PLEASE NOTE that
references to prices or specials
within this archive reflect prices
and market conditions at the time
of newsletter publication. Prices
may have changed since publication.
Dear
Everyone,
I
have to tell you something
very strange about our
company which defies
statistical probability-
a full 20% of the people
here at AllergyBuyersClub.com
share the same birthday,
March 19th, and we unknowingly
hired another one a
couple of weeks ago
- now is that weird
or what? My birthday
is NOT March 19th but
I can tell you this
group have quite the
birthday bash each year.
The only thing I have
observed about all these
people is they are all
good team players. So
someone please tell
me the odds of this
happening!
Bob Cobe,
our product specialist,
has been on my case
for a while to improve
the comparison charts
and guides for various
products we carry. Out
of desperation, he has
been doing them himself
for the benefit of training
our internal staff,
and the results of his
labors can be seen in
our next newsletter,
which will have a particular
focus on humidifiers.
Do not
miss the press release
below sent out by IQAir
who have filed a complaint
against Consumer Reports
- gutsy move.
Dust
Mites and Dust Mite Encasings and Covers What are the best
dust mite covers for you and do you really
need them?
By
Mercia Tapping
Our
new staff has been turning to me for guidance
as to what to recommend to our customers
about dust mite encasings and covers. This
is the essence of what I tell them and I
try to keep it very simple.
Be
clear as to whether you have dust mite allergies.
You do this by going to an allergist for
allergy tests.
Once
you have discovered you have allergies to
dust mites, figure out whether you have
exposure to them. You are more likely to
have dust mites in your home if you live
down South in warmer climates or where there
is a higher level of humidity. You can test
out whether you have dust mites in your
home by using a home
test kit.
You
can give yourself a break by cleaning your
bedroom. See a past article on the Dust
Free Bedroom.
A
pillow collects up to 2 pounds of dust mite
feces [the stuff you are allergic to] over
a 2-year period. Therefore, your pillow
is the most obvious place to start with
dust mite encasings if you do not want to
bury your nose into dust mites every night.
My
favorite dust mite encasings are Cottonfresh
and I think they are worth the extra money.
Apart from the added benefit that they are
organic and unbleached, they are also the
softest. Think about it for a moment. The
softest and most supple dust mite cover
underneath your pillowcase means that your
pillow retains its soft and supple feel.
Important for those of us who like to scrunch
up our pillows and mash them underneath
our heads.
I
get routinely get asked as to which is the
BEST dust mite encasing or cover. The answer
is when it comes to dust mite encasings
we do not sell any brand which let the dust
mites through. Our fabrics are tightly woven
and the beesties simply cannot wiggle their
way through. The best is a cosmetic or comfort
choice, and we prefer ones which are made
out of cotton.
Looking
for a cheap dust mite cover? Then encase
your mattress with a plastic or garbage
bag. A little facetious? Well perhaps, but
plastic does a great job, it cuts the dust
mites off from their food source which is
you and your skin flakes. Trouble is you
will find it sweaty and the noise of the
plastic would drive your crazy. Some encasings
are only a small step away from a garbage
bag- trust me I slept on one at my father’s
condo this last Spring. Every time I turned
over that darned crinkle sound woke me up.
And I dare not take the cover off; the pillow
was at least 30 years old! I was convinced
I was sleeping on a bag of dust mites!
Do
you need a dust mite cover on your box spring?
In my mind unless you are super allergic
it is going too far and you can do without
one. But as a caveat dust mites do travel
and crawl where they are not wanted. I like
our middle of the road cotton
dust mite encasings for this job
How
about the mattress? It is worth having a
dust mite encasing here, but remember if
you have a latex
mattress you probably do not need an
encasing at all as latex is inhospitable
to dust mites.
I
get asked how often you need to wash the
dust mite covers? This is a matter of hygiene
not anything to do with the effectiveness
of the dust mite covering. Washing dust
mite covers does not rejuvenate them from
the dust mite prevention perspective. Putting
it bluntly, people drool into their pillows,
sweat and do other things at night which
make it necessary to freshen the bedding
by washing. Dust mite covers are no exception.
How
about dust-mite covers for duvets?
In a perfect world you would have a duvet
or comforter that was anti social for the
dust mite party. These comforters are made
out of silk
or wool.
