Allergy Consumer Review Issue #51

Steam Cleaning Revisited - Why do we like Vapor Steam Cleaners?
by Mercia Tapping, President, AllergyBuyersClub.com

Steam cleaning with vaporized water is a relatively new concept to the American market but has recently blossomed in popularity. First, let us discuss the fundamentals of vapor steam cleaning and why we prefer it to the traditional method of spraying supermarket cleaning chemicals and wiping up with a cloth.

What is Steam Cleaning?

Vaporized water, which comes out of the attachments from a machine that physically resembles a vacuum cleaner, is applied to a multitude of surfaces in a home or industrial setting. The steam vapor is exceptionally hot, usually over 200º F at the tip. Heat is the first important component. Heat weakens the physical bond between the dirt or stains to the various surfaces to which the dirt is sticking or is embedded. The second component is "dry steam" i.e. water which is almost moisture less steam. Using the "dry" steam, dirty surfaces can be wiped, scrubbed or rubbed clean and the dirt collected in a steam-moistened towel, often attached by clips to the attachment.

Why is Vapor Steam Cleaning more effective than traditional cleaning?

All hard surfaces are actually porous. Steam can penetrate those pores and get at that embedded dirt.

One of the more interesting tests we did, was to wipe down a kitchen counter top with a good quality micro fiber towel. We then took one half of the counter and steam cleaned it. When we rubbed our hands over the steam cleaned counter top, it felt as smooth as silk compared to the other half, attesting to its superior cleanliness.

What are the chief advantages of steam cleaning?

Hot steam vapor penetrates pores of the materials or surfaces to be cleaned, and cleans more thoroughly than normal supermarket cleaners and does so without the use of chemicals. This lack of chemicals used in the cleaning process is a huge benefit to those people who are sensitive to chemicals or are trying to reduce the level of toxicity in their homes, especially if children are present.

Killing germs, bacteria and microorganisms such as mold and dust mites

Perhaps the best advantage of all, is that hot steam vapor is a natural sanitizing and deodorizing agent without any chemical odor. When the vapor steam penetrates surfaces, it destroys mold spores, germs, viruses, dust mites, and bacteria. It is a wonderful sanitizer for environments where there have been adults or children with infections of any kind and now you want to restore the place to be infection free. This process will be more effective than most disinfecting chemicals. In normal household use, a steam cleaner is a magical tool for cleaning and disinfecting kitchen and bathrooms.

More effective cleaning

Interestingly enough, although we are a great proponent of the fact that steam vapor alone will miraculously clean most things, it is pertinent to note that for stubborn cleaning chores pre-spraying the area with a natural cleansing agent and then combining with steam vapor enhances the cleaning properties of the cleaning agent by a factor of several times

What tasks can a steam cleaner tackle?

The list of potential cleaning chores that can be handled by a steam cleaner is extremely lengthy and has been listed in our article Steam Cleaners FAQ.

The places and things that we find are the most useful in the majority of households:

• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Car detailing
• Wall paper removal
• Killing dust mites and mold
• Unclogging drains
• Cleaning grout
• Pet stains and odors. Birdcages
• Windows, screens, sliding glass doors, mirrors
• Removing toxic dry cleaning solvent and other odors from clothes

How to Choose a Steam Cleaner that is Right for You.

We discussed this topic at some length in a prior article "Why do some Vapor Steam Cleaners cost more than others?". Also, another helpful article is Steam Cleaners FAQ.

The following is a quick summary of features to consider when purchasing a vapor steam cleaner:

Steam Temperature

There are two temperatures often quoted by manufacturers of steam cleaners. One is the internal temperature in the boiler and the other is the temperature at the tip of the attachment. The temperature in the boiler is the most reliable figure as the temperature at the tip varies with the attachment and steam pressure being used. What is important to note is that machines with higher temperatures will work much better, as there is a quantum leap in cleaning effectiveness for every 10 degrees increase in steam temperature. The better steam cleaners will have interior boiler temperatures of 285ºF and above.

