toilet seats are surprisingly clean, but use the paper cover when available. After using the toilet, wash and dry your hands thoroughly, and use a paper towel to handle the toilet seat, lid, tap, and doorknob. Put the lid down before you flush. If there’s no lid, turn your back to the toilet while flushing and beat a hasty retreat.

3. A Load of Wet Laundry
“Clean clothes” is a whopper of an oxymoron. “Anytime you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, you’re going to get E. coli on your hands,” Gerba says. Just one soiled undergarment can spread bacteria to the whole load and the machine. Reduce the risk: Run your washer and dryer at 150 degrees, and wash whites with bleach (not the color-safe type; it doesn’t pack the same punch), which kills 99.99 percent of bugs. Transfer wet laundry to the dryer quickly so germs don’t multiply, wash underwear separately (there’s about a gram of feces—a quarter the size of a small peanut—in every pair of dirty underwear), and dry for at least 45 minutes. Wash your hands after laundering, and run a cycle of bleach and water between loads to eliminate any lingering bugs.

4. Public drinking fountains
Drinking fountains are bound to be germy, but school fountains are the biggest offenders, with anywhere from 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch on the spigot, says Robert Donofrio, PhD, director of microbiology for NSF International. Other school hot spots: cafeteria trays, sink handles, desk-tops, and computer keyboards. Yes, kids are germy creatures. And, thanks to their slapdash hygiene, 22 million school days are lost each year to colds alone. Reduce the risk: Send your child to school with plenty of her own beverages. Teach her to wash her hands, especially before and after lunch, going to the bathroom, or using the computer. Send hand sanitizer to every school teacher and give extras to your child. And when it’s your turn to squeeze into that little desk for Open House? Swab it off with an antibacterial wipe, Gerba says. If schools did that every night, they’d reduce the child-absenteeism rate by half. And, of course, don’t drink from the water fountain!

5. Shopping cart handles
Saliva. Bacteria. Fecal matter. Those are just a few of the choice substances Gerba found on shopping cart handles. Carts rank high on the yuck scale because they’re handled by dozens of people every day and you’re “putting your broccoli where some kid’s butt was,” says the professor of environmental microbiology. And, of course, raw food carries nasty pathogens. Reduce the risk: Many stores, aware of the ick factor, have a dispenser with disinfectant wipes near the carts. If yours doesn’t, bring your own and give the handle a quick swab; that’s been shown to kill nearly 100 percent of germs. Or carry along a cart cover, like the Grip-Guard or Healthy Handle, a dishwasher-safe polypropylene cover that fits over any size cart handle. At the meat counter, follow the lead of Elizabeth Scott, PhD, co-director of the Center for Hygiene and Health at Simmons College in Boston: “I always put raw meat in a plastic bag. If I get some juice on my hands, I ask the person behind the counter for a disinfecting wipe.”

6. ATM buttons
If you’re not careful, you might pick up more than quick cash from your local ATM. Those buttons have more gunk on them than most public-bathroom doorknobs. (The same goes for vending-machine buttons, bus armrests, and escalator handrails.) After testing 38 ATMs in downtown Taipei, Chinese researchers recently found that each key contained, on average 1,200 germs. “ATMs aren’t frequently cleaned, and they are regularly touched—a perfect combination for a lot of germs,” environmental microbologist Kelly Reynolds, PhD, says. Reduce the risk: “Carry an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer with you and rub it on your hands after a visit to the ATM,” Reynolds suggests. Also, be sure to do it after you handle money. “Paper money actually carries quite a few germs, too,” she says.

7. Your handbag
Your Marc Jacobs? Dirty? Yep. Think petri dish. When University of Arizona professor of environmental microbiology Charles Gerba, PhD, and his team tested women’s purses not long ago, they found that most had tens of thousands of bacteria on the bottom and a few were overrun with millions. Another study found bugs like pseudo-monas (which can cause eye infections), and skin-infection-causing staphylococcus bacteria, as well as salmonella and E. coli. Your makeup case is every bit as bad, as are your guy’s wallet and personal digital assistant. Reduce the risk: Instead of slinging your bag on the floor, hang it on a hook whenever you can—especially in public bathrooms—and keep your bag off the kitchen counter. Stick with leather or vinyl purses, which are typically cleaner than cloth (less-porous surfaces are more impervious to germs). And wipe your bag down every few days with a mild soap or disinfectant, then let it air dry. Brand name, alas, makes no difference.

8. Playgrounds
There’s just no way to put this delicately: Children tend to ooze bodily fluids and then spread them around. “When we sampled playgrounds, we were pretty aghast at what we found—blood, mucus, saliva, urine,” Kelly Reynolds, PhD, says. Pair those findings with the fact that children put their fingers in their mouths and noses more than the rest of us, and it’s easy to understand why Junior (and maybe his mom or dad) has the sniffles. Reduce the risk: Carry alcohol wipes or hand-sanitizing gel in your purse, and clean everybody’s hands a couple of times during a park visit, especially before snacking. Pick warm sunny days for outdoor play: “The sun’s ultraviolet light is actually a very effective disinfectant. Most bugs won’t survive long on surfaces that are hot and dry,” says Howard Backer, MD, MPH, an expert in communicable diseases in Richmond, California.

9. Mats and machines at health clubs
“I see a yoga mat, and I worry,” says Elizabeth Scott, PhD, who has found antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus on yoga mats and cardio and resistance machines. “At high schools, antibiotic-resistant-staph infections have been transmitted through wrestling mats. The same thing could happen at health clubs.” Reduce the risk: Wipe down machines with antibacterial wipes before working out. Bring your own yoga mat or cover a loaner with your towel. “Shower after a workout and soap up your skin to rinse off any bacteria you may have been exposed to,” Scott says. “Thorough washing gets rid of antibiotic-resistant staph.”