Hypoallergenic down comforters can still
be a breeding ground for dust mites but
the ones with a higher thread count shell
will keep the dust mites at bay. If you
need a dust mite cover for your comforter
again we think Cottonfresh
wins out as it keeps the comforter supple
and light which is how you want your comforter
to be.
Why
bother with a dust mite cover if your regular
duvet cover is high thread count? Good question
but unless your duvet cover has zippered
tight enclosures, those adolescent dust
mites will muscle their way through any
opening.Adolescent dust mites for the uninitiated,
as we found out from a man who breeds them
for researchers tend to be pushy creatures
who find their way through anything and
will jump around in pursuing more food.
Need I say more?
Dust
Mite Encasings for your children’s
beds? Buy them the cheapest covers, they
will never know the difference. Buy the
Cottonfresh for your own pillows.
The best and cost effective
package? Buy our regular 2 cotton pillow
encasings and mattress cover and add 2 Cottonfresh
pillow dust mite encasings for your own
pillows.
What
is the difference between dust and dust
mites?
A.
Dust
is the accumulation of very fine particulates,
the kind that you can sometimes see
floating around the air when the light
streams through the windows late afternoon.
It is not healthy to breathe in dirt.
Dust mites are live microscopic creatures
which inhabit our bedding, carpets
and upholstery. Dust mites feed on
human and animal dander, pollen, fungi
and bacteria. The food consumption
and development of the dust mites
increases with higher relative humidities
(55 % to 80%) and common indoor temperatures
(75 to 80 degrees fahrenheit). Since
you spend up to 1/3 of your life in
the bedroom and need a good night's
sleep, it is essential to take care
of the dust mite problem there first!
To keep it simple, dust mite covers
on your bedding cut off their food
source. Encase mattresses, boxsprings,
pillows and comforters in hypoallergenic
tightly woven zippered
dust mite encasings. Keep your
room at a low humidity level and eliminate
any dust harboring articles in the
room.
Q.
How
do I really know that I have a problem?
A.
Some
of the signs of dust mite allergies
are persistently stuffy nose and ears,
repeated sneezing on awakening, itchy
watery eyes, worsening of symptoms
when beds are made, improving symptoms
outside the house. To check for the
dust mite level in your rooms before
you begin a plan of elimination you
can use a simple home
dust mite test kit to check how
bad the problem is. In some houses
the dust mite problem may be minimal
Will
I know the dust mite encasings are there
when I am in bed?
A.
Our
dust
mite encasing offerings are comfortable,
noiseless and cool. Our fabrics have
a gentle, light-weight finish which
provides an effective yet luxurious
feel. We offer two cotton choices
with high thread counts which makes
the fabrics tightly woven yet have
exceptional breathability that allows
air and perspiration to flow through
but not the dust mites or their feces
[which is what causes the allergenic
reaction]. The fabric is not hot or
sweaty to sleep on! We have evaluated
other dust mite protection barrier
products and found these to be the
most comfortable, effective protection
you can buy.
Q.
How
do I use dust mite encasings?
A.
Dust
mite encasings are used over your
pillows, mattress, mattress pad, box
spring and comforter and underneath
your pillowcases, sheets and decorative
comforter cover..
Note:
Some of our customers buy one of the
encasing sets and a set of Cottonfresh
encasings as well. They put the Cottonfresh
on the most allergic person's bed
and use the Pristine or Natural Allergen
barrier cotton pillow encasings for
other beds in the home.
How
do I know what size of dust mite encasing
to buy?
A.
You
buy the size that matches the bed
that you want to cover (twin, queen,
etc.) However, we sell the dust mite
encasings in two different depths
within these sizes. We sell the mattress
covers in three depths: 9 inch (standard)
12 inch (deep - These will fit standard
beds as well) and extra deep 15 inch
mattress encasing sets. See the previous
question's links to go directly to
the link that you need. We suggest
that you measure your mattress height
(without sheets) from at least 3 different
sides of the mattress including any
pillowtop or foam mattress pads if
you have them. Buy the encasing set
that best fits the mattress size plus
topper depth.
Q.
Can
I put them on by myself?
A.
We
suggest that you get someone to help
you since putting them on requires
that you remove the mattress and boxspring
from the frame. Put the mattress or
boxspring up on its end and gently
pull the encasing evenly over the
width of the mattress. If you try
to pull too much on one side it could
tear. When you have the encasing over
the entire mattress or boxspring -
zip it up and return it to the bed.
Go
to this link for further detailed
instructions.
Q.