Tools

After the actual steam temperature, the quality of the tools is one of the most important factors to help determine whether you will be happy with your steam cleaner long term. Both good quality tools and a wide selection of steam cleaning attachments will make your cleaning tasks go faster at the same time as achieving superior results. We prefer manufacturers who make commercial steam cleaners in addition to residential ones, as they have the experience of supplying customers with tools of sufficient quality to tackle the most challenging of cleaning problems.

Continuous fill versus reservoir steam cleaning machines

Both technologies have their fans who have strong opinions as to which is better. Putting it simply, if you are the kind of person who is only likely to use a steam cleaner for 2 hours maximum but is not a "clean freak", then a reservoir traditional boiler system will do you just fine. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who gets satisfaction from prolonged bouts of cleaning or has the necessity to use the machine for over 2 hours on a continuous basis and might get frustrated with waiting for a traditional machine to cool down and refill, then you would not dream of owning anything else but a continuous fill steam cleaner. In addition, continuous fill fans would also point out they do not have to contend with letting out any steam from a safety cap. Since there are two boilers in a continuous fill machine, all you would be doing is opening up the cap and adding water. Steam would never come out.

Reliability

This is where the average consumer can get taken for a ride. Unfortunately, the new wave of consumer enthusiasm for vapor steam cleaners has resulted in a plethora of "quick profit, take your money and run" dealers who are selling sizzle on the outside and a "break down waiting to happen" on the inside. We have spent countless days both testing machines and sifting through manufacturers' offerings. In the end, there are actually only a very few manufacturers who stand behind their machines and offer substantial warranties or facilities for repairs. After a few years, even the best steam cleaners will need some part replacing. The question is, will the machine you bought have spare parts and service available at that time? Unfortunately in most cases, the answer is no.

Durability

There is an old saying "you get what you pay for". With many lower priced steam cleaners this is all too true and they become throwaway items for your trash after a year or so. Here are some durability features for steam cleaners to be aware of.

• Metal-coated machines rather than plastic coated ones add to the durability over the years. We have not had any trouble with our higher end plastic encasings on machines but have heard of cheap ones in the marketplace that have been known to crack.
   
• Most steam cleaners do not have an enclosed circuit board inside the machine, which means they will short out if moisture gets in to the machine.
   
• The most sturdy of interior connections to steam cleaners are copper tubing and brass fittings, instead of the more usual rubber. Rubber breaks down or rots over time.
   
• There is a debate between advocates of aluminum versus steam boilers. The bottom line is steel boilers are better if they are high grade steel and a good quality aluminum boiler is better than cheap steel. While stainless steel boilers will heat up faster, they are usually made of quite thin grade steel in the cheaper machines, and if they get pitted because of minerals in the water, they can become susceptible to pinholes and leaks. The heating element of a steel boiler will also get coated with minerals over a period of time if distilled water is not used, which will mean that the machine will gradually lose heating ability over time. Clearly the best option of all is a good quality steel boiler, as it will heat up faster, retain its heat longer and will be more durable. Beware of cheap imitations.
   
• If the hose disconnects at the juncture of the machine casing, then there is less likelihood of breakage at that connection which happens as people tend to drag their machines around by the hose instead of picking them up to move them. If the hoses are reinforced with steel wires this also helps prevent this breakage as does extra long hoses which reduces the need for a steam cleaner to be actually moved when cleaning any particular room.

Weight

One of the objections we have encountered with a number of steam cleaner brands, is that in order to achieve high performance, you need to use a machine that is either quite heavy or bulky. When a steam cleaner is filled with water, it can be quite hefty and weigh over 30 lbs. What we have found is that the issue of weight becomes a lot easier if there is a decent handle on the machine or if you have a cart to push around the steam cleaner, especially if you have a one floor living or workplace. It is for this reason, we prefer to pack the accessory tools into a canvas bag and put them over our shoulder or put them onto the cart, since "tools on board" add to both the weight and bulk of steam cleaners.

Safety

We are very conscious about the importance of safety. Remember you are using high temperature steam to do your cleaning. We have rejected many steam cleaners where we have burned ourselves during testing, perfectly possible to do with poorly designed machines.