10. Your bathtub
Shocking, but true: The place you go to get clean is quite dirty. In a recent study, Elizabeth Scott, PhD, found staphylococcus bacteria, a common cause of serious skin infections, in 26 percent of the tubs she tested, as compared with just 6 percent of garbage cans. Tubs typically had more than 100,000 bacteria per square inch! “It makes sense when you think about it,” she says. “You’re washing germs and viruses off your body. The tub is a fairly moist environment, so bacteria can grow.” Reduce the risk: Once a week, apply a disinfecting cleaner to the tub. “You need to actually scrub, then you need to wash the germs down the drain with water and dry the tub with a clean towel. If you leave the tub wet, germs are more likely to survive,” Scott says. Pay special attention to soap scum—a surprisingly germ-friendly environment, author Phiilp Tierno, PhD, adds. If someone who uses the tub has a skin infection, scrub it afterward with a solution of two tablespoons bleach in one quart of water.

11. Your office phone
This is enough to make you dial 911: Office phones often have more than 25,000 germs per square inch, and your desk, computer keyboard, and mouse aren’t far behind. “Phones, including cell phones, can be pretty gross; they get coated with germs from your mouth and hands,” says Robert Donofrio, PhD. Although we’d like to think of ourselves as cleaner than guys, women’s offices have twice the number of bacteria (but men’s are slightly more likely to harbor antiobiotic-resistant staphylococcus). In fact, Gerba calls desks “bacteria cafeterias,” because of all the food particles he found there. Most common office areas—kitchens, copiers—are not as dirty as individual desks, although the microwave is pretty bad.

12. Hotel-room remote
What’s the first thing you do when you settle in at a hotel? You grab the remote control and switch on the TV—you, and the hundreds of other guests who’ve stayed there. How dirty is it? Owen Hendley, MD, a professor of pediatrics and infectious disease at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and his colleagues recently tested various surfaces for the cold virus after a group of sick people had stayed overnight. “We found the virus on the remote, door handles, light switches, pens, and faucet handles,” he says. Reduce the risk: Clean the remote control, phone, clock radio, door handles, and light switches with germicidal wipes. While you’re at it, throw on a pair of slippers and throw off the bedspread. “We’ve found urine and semen on both carpets and bedspreads.” They may not make you truly sick, but it certainly is enough to make you feel queasy.

The Germiest Places in America

Health.com -
Content by Health.com editors
We call them the dirty dozen. It’s our laundry list of the germiest places you’re likely to encounter during an average day. Sure, there are outbreaks of microbes and viruses across the country, but these buggers are where you live. In the office, at home, at the gym, on your vacation. “It’s enough to make even the least germophobic person a little worried,” says Dr. Germ, a.k.a. Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. After all, some of these germs lurk where you least expect them, he says: “People are more worried about the trash can than the kitchen sink, when it should be the other way around.”

Dr. Germ and a panel of other experts helped us identify the dirty dozen and devise ways for you to keep clean. After all, the fight is in your hands. Literally. Eighty percent of infections are spread through hand contact. So wash up, people, and get ready to wage a bit of germ warfare of your own.

Read the Entire Article Here!

Is Your Laundry Making You Sick?

Prevention -
By Celeste Perron

How to minimize germs, allergies, and other surprising ways doing the wash can affect your health

1. Empty the washer ASAP
Why: Protect against germs
Bacteria flourish in wet areas, so take clothes out within 30 minutes of a completed cycle; if they sit for an hour, rewash the load. But wouldn’t just-laundered clothes be germ free, you wonder? Not necessarily, says Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. These days, many people are trying to save energy and money by washing with cold water, but harmful bacteria can easily survive in it, explains Gerba, whose research found that 25% of home washing machines contain fecal bacteria. Although the strains of E. coli found were fairly harmless, their presence alone indicates that bacteria and viruses can linger on laundry, he says.

Though Gerba recommends using hot water to kill germs, cold is better for energy bills—and the planet. To help protect your family, don’t overload the washer, so detergent can penetrate all the fabric; and wash your hands after removing wet clothes so you don’t spread lingering germs. The dryer’s heat will kill most of the remaining bugs.

2. Wash undies alone
Why: Protect against germs
Not surprisingly, the primary source of fecal bacteria in a washer is underwear. It’s best to do underwear in a separate cycle, with hot water and regular or color-safe bleach, suggests Gerba. And once a week, run an empty cycle with only a cup of bleach. “That prevents bacteria from hanging out in the drum,” he adds.

3. Wash bedding in hot water
Why: Reduce allergens
Unsavory as it sounds, your sheets and pillowcases house legions of dust mites that dine on the skin cells you shed at night. Dust mites are the most common cause of year-round allergy symptoms. They live in clothes and carpeting, but their highest concentrations are in beds. To alleviate symptoms, it’s most important to wash your bedding weekly in hot water (set at a minimum of 130°F), says Robert Weitz, a microbiologist in Stamford, CT. “If you wash with cold or warm, you’re just giving them a nice swim,” he says. “And the dryer alone isn’t hot enough to kill them.”

4. Air out your washer
Why: Reduce allergens
Mold spores are always present in the air to some degree, but when they find a wet surface (say, the inside of a washer), they can settle in and multiply. Exposure to mold can cause congestion, itchy eyes, and wheezing; if you’re asthmatic or allergic, they can trigger an attack. To prevent mold from growing in your machine and then transferring to your clothes, when you finish your laundry, prop the door open to air it out and dry off any. Be extra diligent with front loaders—they use rubber gaskets to seal the water inside, and mold often grows on it, says Weitz. Another tip: “Buy HE, or high efficiency, detergent,” he adds. “It makes less suds than regular kinds, leaving behind less moisture.”