Do
I have to take dust mite encasings off
when I wash my sheets and pillowcases?
A.
We
recommend that you wash your regular
bed linens and pillow encasings in
hot water once a week (130°F/54.4°C).
A cooler temperature will not kill
the mites. You do not have to remove
the mattress and boxspring encasings
and wash them every week. Wash only
for hygienic purposes. You can remove
regular bed linens and vacuum the
encasing with a HEPA vacuum or use
a vapor
steam cleaner over the surface
of the mattress.
Q.
Are
these cotton based dust mite encasings
washable?
A.
These
dust mite encasings are completely
hot water machine washable and can
be tumbled dry. Do not use chlorine
bleach on the encasings.
Q.
What
should be on my checklist to reduce
dust mites in my bedroom?
A.
Encase
your mattress, boxspring, pillows
and comforter in dust mite encasings.
Keep
humidity below 50%, ideally between
30-40%. This suggestion is probably
the most important of all, as it
prevents dust mites from breeding.
Keep
your closet door closed. Clothes
can harbor dust mites if the door
is left open.
Avoid
upholstered furniture in the bedroom.
Use plastic, leather or wood furniture
instead.
Remove carpeting when possible or
use a low pile carpet or throw rugs
on bare floors. Wash throw rugs
frequently. If you have carpets
use a vapor steam cleaner every
8 weeks to kill off the new crop
of dust mites.
Use
hepa
vacuum cleaner attachments for
dusting or microfiber cloths instead
of regular mops or cloths.
Use
light washable curtains, valances
and shades or vertical blinds on
your windows. We prefer metal blinds.
Use
a high quality HEPA
(High Efficiency Particle Arresting)
air purifier to filter out airborne
allergens including dust mites.
Find one that will do an effective
job at low fan speed so that you
do not have to live with noise of
an air filter at high speed. Our
favorite bedroom air purifier is
the Blueair
as it is quiet.
Dust
and vacuum twice a week using a
vacuum with a HEPA
vacuum or a central
vacuum that vents particles
to the outside of the house. This
will reduce the small particle dust
in the room.
Fry
them: Use a vapor
steam cleaner on your bedding
and/or scatter rugs to assist in
killing dust mites between washes.
Freeze
dust mites: Take advantage of the
freezing weather. Put pillows, cloth
or stuffed toys, anything that could
host dust mites into plastic bags
and put them out side in the deep
freeze. Yes, the frost kills the
mites.
Change
air conditioning filters before
the season starts.
Discourage pets from bedrooms. Dust
mites feed on pet dander as well.
(We know this is a tough one but
it will make a big difference!)
Pillows
and Pillow Talk
By
Mercia Tapping - President AllergyBuyersClub.com
Pillows.
You would think that talking about pillows
would be easy enough, but when I train our
staff on the subject of pillows, it is a
big yawn! Our predominately male technical
staff, feel uncomfortable with pillow talk!
Only Richard likes to talk about pillows
and bedding to our customers, and then he
tells husbands to get their wives on the
phone to talk to him! Pillows, it would
seem are perceived as something for women
only. Yet try telling that to my husband
who has worked his way systematically through
more pillows than I care to name on his
way to the perfect one!
We
have tried pillows made out of hypoallergenic
down, Primaloft, wool, alpaca, latex and
cotton. We have tried them out in firm,
medium and soft. But here is the bottom
line about pillows. Your pillow choice is
a very personal one. All we try to do is
give you sufficient selection among the
many that we have reviewed and tried out.
What
we have done is weeded out in our testing
of pillows that have odors to them, attract
mold, or in some way are poor manufacturing
quality. We also have culled through dozens
of pillows to find those, which we think,
are the most friendly to allergy sufferers.
So
in the spirit of keeping it simple, here
is what I tell our customers about pillows.
1.
If you like a soft pillow there is no substitute
for down, and most people prefer a soft
to medium down pillow. Hypodown is expensive
but it lasts a great deal longer than the
cheaper grade down pillows. The Syriaca
in Hypodown
pillows, which binds to the down plumes,
actually helps the longevity of the pillow
as well as making it “allergy free”.
2.
Many people have allergies to down pillows,
which has mainly to do with dirt left on
the feather quills. If the down is put through
a number of extra washes, this removes the
dirt and hence the allergens for the vast
majority of people. A Hypodown pillow receives
the highest industry grade [turbidity] for
cleanliness and with the Syriaca it gets
an extra boost to be hypoallergenic.