• Look for an on/off trigger on the handle of your steam cleaner which we think is an excellent safety feature in case you accidentally leave the steam running(we have done this with a cheap machine and burned off the finish off a hardwood floor)
   
• Safety caps are essential with reservoir machines and not all steam cleaners have them. In the unlikely circumstance of excess pressure (which is controlled by an internal thermostat) a safety cap would blow first and the steam would not blow up in someone's face.
   
• There is a pressure gauge which has a red zone for when the pressure is too high, and orange for too low, and thus you can easily regulate the machine for optimal (medium) pressure.
   
• A good machine will shut itself off automatically when the water level becomes too low and the machine needs refilling.
  

See all vapor steam cleaners at AllergyBuyersClub.com

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Its First Review
by Mercia Tapping, President, AllergyBuyersClub.com

Overview

In total, seven different people gave the WhiteWing™ steam cleaner a workout, and our review is a compilation of everyone's feedback. I have also printed two reviews by our staff in their original form.

For those of you who just want to get to the bottom line without the details, we ended up believing this was the best value for money we had seen in a vapor steam cleaner to date and the manufacturer's introductory offer of $399.95, exclusive to AllergyBuyersClub.com for $300 off the regular price, was a real bargain. In fact, some of our staff raved about it and several have put it on their shopping lists while the introductory price still holds.

As a confirmed fan of the Ladybug continuous fill steam cleaner at $1099.95, I am not easily impressed. I found much to praise with the WhiteWing™ , indeed was pleasantly surprised, but no machine escapes my beady critical eye unscathed. The WhiteWing™ is not perfect. There is an old saying " you get what you pay for". However, with the WhiteWing™ I think you get quite a bit more than you pay for when compared to other steam cleaners in the market place. With that said, if you are in the market for a great little steam cleaner at an unbeatable price, you can read the detailed review below.

Rating:Good Plus

Pluses

Durability and Quality of Construction:

1. This steam cleaner has a metal, epoxy enamel coated casing rather than a plastic casing which will add to its durability over the years.

2. There is an enclosed circuit board inside the steam cleaner, which means if any moisture gets into this machine, it will not short out. Again this speaks to its durability.

3. The interior connections of the WhiteWing™ steam cleaner are copper tubing and brass threaded fittings instead of the more usual rubber. Rubber breaks down or rots over time.

4. The attachments are exactly the same as have been used in most commercial steam cleaners with success over many years, which speaks to their quality. We were impressed with the range and quality of attachments offered in the standard package for such an inexpensive machine. We missed a couple of our favorite attachments from higher end machines - but make no mistake - this little machine has a good array of attachments and can pretty much tackle anything you throw at it.

5. This steam cleaner has a sturdy aluminum boiler with a heating plate. While stainless steel will heat up faster, it is usually quite thin in the cheaper machines. Also, if stainless steel gets pitted because of minerals in the water, it can become susceptible to pinholes and leaks. The heating element of a steel boiler will also get coated with minerals over a period of time if distilled water is not used, which will mean that the machine will gradually lose heating ability over time.

Safety:

6. There is an on-off trigger on the handle, which is an excellent safety feature, so you will not accidentally leave the steam running.

7. In the unlikely circumstance of excess pressure (which is controlled by an internal thermostat), the safety cap feature allows a valve to release pressure through the cap, so the steam would not harm the operator of the machine.

8. A pressure gauge has a red zone for when the pressure is too high, and orange for too low, and thus you can easily regulate the machine for optimal (medium) pressure in the green zone, which is when the numbers read 3 - 4.5 on the gauge. A number of inexpensive machines skimp on including a pressure gauge, which we find invaluable.

9. The steam cleaner will shut itself off automatically when the water level becomes too low and the machine needs refilling.

Minuses

1. If you are one of those people who will clean for 4 or 5 hours straight, then you might well prefer a continuous fill machine. If you are like most people and two hours of house cleaning is quite enough, then the WhiteWing™ water will last that long without refilling.