5. Ventilate the laundry room
Why: Reduce allergens
Moist heat from the dryer can keep humidity levels high, which creates ripe conditions for mold to grow. Leave a window open or turn on a fan when the dryer is running, and check dryer hoses. “If the vent to the outside comes loose, moisture can get trapped in the wall, and mold can grow,” says Weitz.

6. Choose unscented soaps
Why: Prevent irritated skin
You may love clothes that smell like flowers or fresh rain, but it takes a cocktail of chemicals to deliver that scent—chemicals that can irritate your skin, or worse. Researchers at the University of Washington analyzed a popular detergent and found that it emitted13 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), five of which are regulated as toxic or hazardous by the EPA. “Often, laundry products can contain hazardous chemicals such as neurotoxins and carcinogens,” says study author Anne Steinemann, PhD, professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs at the university. “Exposure to them can cause migraine headaches and asthma attacks.”

The kicker: Many of these chemicals aren’t related to the detergent’s cleansing agents but instead to the fragrances they’re scented with. It’s best to choose ones free of perfumes and dyes. “Unscented may mean a masking agent was used to cover up the detergent aroma, but harmful agents can remain,” says Steinemann. And according to her latest, yet-to-be published research, laundry detergents with natural or organic scents can be just as toxic as the regular ones.

7. Skip dryer sheets
Why: Prevent irritated skin
They emit chemicals also regulated as toxic and can cause breathing difficulties and irritated skin, says Steinemann; liquid fabric softeners can have the same effect. Instead of dryer sheets, try PVC-free plastic dryer balls—they help more air pass between clothes to cut down on static cling. As a softener, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle of your wash.

Your Workplace Can Leave You Feeling Ill

Your Workplace Can Leave You Feeling Ill
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay Reporter
HealthDay

FRIDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) — Do you feel sick or run down every time you work overtime?

You could work in a building that produces what health experts call “sick building syndrome.”  Poor indoor air quality or other pollutant and toxin problems can leave workers suffering from such acute health problems as eye, throat and nose irritation, headaches, coughing, dizziness and nausea.

And if your home isn’t offering a respite, chances are the environment there contains pollutants or toxins, too.  While some cases of sick building syndrome are more serious than others, in many instances relief can be found with  better maintenance, getting rid of mold and mildew — even adding house plants to your surroundings.

In office buildings, “the biggest problem is with indoor air quality,” said Bob Adams, a senior manager at New Jersey based Environ International, a consulting firm that addresses environmental risk and health issues.  “Offices are designed for efficiency,” he said. “We cut down the outdoor air supply [and re-circulate], and it leads to problems.”

The result is what Adams calls “stale air syndrome.”

Besides stuffy air, other chemicals and toxins can cause trouble at work. They include indoor toxins from copy machines, cleaning agents and pesticides, and combustion byproducts from nearby buildings or garages. Also, viruses, molds, pollen and bacteria can hide in stagnant water that accumulates on carpets or in ceiling tiles, according to the National Safety Council.

If you suspect something’s lurking on the premises or in the air system, you might want to ask your boss how well maintained the air system is.

“I find the better the maintenance in the building, the less likely it is they will have indoor air quality problems,” said Adams, who’s also a member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. Office buildings in “high-rent” districts are less likely to have problems, he said.

No matter how good the maintenance, if construction is taking place, problems often follow, Adams said, unless the area is sealed off to prevent the spread of odors and particles from building materials, paints and construction dust.

Beware, too, new carpets and furnishings. Treatments used on them can “off-gas” and emit allergy-producing chemicals, heightening problems for people who already have allergies or asthma, he said.

Even at home, pollutants are everywhere, especially if you’re a less-than-stellar housekeeper, said Kristin Marstiller, a spokeswoman for the National Safety Council. Pet dander, saliva and feces — all the little unpleasantries that go with owning a pet — can cause asthma attacks in people with the condition, she said. Mold spores are asthma triggers, too.

“If you can see mold, it needs to be removed,” Marstiller said. And you need to remove the water source — such as carpeting, dry wall or flooring — to eliminate it altogether, she said.

Dust mites cause allergic reactions, too. “That’s a matter of making sure you wash your pillows and sheets in very hot water very frequently,” she said.

To cut down on toxins, “have your gas appliances serviced regularly, according to manufacturer’s instructions,” Marstiller said. And change your furnace filters on the schedule recommended by the manufacturer or your furnace repairman.

Finally, decorate with plants, which can help filter out pollutants. Bill Wolverton, a former NASA scientist, published a study in 1989 that found plants really do help scrub the air.

New Research Shows…Your Home Is Germier Than You Think!

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “germs in the home can show up where you least expect them, even if you diligently try to keep your home clean. Despite good efforts by most to keep their homes germ free, over 65 percent of colds, 50 percent of all cases of diarrhea and 50 percent to 80 percent of food-borne illnesses are caught in the home, and common household items are often to blame.

So what is the most germ-ridden room in your house? It’s not the bathroom–it’s the kitchen. In fact, there could be up to 200 times more fecal bacteria on your kitchen cutting board than on your toilet seat. This is likely because people regularly disinfect their bathroom while kitchen items may be overlooked.”

And Miranda Hitti from WebMD Health News shares that there are “More Bacteria in the Bathtub Than in the Garbage Bin!”