3.
If you want to be on the safe side and the
price of Hypodown is too high, then Primaloft
pillows come close to giving the feeling
of down at a reasonable price. My only caveat
is Primaloft pillows do not last long. We
seem to replace our Primaloft pillows almost
on an annual basis, but they are wonderful
if you want to scrunch something underneath
your head.
4.
Pillow “scrunchers” should always
buy a “soft” pillow.
5.
All the other pillow fill choices are a
lot firmer, but for someone with severe
allergies or multiple chemical sensitivities
they are a healthy choice.
6.
Wool
or cotton
pillows are both naturally hypoallergenic
and very healthy fibers as they allow for
natural wicking away from the body and are
“breathing” fibers. Both wool
and cotton pillows are naturally inhospitable
to dust mites as they dry out very quickly
from moisture created by our bodies.
7.
Cotton
pillows are softer than most wool
pillows but are best for people who
prefer a pretty flat pillow as they compress
fairly quickly. For people with multiple
chemical sensitivities this is the pillow
of choice.
8.
It is a rare person who is allergic to wool
and wool pillows are covered with a tightly
woven ticking. A wool pillow will serve
you faithfully for years. If given a choice
in pillow fill, I would recommend the softest
available since I have come across some
which to me seem rock hard. Alpaca,
when it is mixed with wool, provides a softer
wool pillow and our Euphoria line of
pillows is just as soft as its matching
comforter. These wool pillows are far softer
than the average wool pillow.
9.
Latex
pillows are the firmest of all and are
often contoured for neck support. They remain
in perfect shape for years but the pillow-scrunching
brigade would hate them. Natural latex is
inhospitable to dust
mites and mold.
IQAir
Files Complaint With FTC Against Consumer
Reports Magazine Monday September
29th 2003
Watchdog
Agency May Be Doing Consumers More Harm Than
Good
SANTA
FE SPRINGS, Calif., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ --
IQAir North America announced today that
it has filed a complaint with the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) against Consumer
Reports Magazine and its parent company,
Consumer Union, charging that the consumer
watchdog organization actually harms consumers
and businesses with inadequate investigative
techniques and a biased selection process
that ignores quality manufacturers in place
of mass market distributors.
IQAir
is the top rated room air cleaner according
to Test (Stiftung Warentest), the prestigious
German government funded testing agency,
but since IQAir's inception they have been
unable to get their product reviewed by
the popular Consumer Reports organization.
This month the October issue of Consumer
Reports Magazine hit the newsstands with
a much publicized article that blasted the
Sharper Image's top selling Ionic Breeze
as "poor" in most categories and
bestowed top honors on Friedrich's electrostatic
precipitator, a unit known to produce charged
particles and that may produce the lung
irritant ozone. IQAir was again not able
to get their home HealthPro series tested
for the article even though many consumer
advocacy groups and specialty retailers
consider them the best product in the category,
including Consumer Review, AllergyBuyersClub.com,
Air-Purifiers-America.com and many other
groups that support allergy and asthma sufferers.
The Hong Kong Hospital Authority this month
tested IQAir as the only room air cleaner
effective enough to be used in the fight
against SARS.
Consumer
Reports Magazine has often been accused
of using market share to choose its test
products. Specialty retailers who frequently
deal with a higher quality of merchandise
than mass retailers have long decried this
practice since major brands like Honeywell,
Hunter, and Friedrich are included, but
smaller manufacturers who strive for a higher
manufacturing standard are excluded simply
because they don't sell as many units.
"Consumer
Reports does a disservice to consumers,"
states IQAir President Frank Hammes. "Three
and a half million room air cleaners were
sold in America last year. Over the past
two years, the nation has seen air cleaners
move from a pure allergy and asthma control
product to a tool that also helps victims
of terrorist attacks cope with the aftermath
of airborne pollution. They've become an
integral part of the nation's homeland defense
strategy. This is not a time for Consumer
Reports to use outdated selection methods.
They are keeping the best products from
being tested."
At
the heart of IQAir's complaint against Consumer
Reports is not just their selection process,
but also how the air purifier units are
being tested. Consumer Reports adopted a
testing procedure developed and promoted
by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
(AHAM) for most of their air cleaner evaluation.
"AHAM
is in their own words an advocacy group
for manufacturers," explains Hammes.
"They represent big industry interest
and not that of consumers."