2. The WhiteWing™ retained optimal steam pressure just fine on shorter intermittent cleaning tasks but on a long sustained cleaning job on a really filthy vinyl floor where we needed to be like the Energizer Bunny and keep going and going, the WhiteWing™ lost its pressure quite quickly on a medium setting, and we had to back off and wait for the pressure to build up again. This was annoying. The workaround is to use the WhiteWing™ on low pressure and the machine will sustain itself, but for this particular nasty task, we wish we could have given the machine a bit more "oomph".

3. The WhiteWing™ runs wetter than some of our top of the line steam cleaners, but a quick solution to this is to increase the thickness of the toweling on the attachments until there is minimal wetness on the surface just cleaned.

4. As fans of continuous fill steam cleaners, it took some getting used to needing to use a safety cap again, which necessitates leaving the machine to cool down for about 20 to 30 minutes before opening up the safety cap in order to refill or empty out. Even so the steam that comes out when you open up the cap for the first time can be a bit disconcerting and you definitely need to be careful as you do it.

5. We were disappointed with the performance of the window tool even on low steam volume. It left too much water residue. However, a quick wipe with a microfiber towel finished the job.

6. A good quality aluminum boiler, as found in the WhiteWing™ , is better than cheap stainless steel. Nevertheless, high grade stainless steel would be our boiler material of choice for a premium machine. Stainless steel heats up faster and retains its heat better as a general rule. To get that grade of stainless steel, you usually have to pay over $1,000 for the steam cleaner.

7. Filling up the machine with a squeeze bottle is tedious, but can be accelerated if you squeeze the bottle vigorously. We decided to bypass the bottle squeeze method by filling the bottle and just emptying it straight into the machine.

8. Currently there are no "filler pads" for the WhiteWing™ . These pads, supplied in higher end machines, fit inside the brushes for a hotter, more even heat. We are told by the manufacturer these pads will be available in the next three months.

9. The towels supplied with the machine could be thicker and more plentiful. We recommend making a quick trip to your local discount store, or buying some extra towels we sell.

10. Controlling steam pressure and volume is on the main body of the machine - not the handle. It is also non intuitive as it increases counter clockwise, which took some getting used to. On the handle controls is an extra convenience found in much more expensive machines.

Summary:

The WhiteWing™ is an incredible value for the money. It is our lightest steam cleaner that we carry, very durable with internal commercial quality parts and a metal exterior, and has plenty of safety features built into the machine. A very large variety of high quality steam cleaner tools are included with the standard package, and all attachments have been used in a commercial environment for many years, proving their reliability. Steam cleaners don't often have an optional iron, and the optional WhiteWing™ iron will do a superior job on clothes and drapes alike.

If you wish to read the extra documentation we wrote, in "The Quick Guide to Getting Started with the WhiteWing™ " you can see it is an easy to operate a steam cleaner. We also did a Quick Tool Guide for the uninitiated who unpack all the tools and panic wondering what to do with them. Our Application Guide tells you which tool to use for what cleaning chore. More information about the WhiteWing™ steam cleaner can be found on our web site. The introductory price by the manufacturer is $399.95, $300 off the regular retail price.

WhiteWing™ Vapor Steam Cleaner - Another Review
by Richard Gerardi , AllergyBuyersClub.com Staff

I had fun rampaging through the house last night with the new WhiteWing™ steam cleaner. I spent about 4 hours while my roommate occasionally watched me in hysterics. "Boys with toys ya know."

My mission tonight was to:

• Clean the kitchen top to bottom
• Clean the bathroom floor, toilet, shower door, sink, walls and radiator.
• Clean 300 Square feet of wooden floors in the dining room, living room and hallway
• Not to bug my roommate as she finished her final paper for her graduate degree at Boston University due at 9:00 a.m. the next day.