Bottom line:  New research shows…Your home may be germier than you think!

Out of 32 places in the home, the top spots for bacteria are the toilet bowl, kitchen drain, kitchen sponge or counter-wiping cloth, bathtub, and kitchen sink., according to a new study.

The study and survey come from the Hygiene Council — which is funded by Reckitt Benckiser, the company that makes Lysol.

Researchers visited 35 U.S. homes, swabbing for bacteria in 32 locations in each home.

Here’s how those spots ranked, in terms of the average number of bacteria per square inch. Spots with the same average number of bacteria have the same rank.

• Toilet bowl: 3.2 million bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen drain: 567,845 bacteria/square inch
• Sponge or counter-wiping cloth: 134,630 bacteria/square inch
• Bathtub, near drain: 119,468 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen sink, near drain: 17,964 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen faucet handle: 13,227 bacteria/square inch
• Bathroom faucet handle: 6,267 bacteria/square inch
• Bathroom sink, near drain: 2,733 bacteria/square inch
• Pet food dish, inside rim: 2,110 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen floor, in front of sink: 830 bacteria/square inch
• Toilet floor, in front of toilet: 764 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen countertop: 488 bacteria/square inch
• Bathroom countertop: 452 bacteria/square inch
• Garbage bin: 411 bacteria/square inch
• Dish towel: 408 bacteria/square inch
• Toy: 345 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen tabletop: 344 bacteria/square inch
• Home office phone or refrigerator door: 319 bacteria/square inch
• Toilet seat: 295 bacteria/square inch
• Bathroom light switch: 217 bacteria/square inch
• Microwave buttons: 214 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen chopping board: 194 bacteria/square inch
• Child-training potty: 191 bacteria/square inch
• Infant changing mat and infant high chair: 190 bacteria/square inch
• Kitchen phone: 133 bacteria/square inch
• Bathroom door’s inside handle: 121 bacteria/square inch
• Toilet’s flush handle: 83 bacteria/square inch
• TV remote control: 70 bacteria/square inch
• Home office computer keyboard: 64 bacteria/square inch
• Home office computer mouse: 50 bacteria/square inch

And if that isn’t bad enough, another study by the National Institue for Health showed that Bacteria in Household Dust Triggers Asthma Symptoms.

New research shows that bacteria lurking in household dust produce chemicals that may trigger asthma and asthma-related symptoms such as wheezing. These bacterial chemicals, called endotoxins, particularly those found on bedroom floors, were linked with increased respiratory problems in adults.

Researchers at NIEHS and the University of Iowa found a strong association between endotoxin levels and the prevalence of diagnosed asthma, asthma symptoms, asthma medication use, and wheezing. These relationships were strongest for bedroom floor and bedding dust.

“Interestingly, endotoxin exposure worsens asthma symptoms in adults, regardless of whether an individual has allergies or not,” said Peter S. Thorne, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Iowa and lead author on the paper. “This suggests that exposure to endotoxin increases asthma risk even in non-allergic individuals.”

So what is a homeowner to do to try to protect the family from all of these dangerous microorganisms?

The best solution is to take a different approach to managing the environment inside your home!

So what’s the solution…

Protecting your home from harmful Microorganisms is easier than ever using the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial.

The XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial offers antimicrobial protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application and it’s affordable and long-lasting.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your business preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination.

Over 35 years of research and development went in to the creation of the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial.

Protect your family and ease your mind as XMICROBE™ Technology works 24/7 to control Microbial growth.

XMICROBE™

Long Lasting Germ Protection !™

Are You Protecting Your Customers And Employees Properly?

Until recently, the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial has been used primarily in textile manufacturing and was marketed very little to business owners.

However, in the last several years awareness by business owners for the need to protect the public and their employees from dangerous bacteria and microorganisms has been fueled by the media, with headlines like the ones below. 

• Fast-Food Ice Dirtier Than Toilet Water
• What Can You Catch From Public Restrooms?
• Shopping Carts Are Dirtier Than Most Public Washrooms
• Hotel Guests Leave Plenty Of Germs Behind
• Are Hospitals Hazardous To Your Health?
• Your Workplace Can Leave You Feeling Ill
• Dirty Dining? ‘Dateline’ Hidden Cameras Investigate Cleanliness of America’s Top 10 Fast Food Chains
• Watch Out For Germs At Cosmetic Counters
• Pet Owners Worry As Dog Flu Spreads Across U.S.

So what’s the solution…

Protecting your Business from harmful Microorganisms is easier than ever using the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial.

The XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial offers antimicrobial protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application and it’s affordable and long-lasting.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your business preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination. 

Over 35 years of research and development went in to the creation of the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial.

So who is using XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial?

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is used in a wide variety of Industries for many different applications.

For example…

• Sports Industry - Schools, Colleges, Professional Sports Teams
• Food Industry – Wholesale Clubs, Food Processing Facilities, Restaurants
• Veterinarian Industry – Animal Clinics, Equestrian, Horse & Dog Tracks
• Transportation Industry – Camper Sales, Car Sales, Refrigerated Trucks
• Real Estate Industry – Home Sales
• Hospitality Industry – Hotels, Cruise Lines, Resorts
• Healthcare Industry – Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Centers, Doctors Offices
• Marine Industry – Boat Cushions
• Entertainment Industry – Theaters, Concession Stands, Concert Halls
• Construction Industry – Mold & Mildew Re-mediators, New Home Construction
• And Many Many Others…

What to Applicate?