AHAM
promotes a marketing program in which they
certify the performance of room air cleaners
of their members. According to insider information,
the Consumer Reports tests were carried
out by the same contract test laboratory
that carries out all AHAM certification
testing. The Consumer Reports test, like
the AHAM test, is considered flawed by many
industry experts, and most quality air purifier
manufacturers do not sign up for AHAM certification
because of the test flaws.
"Consumer
Reports uses a biased selection process
to choose which products to test,"
said Hammes. "Then when it does test
the units it uses the AHAM test procedure
which was designed by big business manufacturers
to support the often inferior products they
were trying to sell. The Consumer Reports
test results confuse consumers rather than
provide them with clear and accurate information.
Parents with children who suffer from allergies
and asthma will be guided to buy inferior
quality room air cleaners because they put
their trust in Consumer Reports."
IQAir
North America, Inc. is a member of the Swiss-based
IQAir Group that develops, manufactures
and markets innovative air quality products
for indoor environments. IQAir products
are used worldwide by hospitals and other
critical environments. They also manufacture
home air cleaning units for allergy and
asthma sufferers and individuals with chemical
sensitivities.
IQAir
is a registered trademark of the IQAir Group.
Source: IQAir North America, Inc.
For
many years I have been unable to get a proper
night's sleep during the hay fever season.
Every night I would spend hours sneezing,
with my eyes running constantly. To be honest
I had become resolved to the fact that this
was just part of life. However, a friend
recommended the Blueair air purifier, and
I gave it a try. I have to say that it made
a huge difference. At night I was hardly
aware of the hay fever season at all, and
can't remember being troubled by it at all
at night; while during the day away from
the air filter, it was back to normal!
I would really recommend this air filter.
It not only does the job, but it is also
very very quiet, so it happily runs all
the time with very little noise. It certainly
helped me.
Rhinitis
Medicamentosum (RM) is a fancy name for
being addicted to nose drops.
What
happens is that your nose is stuffy and
you can’t sleep. So you spray with
the nose spray and open the nose beautifully.
Now you can breathe and sleep.
But
later, the nose clogs again and you use
the drops again, maybe more that the first
time. At first you only use them every 12
hours. Then every 8, then 6. Now every four.
You KNOW the bottle says only use for a
few days, but the nose is really plugged
unless you use the drops. Meanwhile you
feel nervous and irritable. This is the
“adrenergic” effect of the drops,
whether you take them orally or by nasal
spray.
These
are the common nasal sprays that can cause
RM.
Oxymetazoline
(Afrin)
Phenyleherine (Neosynephrine)
Xylometazoline (Otrivin or Inspire)
Any
constrictor nose drop can do this. There
is evidence that it is the preservative,
usually benzalkonium (BZK) that is the culprit.
So that the afrin – oxymetrazoline
- shrinks the nasal tissue but the BZK irritates
it so that you need more afrin. These products
without BZK may not cause RM.
Strangely,
in my practice, it is the medical people
that have the high incidence of RM. Probably
it is because these medications are so readily
available.
It
is easy to tell the patient to stop using
the product, but the extreme misery is quite
severe and often will power doesn’t
work, even in the most strong willed persons.
One
solution is a course of prednisone with
antibiotic. This will shrink the nose and
reduce inflammation. Sometimes I add Benadryl
at night to help the patients get his sleep.
This is a fairly severe course of therapy.
Another
gentler solution is to gradually dilute
the drops you are using. You can get a program
of gradual reduction of the nasal drops
through a company called Rhinostat Systems.
Here they make a solution for you so that
you gradually reduce the dose. Since you
are no longer getting the rebound effect,
this is a preferred method, and you avoid
“more drugs”.
In
some cases where the medication has been
used a long time, the cilia fail to
resume good movement right away and
the nose may still feel as though it
is stuffy. Hot tea, chicken soup, compresses
to the sinus area all may help. Or pulsatile
irrigation with
Hydro-Pulse® Nasal
Sinus irrigator is
a rapid way to refresh the nose. The Hydro
Pulse nasal / sinus irrigator pulses at
a rate to best restore normal cilia speed.
This is important because the condition
that caused the patient to overuse nose
drops may still be present and it is best
to get the cilia back moving properly.
Prevention?
Persons today are constantly exposed to
advertisements: take this pill and use this
spray. If you do get a stuffy nose, on the
first day, take it easy. Don’t rush
to the medicine cabinet. Plenty of tea and
rest may be all you need. But once you start
overusing the nasal sprays, you can wind
up addicted. Not because you are “weak”,
but because of the rebound effect of these
medications.