The first job was filling the WhiteWing™ . This was my least favorite part about the machine, aside from giving it back. The bottle that comes with the machine is a pretty cool design. It has a top nozzle that when pressed down empties the water into the WhiteWing™ . The water took a good 4-5 minutes to fill the machine. The next day I mentioned this to a few people who had also used the WhiteWing™ and they looked at me like I had two heads. "Richard, it's a plastic bottle, give it a little squeeze and the water will come out faster," they said. I have since tried again with the squeeze method, and it works wonderfully. I blame the original attempt on being overtired. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it. The WhiteWing™ took the expected 10 minutes to warm up, and I was ready to go.

Steam Pressure

The first thing I noticed was the steam pressure was noticeably higher and cleaned out crevices faster than the other units I have tried in the past. The higher pressure made me want to keep on going, because I was getting more accomplished in less time than my previous attempts with the other models. I found that when my progress was slower with the other machines, I had less desire to continue on. That meant more procrastination in front of the TV. There's also that whole thing growing up as a guy using anything with a trigger was always cool: squirt guns, the backyard hose, play guns. I think this whole steam cleaner thing was invented by either a woman who wanted to get her husband to help out more around the house, or a man that had no choice but to help out.

The Kitchen

5:40 p.m.

My first project was the stove. I'm almost ashamed to admit that parts of it changed so drastically that it looks like a different stove now. The buildup on the ledge over the burner knobs is now shiny, and the amount of dirt and whatever else was up there that came off was a bit disturbing. The oven door handle was a breeze and the door was now reflecting images, and I got caught by my roommate making funny faces in it. It would have been great to have an attachment that could get down between the sides of the stove, instead of just spraying down there. I'll have to put in a request to the engineers.

6:00 p.m.

For the counters and sink, I used the larger triangle brush with a towel attached. The towels attach very easily by clipping on to the brush. You definitely want to go down to your neighborhood home center and pick up some more towels. They're pretty cheap and they sell them by the dozen. I suggest buying a couple bundles. I also suggest getting yourself a small plastic garbage basket to put the dirty towels in while you work.

The counters were easy enough, and the sink was sparkling clean. I wasn't brave enough to go inside the fridge, but the outside looks brand new. Take all your pictures and take-out menus off the fridge and using the triangle brush, just wipe down the side.

The spray nozzle also worked great on the neoprene gasket, which is always impossible to clean otherwise. That's the piece of rubber inside the fridge door.

6:20 p.m.

Still using the triangle brush I put on a new towel and attacked the ceiling fans. The triangle brush can be rotated around, perfect for ceiling fans and tops of cabinets that you haven't seen since 1982. It locks into place and 3 minutes later I was done with my first fan. To be efficient, I figured I finish the other three while I had everything set up. Fifteen minutes and 4 towels later I was finished.

6:35 p.m.

Time to change to the floor brush, another towel and attack the tiled floor. See, I told you to get more towels. I was told by someone here to put a little of orange cleaner on the towel and start cleaning. They recommended that over pouring it on the floor because it wastes the cleaner and is slippery. I used orange cleaner, because that seems to be the trend now. Remember when everything was lemon scented. Now it's all orange or citrus.

I have a pretty big kitchen and lots of tile. I love my tiled floor, but when you have a four year old and cook as much as I do, it gets dirty quickly, and there is only so much space under the fridge to sweep dirt. The tools maneuvered very easily under cabinets, although I recommend a quick sweeping first because those towels fill up with dirt quick and although it's not too painful changing them, you certainly don't want to change them every couple of minutes. Generally, it was painless and quick. For tougher stains you have to hold the steam a little longer to get the stains off the floor. There is a great smaller triangle tool included with the WhiteWing™ that clips on and either spays out of the bottom or if turned one click clockwise, it sprays into the corners. Fantastic for tough to reach corners.

Another new towel, and right into the dining room. You want to lower the steam here. You don't want to have too much moist heat on a wood floor. One noticeable difference between some of the other machines here is a lack of control of the steam on the handle. You have to bend over and turn a knob on the WhiteWing™ to control the amount of steam coming out instead of just pressing a button on the handle. A feature I missed, but not worth the extra expense in my opinion.