Institutional & Municipal
Classrooms, walls, ceilings, floors, desks, chairs, computers, keyboards, phones, audio-visual equipment, wrestling mats, locker rooms, foot gear, helmets, sports equipment, bleachers, facilities, outside walls & sidewalks, HVAC systems, filters, medical centers, food service areas, gyms, arenas, concession stands, vehicles and buses.

Commercial & Industrial
Keyboards, phones doors, vending machines, carpets, walls, railings, upholstery, equipment, toilets and restrooms, food service areas, cafeterias, conference rooms, HVAC filters and systems, chairs, cushions, dining areas, reception areas, outdoor lawn equipment, building exteriors, sidewalks, driveways, boats, autos, RV’s, camping equipment, trucks, trailers, and pallets.

Hospitality
Facilities, bathrooms, shower curtains, vinyl wall covering, carpets, bedding & ticking, bed linens, bedspreads, computer keyboards, phones, remotes, front desk, conference areas, HVAC, filters, room AC units, ventilation systems, exterior walls, base board & window areas, housekeeping carts and laundry room area.

Healthcare
Emergency room floors, walls and ceilings, wheelchairs, EMT equipment and vehicles, reception area chairs, desks, tables, upholstery, privacy curtains, beds, rails, call buttons, medical devices and equipment, bed linens, touch points, TV remotes, keyboards, crash carts, gurneys, uniforms, scrubs, housekeeping carts and equipment, and air filters.

Food Industry
Processing equipment, shopping carts, ice machines, trash containers, walls, ceilings, floors, pallets, touch key pads, computer keyboards, transportation vehicles, high touch areas, pass through doors, coolers, chillers, HVAC systems, filters, clean room walls, floors, ceilings, lab areas, employee break areas, vending machines, phones, intercoms, dining tables, carpets, dumpter areas, high odor areas, sidewalks and entry ways.

Construction
Hardwood, plywood, drywall, window treatments, joists, concrete, masonry, roofing tiles, cedar shakes, carpeting, cupboards, closets, HVAC systems, under sinks and countertops, tub and surround enclosures & backings, wall coverings. Can be applied to painted or treated surfaces that are color safe.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial has undergone extensive independent laboratory testing and has a long 35 year history of safe use. It is registered with the EPA for all applications in which it is used.

XMICROBE™

Long Lasting Germ Protection !™

A Better Idea For Controlling Resistant Germs In Nursing Homes!

If you run a nursing home, you already know that “Super Bugs” are one of the toughest problems you face today…

A Johns Hopkins study of adult patients admitted to The Johns Hopkins Hospital showed that patients who resided in nursing homes or other kinds of long-term care facilities at any time within the last six months were far more likely than other adult patients to carry or be infected with a drug-resistant superbug. 

The study, conducted over a four-month period in 2006, was intended to grasp the extent of one of the lesser known hospital superbugs, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter (MDR-ACIN), and control its spread among the hospital’s most vulnerable adult patients.  More than 1,600 were screened within 24 hours of admission to any one of five intensive care units where previous infections had been recorded. 

Results showed that patients who had been in nursing homes, either admitted to Hopkins directly from a long-term care facility or transferred from home or another community hospital, were 12 times more likely than other patients to be carriers of the bacterium.  Rates were even higher, 22 times, among those patients who were wheelchair- or bed-bound because their legs were paralyzed. 

What mostly surprised researchers was that a majority of the MDR-ACIN-colonized patients, who ranged in age from 19 to 74, also carried high rates of three other, more common superbugs.  Sixty-two percent had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 77 percent had vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and 39 percent had extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) gram-negative bacteria. 

“Our results dramatically illustrate how widespread these drug-resistant bacteria have become among health care facilities in just the last decade,” says Lisa Maragakis, M.D., the hospital epidemiologist who led the investigation.  “This is only going to complicate our efforts to get a grip on the problem, and it is going to place added pressure on all hospitals and other health care facilities to increase and fine-tune their surveillance and control measures.”The immediate danger to patients from superbugs is that they can lead to potentially dangerous bloodstream infections, says Perl, a professor of medicine and pathology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

So is there a real solution?

The real solution is to take a different approach to managing the environment inside your nursing home!

And the Healthier Environment Living Program™ is just what you need!

It makes complete sense to take a “holistic approach” to determine what kind of germs, bacteria, viruses and microorganisms are present in your nursing home before determining what type of actions are needed to keep your facility as germ and bacteria free as possible.

And your local IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional will do just that!

Before any “solutions” are recommended, air and surface sampling will be conducted in order to determine what type of issues that you face in your nursing home.

As soon as the test results are back from the EPA Certified Laboratory, your local  IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional will sit down with you and go over the test results. Based on the test results received, a custom solution will be designed for your nursing home.

Your custom solution will definitely include an antimicrobial treatment with H.E.L.P.’s trademarked XMICROBE™ solution!

You see, protecting your nursing home from bacteria, mold and mildew is easier than ever with XMICROBE™ unique antimicrobial technology.

Our XMICROBE™ Technology offers an antimicrobial protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application and it’s affordable and long-lasting.

XMICROBE™ Technology creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your nursing home preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination.  Protect the patients and employees in your nursing home and ease your mind as XMICROBE™ Technology works to control Microbial growth.

The antimicrobial treatment is perfect for:

Kitchens                                                                   Dining Rooms

Bathrooms                                                              Visiting Areas

Offices                                                                       Patient Rooms                      

Physical Rehab Facilities                                  Meeting Rooms

Laundry Rooms                                                   Janitorial Areas

What will the XMICROBE™ Technology do for Your nursing home?