I
must emphasize that “willpower”
is not the issue here. RM is no different
than one person getting a large bump from
an insect bite. The RM is a “chemical”
condition caused by the rebound of the medication.
Patients with RM do need assistance to quit
the nose spray habit. Best of course is
not to get started.
Cortisone
sprays, saline sprays without benzalkonium,
Breathe.ease XL spray – these do not
cause Rhinitis Medicamentosum. Some persons
find they need to continue using certain
cortisone sprays, but that is not the rebound
phenomenon but rather that they are helped
by it.
If
only getting cured of my addiction to chocolate
candy were this easy!
After
The Storm - Now What? Flood Remediation
from
the Staff at Aerias.org
During
a flood cleanup, the indoor air quality
in homes, offices or any type of building
may at first glance be the last thing
on anyone's mind, but failure to completely
and properly dry building interiors
and remove any and all contaminated
materials can result in serious long-term
health risks to building occupants.
Standing
water and wet materials are a breeding
ground for microorganisms, including
bacteria and mold. They can trigger
allergic reactions or make asthma
symptoms worse, and continue to damage
building materials, furnishings long
after the flood.
Safety
First
Safety
is the first concern when entering
a home or building that has been damaged
by floodwaters. Here are some guidelines:
* Check for structural damage. Do
not go in if there is any chance of
the building collapsing.
* Upon entering the building, do not
use matches, cigarette lighters or
any other open flames, since natural
gas and other combustible fumes may
be trapped inside. Instead, use a
flashlight.
* Be careful walking around. After
a flood, steps and floors are often
slippery with mud and covered with
debris, including nails and broken
glass.
* Keep the electrical power off until
an electrician has inspected the electrical
system for safety.
* Until local authorities proclaim
the water supply to be safe, boil
water for drinking and food preparation
vigorously for five minutes before
using.
Next
Priority -- Drying Out
Once
the building has been judged structurally
sound, the next priority is to dry
it out!
Many
microorganisms, including mold begin
growing within 24 to 48 hours. As
a result, it is imperative to begin
the drying process as soon as possible.
Here are some steps to follow:
Standing
water is a breeding ground for microorganisms,
which can become airborne and be inhaled.
In addition, floodwater that contains
sewage or decaying animal carcasses
may also harbor infectious microorganisms.
To minimize health problems and lessen
structural damage, all standing water
should be removed as quickly as possible.
Identify and Remove Animal Carcasses
and Materials Affected by the Water
If
a flood involves sewage-contaminated
water or has animal carcasses floating
in it, do not try to save any of the
materials as exposure to this kind
of water carries the additional hazard
of infection with the hepatitis A
virus.
Bag
and throw away any materials that
can trap mold. Also, make sure that
there is no asbestos or lead in the
materials to be thrown out. Disturbing
or removing materials containing asbestos
(such as in insulation) or lead (such
as in lead-based paint) may result
in elevated concentrations of those
hazardous materials in the air. Just
looking will not yield a definitive
answer. Sampling may need to be done
to verify the materials' composition.
Some
materials tend to absorb and keep
water more than others. If these materials
get wet and cannot be thoroughly cleaned
and dried, discard them. Otherwise,
they can remain a source of future
microbial growth. Mold may begin growing
24 hours after the materials become
wet although there may not be any
visible signs of it. Molds are mistakenly
considered more of a nuisance than
a health threat, but their damage
can be long lasting. Examples of water-absorbing
materials that must be removed and
thrown out include:
Ceiling
tiles
Insulation
Paper
Rags
Drywall
Mattresses
Wicker furniture
Straw baskets
Upholstered
furniture
Old boxes
Stuffed toys
Drapes
Plaster
Cork bulletin boards
Old clothing
Books
These
items can retain water and begin growing
mold even if they appear to be dry.
Some may become contaminated with
mold while wet and continue to be
a source of mold spores and exposure
even after drying. Flooded carpet,
for example, can store mold spores
for years. Any carpet if not properly
maintained can store mold spores,
and flooded carpet allows the mold
to grow further. Running fans and
opening windows is not enough. Once
carpet becomes colonized (mold growing
in the material), it needs to be discarded
unless professional cleaning can effectively
remove the microbiological contaminants.
Remove
all drywall and insulation damaged
by water at least 12 inches above
the high water mark. Visually inspect
the wall interior and remove any other
materials with visible mold growth.