Aside from moving furniture around, this part is easy. After the floors were done, I used the large triangle brush and spray nozzle to clean the radiators. Be careful not to burn off the paint on your walls and radiators. You do avoid this by pushing the steam button for a few seconds and letting go. Then run the towel over the wall or the radiator as in this case. I noticed a little of the radiator paint on the towel the first time I did it wrong. No harm done but be careful.

7:25 p.m.

Snack in front of the TV. This is actually a very important part of the cleaning process. Breaks are very important. They are a reward for your hard work. It takes discipline to be able to get up though. The key is to watch something that's not very interesting. Anything that's on TV that can hook you into grabbing a pillow and blanket will hook you, and your done cleaning for the day. For the guys I suggest Lifetime Television for Women, and for the ladies ESPN Classic Sports. For this evening's activities I have chosen the Worlds Worst Drivers. Fun to watch, but easy to walk away from.

The Bathroom

7:45 p.m.

Time to do the bathroom. At this point I'd recommend always doing the bathroom first. Motivational speakers always recommend you do the thing that you usually put off, first, and you will meet your goals every day. I however have made the mistake of leaving the worst for last this evening.

I don't care how much you like cleaning, there is nothing worse than getting down on all fours to clean the toilet. The only time anyone should ever be in that position is after a long night down at the pub. Here's where the wand comes in really handy. With the exception of wiping it down with a cloth, I actually cleaned the entire toilet without having to bend over at all. That's worth the purchase price alone if you ask me.

Next was the shower door. It's amazing what a clean shower door looks like. The triangle brush is definitely my favorite tool at this point. I did the door inside and out. It doesn't look brand new, but its close. The high pressure from the nozzle really got out the crud that forms in the door tracks.

The floor, sink and radiator were quick and easy. A lot of dust and dirt came out from behind the radiator, so I advise doing them first and sweeping up after before the rest of the floor. The exact opposite of what I did. We learn by trial and error.

8:30 p.m.

I think that's enough for me tonight. Let me sum up my experience with the WhiteWing™ for you.

1. Continuous fill vs. non-continuous fill. I used the WhiteWing™ for almost three hours and did not have to refill. The steam is supposed to be good for over two hours of usage, but remember, you are doing other things in between using the steam cleaner. Your moving things around like furniture, stuff on the kitchen counters and so on. You can certainly take a couple of minutes to refill the machine and do something else for ten minutes while the WhiteWing™ reheats the water. When I emptied out the water left in the WhiteWing™ , I would guess that I could have easily used that machine for another hour and a half before refilling it.

2. Maneuverability. Moving the WhiteWing™ around the house with all the tools, towels, and basket were a big thorn in my side. I highly suggest getting the cart accessory to put the machine and all the tools and towels in. You'll still spend less money than buying one of the other units.

3. Adjusting the steam. As I said before, it's a great feature being able to control how much steam comes out of a steam cleaner with buttons or levers at your fingertips. Whether it's necessary for you or not is up to you. For myself,f it was definitely something I thought about every time I bent over, but when I thought about the difference in price those thoughts quickly faded.

4. Steam pressure. I'm still waiting for technical numbers on the pressure of the steam, but I can tell you it's as good or better that everything else I've used so far.

5. Bang for the buck. I would have to say this is the best vapor steam cleaner value on the whole website. Those people, who have been holding off buying a steam cleaner in the past because of price, should have little excuse now. The WhiteWing™ steam cleaner gives the big boys something to strive towards in terms of value. I can't wait to get one. Next time my projects are going to be the bathtub tiles, windows, rugs and mattresses.

More information about the WhiteWing™ steam cleaner can be found on our web site. The introductory price by the manufacturer is $399.95, $300 off the regular retail price.

WhiteWing™ Vapor Steam Cleaner - Another Review
by Margie Brenner, AllergyBuyersClub.com Staff

My husband and I are landlords, and we rent out a two bedroom apartment. Each year when it's time for the renters to move out, they inevitably leave a challenging, nasty mess for us to clean up. This year, we decided to try out the WhiteWing™ Steamer in the kitchen to see if we could boost the looks of the 6-year old tile floor and even older refrigerator. When the tile floor was put in, the grout was originally off-white. Last weekend, the tile grout appeared very black, and the mauve tiles a shade darker than I had remembered them from 2 years ago with a dirty film covering them. I suspect that the renters didn't clean more than once a year, given the grimy condition of the floor.