• XMICROBE™ Technology continuously fights the growth of microbes that can make your patients and employees sick!
• XMICROBE™ Technology protection makes the surfaces in your nursing home easier to clean and keeps them cleaner in between cleanings.
• XMICROBE™ Technology is applied to porous and nonporous surfaces and is difficult wash off!
• XMICROBE™ Technology is engineered to provide continuous antimicrobial protection for an extended period of time.

Why is using XMICROBE™ antimicrobial treatment better than using poisonous chemicals to keep your nursing home cleaner and more germ-free?

Conventional cleaning products penetrate living cells and kill by way of poisoning or chemically altering the organism. They are designed to act quickly and dissipate quickly to avoid adverse affect humans and animals due to their toxic ingredients.

Most commercial antimicrobials used for treating building services do a good job of killing some bacteria and fungi, although most of them have a limited spectrum of effectiveness.

And heavy metal-based antimicrobials, such as silver ion may leach into the environment and lose their effectiveness over time.

But XMICROBE™ Technology takes a totally unique approach.

It provides long-term control of growth on treated services. The surface itself is actually modified to make it to antimicrobial active.

Plus, the XMICROBE™ Technology assists in preventing Biofilm build up.  Biofilm build up on an irregular surface accumulates over time and offers a difficult to clean surface with a microbial food source. But the XMICROBE™ Technology reduces the Biofilm build up making the surface easier to clean with no microbial food source!

You’re probably wondering how the XMICROBE™ Technology works, so check this out…

XMICROBE™ Technology is a patented, EPA registered revolutionary new product.  And it prevents the growth of an amazingly wide array of bacteria, H1N1 (swine flu virus), MRSA, VRE, mold, mildew, algae and yeast.

XMICROBE™ Technology acts like a bed of microscopic spikes that pierces the cell walls of microbes.  This is a totally new approach to providing long-lasting antimicrobial protection.

XMICROBE™ Technology is unique. One end of  its molecule creates a strong bond with a multitude of surfaces, porous and nonporous, forming a highly durable protective coating. The other end of the molecule forms a microscopic bed of spikes that punctures microbes like a bed of nails.

XMICROBE™ Technology physically ruptures the cell walls of these microbes, without the use of poisons.

Since XMICROBE™ Technologies methodology is mechanical instead of poisons, it does not create “Superbugs,” which are microbes that build up a resistance to treatment.

XMICROBE™ Technologies molecular spikes are long chains of atoms that are large enough to pierce the cell walls of various microbes. Being only about 1000 the diameter of a human hair, they are too small to harm large cells in mammals.

These chains of atoms carry a strong positive charge that attracts negatively charged bacteria. XMICROBE™ Technology has been found in independent testing to be effective against a wide array  of microbes, including H1N1 (swine flu virus), MRSA, VRE, Staphylococcus arias, E. coli, various Salmonella strains, black mold, athletes foot, influenza A., skin infections, and many others.

Here’s the bottom line…

If you want a cleaner, healthier nursing home, with happier patients, families and employees you need Healthier Environment Living Program™.

So give us a call Today at 888-558-5254 and we’ll get a IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional to visit you right away, so that you can provide a Healthier Environment for your guests and employees!

We’ll also share with you how to make the laundry in your nursing home much safer for your patients and staff!

If You Want To Excel In The Competitive Hotel Environment, Offer A Healthier Room!

This is a typical story we see in the news regularly about the hotel industry…and consumers are worried!

(CBS)  Now that summer is just about here, more families will be spending time in hotel rooms.

While they might look clean, and you’d like to believe they are, the truth is they’re probably teaming with germs, says Travel + Leisure Family magazine Senior Consulting Editor Mark Orwoll.

A lot of travelers assume a hotel bathroom may not be as clean as their own, that germs may linger on the carpets or the bedspread, but few people think twice about the room’s light switch. That’s right, the light switch!

Sheets are regularly laundered and changed, and showers scrubbed, but it’s unlikely that hotel maids are wiping down hard surfaces such as doorknobs and light switches, alarm clocks, ice buckets or hotel-inscribed pens.

Cold viruses, e. coli and other icky germs can live on hard surfaces for a day or longer. This means if the person who stayed in the room before you had a cold, there’s a chance you’ll get sick too.

What about hotel beds?

Many people assume that bedspreads in particular are teaming with germs. These people are right, Orwoll says. Bedspreads aren’t routinely washed, so you should take them off the beds and stash them in the corner. If you’re cold, ask for another blanket.

So what is the solution for hotel owners?

The real solution is to take a different approach to managing the environment inside your hotel!

The first step in putting your company ahead of the competition and protecting your air and surfaces from bacteria, mold and mildew is to become an IASQ™ Certified Professional! With our one-of-a-kind Indoor Air and Surface Quality™ training, you can become knowledgeable in the IASQ™ Industry and offer Healthier Environments to promote safer, cleaner air and surfaces to your existing and future customers, as well as stay ahead of the competition by having access to the IASQ™ Certification Course 24/7! From here, you will have the knowledge and training you need to better manage your indoor environments by using unique antimicrobial technologies and cleaning techniques.

So What’s Next?

You see, protecting your hotel from bacteria, mold and mildew is easier than ever with XMICROBE™ unique antimicrobial technology. Our XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial offers an antimicrobial protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application and it’s affordable and long-lasting. XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your hotel preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination.  Protect your customers and employees and ease your mind as XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial works to control Microbial growth.

If you’re wondering how the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial works, take a look!