(This step may have to be carried
out by a licensed contractor.) This
removal of mold-contaminated material
from the walls is crucial because
both allergic and toxic effects can
remain in dead spores.
Dry
Out the Area
If
areas are wet, yet have not suffered
from a flood, set up fans and turn
on the HVAC system to help dry things
out. It is important to do this because
microorganisms like mold can quickly
begin growing in materials. These
can later be released into the air
and trigger allergies and asthma attacks
along with other health problems.
If humidity levels are increased for
a long time then dust mites may grow.
Dust mites prefer humidity levels
above 60 percent.
Be
patient! The proper drying out process
can take a long time.
In
large buildings, the typical drying
out period may be 7 to 10 days. It
is imperative to not only dry the
building, but to dry it out correctly.
Drying out large buildings is a very
complex process and will require the
help of professionals. Believe it
or not, if a building is dried out
too quickly, interior furnishing materials
can become damaged.
If
the structure does not have electricity,
do not use internal combustion engines
indoors since they can quickly emit
deadly levels of carbon monoxide.
Examples include gasoline-powered
generators, camp stoves and lanterns,
or charcoal-burning devices. Do not
use combustion devices designed for
outdoor use inside, even in an emergency,
since that can be deadly!
Dress
the Part
Because
mold may have begun growing in some
of the materials that will be removed,
be sure to wear appropriate protective
clothing. Cleaning up mold can be
hazardous to health since mold counts
are typically 10 to 1,000 times higher
than background levels during the
cleaning of mold damaged materials.
Here are some steps to follow:
* Wear a dust mask or particulate
respirator (sometimes referred to
as a N95 or TC-21C particulate respirator)
to keep from breathing in airborne
spores. However, remember this type
of mask will not protect the persion
wearing it from the vapors of cleaning
or bleach solutions that can irritate
eyes, nose, and throat, and damage
clothing and shoes. In addition to
protective equipment, make sure the
working area is ventilated well.
* Wear eye-protection
* Wear gloves. While removing materials,
cover rubber gloves that may tear
easily with work gloves. Be sure to
wear gloves when using cleaning and
disinfecting solutions.
* Wear sturdy waterproof boots to
protect the feet from hazards, which
may not visible in dirty floodwater.
* Wear protective clothing that is
easily cleaned or discarded
Clean and
Disinfect
All
surfaces that are exposed to food,
children or pets will need to be thoroughly
cleaned. Also clean and disinfect
non-porous materials such as glass,
plastic or metal. Materials such as
the tops of metal desks or file cabinets
and concrete, cement, or tile floors
can be cleaned using a solution
of one (1) part bleach to 10 parts
water. Be sure the area is well ventilated.
* Ask staff or bystanders to leave
when these areas are being cleaned.
* Before beginning to clean off any
mold, try cleaning a small test patch
of it first. If you feel that this
adversely affected your health, you
should consider paying a licensed
contractor or professional to carry
out the work.
* Use soap/detergent and hot water
or a commercial cleaner. DO NOT APPLY
ANY AMMONIA-BASED PRODUCTS! Ammonia
or ammonia-based cleaners should not
be used since residual ammonia can
encourage mold growth.
* Thoroughly scrub all contaminated
surfaces (use a stiff brush to clean
block walls) with an excessive amount
of soap/detergent.
* Rinse well with water
* After thorough cleaning and rinsing,
disinfect the area. To disinfect,
use a solution of 10 percent household
I
have to tell you something
very strange about our
company which defies
statistical probability-
a full 20% of the people
here at AllergyBuyersClub.com
share the same birthday,
March 19th, and we unknowingly
hired another one a
couple of weeks ago
- now is that weird
or what? My birthday
is NOT March 19th but
I can tell you this
group have quite the
birthday bash each year.
The only thing I have
observed about all these
people is they are all
good team players. So
someone please tell
me the odds of this
happening!
Enjoy
the Fall, even if I
am sneezing again! 
Watchdog
Agency May Be Doing Consumers More Harm Than
Good
Rhinitis
Medicamentosum (RM) is a fancy name for
being addicted to nose drops.
During
a flood cleanup, the indoor air quality
in homes, offices or any type of building
may at first glance be the last thing
on anyone's mind, but failure to completely
and properly dry building interiors
and remove any and all contaminated
materials can result in serious long-term
health risks to building occupants.