I sampled an area on the kitchen floor by using the small 1" black nylon brush with the one hole nozzle. After about 6 slow scrapes with the brush around each tile, I was blown away at how the black grime dissipated out of the grout and off to the sides, turning it back to it's original off-white color. I decided to try out the large triangle brush without a towel to see if it would speed up the job a little. I learned that if I turn the triangle brush on it's side and use an edge, it did a fine job on the grout a little quicker, but not as thorough as the small round brush. I was fine with sacrificing perfection to get it done faster. The steam cleaner even got out bright pink latex paint that had dried into the tile. I called in my husband to follow me with the towels to wipe up the residue. I steamed, he wiped up the grime, and the floors came out great - looking as if they were only 1 year old instead of 6 years old!

If I was using chemicals, there is no way my husband could have tolerated being so close to the floor to help wipe up since he has allergies. Although steam cleaning is a one person job, 2 people makes it even faster - we did 70 sq. ft. of tile together in an hour, and wiped up using 6 hand towels ($2.50 at Home Depot for the towels). My husband's allergies weren't provoked at all. I think if we had to bleach the grout, it would have taken at least 3 hours, not including getting a headache from the smell.

The 10-year old refrigerator took 15 minutes - I used the small nylon brush in the nooks and crannies of the fridge shelving, and it got off that residue left from dried oily salad dressings, and caked on egg yolk. The small brush worked especially well on that mildew around the rubber seal on the inside door that seems to never comes clean with chemicals. Since the fridge was emptied out, I could quickly go over it with the large triangle brush on the inside, and outside doors. The fridge truly looked much younger than it's years when I finished the job.

We plan on steam cleaning in between our renters from here on out! Please let others know about this effective model by sharing our experience.

More information about the WhiteWing™ steam cleaner can be found at AllergyBuyersClub.com. The introductory price by the manufacturer is $399.95, $300 off the regular retail price.

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Can Carpets Be Saved After A Basement Flooding?

Question:

Our basement had some flooding-just enough to get the carpet wet. The cleaning company said it is better to just replace the carpet than try to clean and dry it. Is that true?

-Todd , Ohio

Answer:

In many cases it would be better to replace the carpeting rather than try to clean it and dry it. In cases where the amount of wetting is small and one acts quickly enough (within 48 hours), one can clean and save carpet. If the carpet is relatively new (<10 years old), it is likely to be made of all synthetic material. Such material cannot serve as a food source for mold.

If mold does grow on such carpeting (and it is not unusual), it is because of the organic matter that has accumulated in it. If one uses deep extraction cleaning one can save a carpet even it is already fuzzy. I know of a couple of such cases in school and other buildings where carpeting was successfully remediated and thus saved.

When carpet is cleaned after a flood, many remediators/cleaners apply a biocide as a final cleaning procedure. These usually work very well and post-cleaning airborne spore counts are very low.

On two different occasions occupants reported hoarseness, chest tightness after the flooding/remediation. These symptoms are not typical of mold. In one case (not a school) I measured significant concentrations of acrolein, a potent mucous membrane irritant. Some common biocides work by producing formaldehyde as a decomposition product. Some contain 50% glutaraldehyde, a very potent mucous membrane and pulmonary irritant.

The use of biocides for post -flooding remediation is problematic. It virtually eliminates the potential for mold growth and human exposure. However, some biocides may pose exposure risks of their own. In most cases it is not easy to tell whether a particular biocide will pose a human exposure concern or not.
May 23, 2003

Indoor Environmental Quality (2000),
Thad Godish Ph.D., C.I.H

See all natural carpets and throw rugs at AllergyBuyersClub.com

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Question About Eureka Oxygen Vacuum Cleaner Operation

Hi

I just read the tips you sent and it reminded me I had aconcern about my Eureka Oxygen that I purchased approximately a year ago. Sometimes it shocks my leg when I'm vacuuming and I pull back, it occurs especially in dry windy weather. Also sometimes it will have a dirty vacuum smell when I first start it, even though the bag is not full and the filter is clean. Is this normal? Since I bought it because of allergy concerns, I just want to make sure it's as running as clean as it can be.