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is a patented, EPA registered revolutionary product. And it prevents the growth of an amazingly wide array of bacteria, mold, mildew, algae and yeast by acting like a bed of microscopic spikes that pierce and physically rupture the cell walls of microbes without the use of poisons. Since XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial’s methodology is mechanical instead of poisons, it does not create “Superbugs,” which are microbes that build up a resistance to treatment, and since each microscopic spike is only about 1000 the diameter of a human hair, they are too small to harm large cells in mammals. This is a totally new approach to providing long-lasting antimicrobial protection. What makes the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial unique is its ability to create a strong bond with a multitude of surfaces (porous and nonporous), forming highly durable and protective coating.

Here’s the bottom line…

If you want a cleaner, healthier facility for your clients, employees, and yourself without relying on ineffective harsh toxic chemicals to keep the place clean, then you need the Healthier Environment Living Program™. Give us a call today at 888-558-5254 and take the first step towards a Healthier Environment!

You Can Run A Healthier School, Learn How!

If you operate a school today, you already know this is a big problem…

(AP)  American children miss 22 million days of school each year due to colds, flu and other infections, experts say.

But that statistic should come as no surprise to the nation’s teachers: In a new survey, seven out of 10 say their classrooms aren’t regularly disinfected by custodians, and more than half say they spend their own money and time ridding their classrooms of germs.

“A few are even recruiting parents to come in and, instead of helping them correct papers, they are asking them to help disinfect the classroom,” said Dr. Paul Horowitz, medical director for pediatric and adolescent clinics at Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital in Portland, Ore.

Horowitz released the survey results at a special “Back to School” press briefing on children’s health, held Thursday in New York City and sponsored by the American Medical Association.

Childhood infections like colds and flu that are transmitted in the classroom are more than a nuisance. The average American child contracts 6.5 colds a year, each lasting at least three to five days, Horowitz said. Besides keeping kids home from school and lowering their in-school performance, infections like these cause parents to miss an estimated 126 million workdays annually caring for a sick child, Horowitz added. Germ-ridden classrooms take their toll on teachers, too: the average teacher now clocks an average 5.3 sick days per school year.

It’s not that teachers aren’t doing their best to keep classrooms clean. For the new survey, teachers from across the country were encouraged by the Scholastic publishing company to fill out an online questionnaire at the company’s Web site. A total of 614 teachers who taught during the 2004-2005 school year completed the survey.

“Most said they considered their classrooms clean,” Horowitz said.
But most of the teachers also understood that clean doesn’t mean germ-free, especially when obviously sick kids show up for class.

“Nine out of 10 teachers reported that children often come to school sick,” Horowitz said. “I see this myself in my office — a child will come in quite ill, and I’ll be told they’ve been ill for three days, and this is the first day they’ve actually missed a day of school.”

And sick kids mean sick teachers: According to the survey, three-quarters of teachers believe that they contracted some form of transient illness from children they taught during the previous year.

Every desktop, pencil sharpener, doorknob and faucet an infected child touches becomes colonized with germs, Horowitz pointed out.

Unfortunately, “70 percent of teachers reported that their janitorial staff does not regularly disinfect their classroom,” he added.

So what are you as a school owner or administrator suppose to do to protect the kids and employees?

The solution is to take a different approach to managing the environment inside your school!

And the Healthier Environment Living Program™ is just what you need!

It makes complete sense to take a “holistic approach” to determine what kind of germs, H1N1 (swine flu virus), bacteria, MRSA, VRE, viruses and microorganisms are present in your school before determining what type of actions are needed to keep your facility as germ and bacteria free as possible.

And your local IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional will do just that!

Before any “solutions” are recommended, air and surface sampling will be conducted in order to determine what type of issues that you face in your school.

As soon as the test results are back from the EPA Certified Laboratory, your local  IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional will sit down with you and go over the test results. Based on the test results received, a custom solution will be designed for your school.

Your custom solution will definitely include an antimicrobial treatment with H.E.L.P.’s trademarked XMICROBE™ solution!

You see, protecting your school from bacteria, mold and mildew is easier than ever with XMICROBE™ unique antimicrobial technology.

Our XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial offers protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application that’s affordable and long-lasting.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your school preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination.  Protect the kids in your school and ease your mind  as XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial works to control Microbial growth.

The antimicrobial treatment is perfect for:

Kitchens                                            Lunchroom

Bathrooms                                       Desks & Chairs

Athletic Equipment                     Locker Rooms & Showers

Classrooms                                      Offices

Door Handles                                  Computers

What will the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial do for Your school:

• XMICROBE™ Technology continuously fights the growth of microbes that make the kids sick!
• XMICROBE™ Technology protection makes the surfaces in your school easier to clean and keeps them cleaner in between cleanings.
• XMICROBE™ Technology is applied to porous and nonporous surfaces and is difficult wash off!
• XMICROBE™ Technology is engineered to provide continuous antimicrobial protection for an extended period of time.

Why is using XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial treatment better than using poisonous chemicals to keep your school cleaner and more germ-free?

Conventional cleaning products penetrate living cells and kill by way of poisoning or chemically altering the organism. They are designed to act quickly and dissipate quickly to avoid adverse affect humans and animals due to their toxic ingredients.

Most commercial antimicrobials used for treating building services do a good job of killing some bacteria and fungi, although most of them have a limited spectrum of effectiveness.

And heavy metal-based antimicrobials, such as silver ion may leach into the environment and lose their effectiveness over time.

But XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial takes a totally unique approach.

It provides long-term control of growth on treated services. The surface itself is actually modified to make it to antimicrobial active.

Plus, the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial assists in preventing Biofilm build up.  Biofilm build up on an irregular surface accumulates over time and offers a difficult to clean surface with a microbial food source. But the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial reduces the Biofilm build up making the surface easier to clean with no microbial food source!