Thanks
Sheryl

Answer:

Sheryl,

Thank you for your question and your having ordered from AllergyBuyersClub.com.

The small shocks are no problem whatsoever, although they might be somewhat annoying. They are caused by the static electricity created when the spinning nylon roller brush contacts carpeting in dry weather. It is similar to when you scuff across carpeting in cold, dry weather and then touch a light switch. Not only is this shocking that you mention erratic as to when it occurs, but it will happen only with certain carpeting and when wearing certain clothing.

The dusty odor is far less common and generally is due to the odor of the carpeting itself being absorbed into the bag material or into a filter or filters. One solution is to put an item such as "Carpet Fresh" on a small patch of carpeting and then vacuuming that into the machine. Another is to put just a drop of a fragrance or a quick spray with a "Glade-like" aerosol on the final filter to mask the odor, but remember to pick a fragrance that is pleasant to you and to use just a TINY amount. You just want to mask the carpet odor and not really create a strong new one. You can always add more fragrance, but you can't take it away easily.

Bob
Technical Support / Sales
AllergyBuyersClub.com

See all Eureka vacuums at AllergyBuyersClub.com

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Bob,

Thanks for your reply - it is hooked up now and seems to be working just fine.......... I bought it just for my bedroom but my husband is so impressed with it, he'd like it aimed at the rest of our small house; 1,100 square feet- do you think that would work?

Mary S

Answer:

Mary,

Any air purifier will work in any amount of space you put it in. The issue is the effectiveness of the purifier in a larger area.

If you had a 25 watt light bulb in a closet, you could probably read a book in the closet; if you took that bulb and used it to illuminate the entire room, it would still give you usable lighting; but if you used it to illuminate an entire floor, the best it would do would be to prevent you from bumping into furniture and walls.

There is another issue to consider. If you were to replace the Friedrich air purifier with a small to medium fan and brought a "smoke pot" over the fan, would it blow smoke into all of the spaces that you want to purify? If the answer is "yes", then it would work, but if you can't blow smoke into all of these areas, then you can't blow clean air either.

You have bought an excellent air purifier - experiment with it. If you were still finding relief in the larger area, then it would work for you. You can always add another air purifier if needed, or just continue to do the bedroom.

Bob Cobe,
AllergyBuyersClub.com Staff

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Question:

Every time the weather changes weather cold or hot or the barometer falls and it rains I get horrendous "sinus headaches"...pain and aching in my forehead and heaviness in my eyes...It is almost unbearable!....What can I do? Does Clear Ease help?...Shall I try acupuncture?..I had five plastic surgeries on my nose so I am sure this didn't help...Can You Help Me?....Thanks!

Answer:

Dear Gadjet,

The sinus pain you describe sounds like swelling of the membranes. What helps is to reduce the swelling.

Clear.ease is a combination of Papaya and Pineapple proteolytic enzymes. This means that they reduce inflammatory swelling. You melt these in your mouth between the cheek and the gums. Take one 3x a day. This avoids the stomach where the enzyme can be inactivated, plus you get better absorption. Clear.ease also thins the mucus. If you have thick mucus blocking your sinuses that also makes for pain - called a Vaccum Sinusitis. With the blockage, the oxygen in the sinus is absorbed; creating a vacuum that feels like a 5 lb weight on your eyeball. Actually a vacuum sinusitis is much more painful than a sinus infection with lots of pus.

Clear.ease is just papaya and pineapple so there is no drug interaction or contraindication unless you are allergic to pineapple.

Murray Grossan, M.D.
http://www.ent-consult.com
http://www.sinus-relief.com

Dr Grossan's Hydro-Pulse Nasal Irrigator for sinus sufferers is available at AllergyBuyersClub.com

For more information, visit the Sinus Center at AllergyBuyersClub.com

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