You’re probably wondering how the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial works, so check this out…

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is a trademarked, EPA registered revolutionary new product.  And it prevents the growth of an amazingly wide array of bacteria, mold, mildew, algae and yeast.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial acts like a bed of microscopic spikes that pierces the cell walls of microbes.  This is a totally new approach to providing long-lasting antimicrobial protection.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is unique. One end of  its molecule creates a strong bond with a multitude of surfaces, porous and nonporous, forming a highly durable protective coating. The other end of the molecule forms a microscopic bed of spikes that punctures microbes like a bed of nails.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial physically ruptures the cell walls of these microbes, without the use of poisons.

Since XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial’s methodology is mechanical instead of poisons, it does not create “Superbugs,” which are microbes that build up a resistance to treatment.

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial’s molecular spikes are long chains of atoms that are large enough to pierce the cell walls of various microbes. Being only about 1000 the diameter of a human hair, they are too small to harm large cells in mammals.

These chains of atoms carry a strong positive charge that attracts negatively charged bacteria. XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial has been found in independent testing to be effective against a wide array  of microbes, including H1N1 (swine flu virus), MRSA, VRE, Staphylococcus arias, E. coli, various Salmonella strains, black mold, athletes foot, influenza A., skin infections, and many others.

Here’s the bottom line…

If you want a cleaner, healthier school, with less sick kids and happier parents and employees you need H.E.L.P.!

So give us a call Today at 888-558-5254 and we’ll get a IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional to visit you right away, so that you can provide a Healthier Environment for your kids, parents and employees!

 

 

The Less The Kids Are Sick, The Happier The Parents Are!

Are The Kids In Your Childcare Center Still Getting Sick In Spite Of Your Best Efforts To Follow The Established Protocols For Cleaning And Disinfecting?

If so, you’re not alone!

Thousands of kids across America are getting sick every year from germs, bacteria and microorganisms they pickup in their childcare center. And you know what; in the majority of cases it’s not the childcare center operators fault!

You’re using the cleaning and disinfecting products that are recommended, but in many cases that doesn’t solve the problem completely. Here’s why; once you have cleaned and disinfected the surfaces in your childcare center, they are immediately re-contaminated when the kids or employees with germs on their hands touch those cleaned surfaces.

And when the kids get sick, this causes trouble for the parents because mom or dad has to stay home from work.  Not only do the parents lose money or vacation time when they stay home, they also fear job loss due to their absenteeism. In this economy, with lots of people unemployed, parents don’t want to miss work too often because there are plenty of other qualified people to take their place!

So when the kids are constantly sick from “bugs” they picked up at the childcare center, parents get upset (and rightfully so).

And the sad truth is, many parents will go ahead and bring sick kids to the childcare center because they  absolutely cannot miss work. Now the rest of the kids (and your staff) who were not sick, are exposed to germs of a little one who is (which can cause employee absenteeism in your own business, costing you even more money).

And when the parents feel that the kids are sick to often, they are inclined to move their kids to a different childcare center, thereby causing you a loss of revenue!

The Solution?

The solution is to take a different approach to managing the environment inside your childcare business.

The first step in putting your company ahead of the competition and protecting your air and surfaces from bacteria, mold and mildew is to become an IASQ™ Certified Professional! With our one-of-a-kind Indoor Air and Surface Quality™ training, you can become knowledgeable in the IASQ™ Industry and offer Healthier Environments to promote safer, cleaner air and surfaces to your existing and future customers, as well as stay ahead of the competition by having access to the IASQ™ Certification Course 24/7! From here, you will have the knowledge and training you need to better manage your indoor environments by using unique antimicrobial technologies and cleaning techniques.

So What’s Next?

You see, protecting your daycare business from bacteria, mold and mildew is easier than ever with XMICROBE™ unique antimicrobial technology. Our XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial offers an antimicrobial protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application and it’s affordable and long-lasting. XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your childcare business preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination.  Protect your customers and employees and ease your mind as XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial works to control Microbial growth.

If you’re wondering how the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial works, take a look!

XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is a EPA registered revolutionary product. And it prevents the growth of an amazingly wide array of bacteria, mold, mildew, algae and yeast by acting like a bed of microscopic spikes that pierce and physically rupture the cell walls of microbes without the use of poisons. Since XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial’s methodology is mechanical instead of poisons, it does not create “Superbugs,” which are microbes that build up a resistance to treatment, and since each microscopic spike is only about 1000 the diameter of a human hair, they are too small to harm large cells in mammals. This is a totally new approach to providing long-lasting antimicrobial protection. What makes the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial unique is its ability to create a strong bond with a multitude of surfaces (porous and nonporous), forming highly durable and protective coating.

The antimicrobial treatment is perfect for:

Sleeping mats                                   Bathrooms

Kitchens                                             Cribs

Toys                                                    Changing tables

Offices                                                Play areas

Door handles                                   Computer desks

What will the XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial do for Your childcare  center:

• XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial continuously fights the growth of microbes that make the kids sick!
• XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial protection makes the surfaces in your childcare center easier to clean and keeps them cleaner in between cleanings.
• XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is applied to porous and nonporous surfaces and is difficult wash off!
• XMICROBE™ Antimicrobial is engineered to provide continuous antimicrobial protection for an extended period of time.

Here’s the bottom line…

If you want a cleaner, healthier facility for your clients, employees, and yourself without relying on ineffective harsh toxic chemicals to keep the place clean, then you need the Healthier Environment Living Program™. Give us a call today at 888-558-5254 and take the first step towards a Healthier Environment!