Summer brings the rainy season to south Florida.  In the western United States it means the beginning of the monsoon.  Along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, tropical storms and waves bring flooding rains.  For many parts of the country, summer means dampness.  Anytime you get dampness, you have the first ingredient necessary for a mold factory to begin production.

That is why the first step in any mold cleaning is to stop the water and prevent dampness from recurring.  In places like the bathroom, this can be easier said than done because the area is by nature designed to get wet.  In those instances, air circulation is critical.  You can install exhaust fans or just open a window.  If your mold is the result of a flood or water leak, then only once the water is removed and the area is dried out are you ready to clean.

If a porous surface has mold, it might be better to throw it away than to clean it.  This is true of acoustic ceiling tiles and wallpaper as well as sheetrock that has been damaged by water.  Some porous surfaces can be safely cleaned (such as leather) and washable fabrics.  When cleaning the surface, use a soap and water solution.  Any soap with a high pH value will clean mold.  We think the best cleaner for mold is M1 House Wash because it is so versatile.  You can use House Wash to remove mold from bathroom tiles, walls, leather, floors, counter tops, many wood surfaces and more.  If the surface is also stained by the mold, you can mix the House Wash with household bleach (something we do not recommend) or you can mix it with OxyBoost powdered bleach.  We recommend the use of OxyBoost for removing mold stains because it is made with sodium percarbonate.  When this ingredient comes in contact with the oxygen in hot water it creates an incredible stain fighting solution.  Also, OxyBoost does not create harmful, toxic gasses the way regular chlorine bleach can.  We have even used a mixture of HouseWash and OxyBoost to pressure wash the mold from the exterior of our mountain cabin and deck.  Because both of these places are situated close to a fresh water supply, we are always concerned to use non-toxic products to protect the waterway.  I’ve even used a mixture of HouseWash and OxyBoost in a carpet cleaning machine to clean the rug we used as our display flooring during the many home shows we did for our indoor environmental company.

There are many people that will tell you to use vinegar for cleaning mold, but aside from the smell I am always concerned about any damage it might do to the material you are trying to clean.

Once the surface mold is cleaned and any stain removed you are ready to treat with an antimicrobial.  For mold, we always recommend the use of Vital Oxide.  After the surface has completely dried, spray or coat it liberally with Vital Oxide.  This chlorine dioxide solution will kill any residual spores.  It will not damage most surfaces (I always recommend testing in a small place first) and once it has done its job of killing the mold it will oxidize into simple table salt.  It is amazing how something that is so strong and powerful a disinfectant and antimicrobial can break down safely with no toxic fumes or by-products.

If the area is one that will be repeatedly exposed to water (such as in a bathroom or outdoor patio furniture) you can use a coating to help keep the mold from coming back.  We use the companion product to the HouseWash, which is SureCote.  The clear SureCote sealant provides a protective coating that inhibits the growth of mold.  The coating is flexible and non-yellowing so it can be used on outdoor furniture and leather.  The duration of the protection really depends on how often the area is exposed to water.  Repeated dousing with water will cause the coating to break down.  What this means in practical terms is that in my shower that gets wet 2 or 3 times a day, the SureCote doesn’t last as long as it does on my front door, which while exposed to the elements every day only gets wet when the rains blow in from the north.  The SureCote in the bathroom may last several months, on my front door it lasts about 3 years.

If you are cleaning a large area do be sure to contain the mold clean up.  That means if you are gutting one room, make sure that room is sealed from the others and that you run a HEPA cleaner during and after the work. It makes no sense to clean one area and then just spread it to another!

Lastly, if the mold was in your closet, it won’t hurt to wash the clothes to remove any stray spores.  You can use AllergenWash by Alkaline Labs or if the clothing is hot water washable, just use hot water.  No special sprays or coatings should be necessary for your clothes.  Don’t hang them back in the closet until you have the mold clean up complete.  No need to do the same job over again is there?

Of course, if the mold is extensive and covers large areas, you will want to bring in an expert.  Just make sure to check their references and don’t let them scare you.  While some molds are toxic and cause allergies, others are benign.  Either way, you don’t want them in your house unless they are in your antibiotic or blue cheese.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Remember the song lyrics from South Pacific? I’m gonna wash that man right outa my hair…

I was reminded of that recently.  I was speaking to a sweet retiree on the West Coast.  She had just discovered that she was allergic to dust mites and was told to start washing to get rid of them.  Unfortunately, there was a break down in communication because while she knew she had to wash them out, she didn’t know exactly what she needed to wash them out of.  She had done a little searching on the internet, but only came away more confused.  I can’t tell you how relieved she was to contact us, get good, actionable information and find out that she didn’t need to wash the mites out of her hair, car, or kitchen cabinets.

We talked about the necessity of washing her bed linens weekly in hot water.  Because she can’t control the temperature of the hot water where she lives, we decided that her best plan of action was to wash with De-Mite Laundry additive to get rid of mites in her bedding.  Doctors often tell their patients to wash bedding in hot water, but they don’t mention that the water needs to be 140 degrees.  Most homes don’t have water that hot.  If the water isn’t hot enough to kill the mites, it is just a waste of energy to heat it up “almost enough” but not quite hot enough.

To get rid of mites in bedding, you can add De-Mite and wash in cold water.  Just focus on the bedding.  I can’t tell you how relieved the caller was to discover that she didn’t need to wash all the clothes in her closet.  She didn’t come out and say it, but I got the impression she had more than just a few ensembles in her closet.  Adding the De-Mite is just a small thing to do but it gets big results.  And results are what it is all about.

I can’t help but laugh, when on occasion I do a search on “wash dust mites out” or “get rid of dust mites”.  You find so many crazy ideas out there, I can see where people get confused.  One site tells you to add baking soda to your water.  Well, baking soda will act as a softener if your water is hard and the surfactants in your detergent will be more effective but that has zero to do with killing dust mites.  Another site tells you to wash all your clothes in hot water and run an ozone machine in your house.  Really?  Ozone?  Isn’t that the thing that when there is so much of it in the air outside they tell you to stay inside?  Wikihow actually tells you to clean out your cupboards.  Excuse me Mr. Wiki but there just aren’t lots of dust mites in your cupboard, why do you want people to clean there?  See why people get confused?

If you have questions about what to do or just feel overwhelmed, don’t forget that our friendly Customer Service staff is just a phone call away.  All of our employees are well versed in helping people control their indoor environment so they can control their allergies.  After all, its what we do.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

If you need to get a dust mite mattress cover and have a very limited budget, don’t overlook the Linen fabric.

For years, dust mite covers were made by fusing vinyl or plastic to fabric..  The result was a material that was highly effective at stopping allergens.  It was also very hot, very uncomfortable, and difficult to launder.  As technology advanced, the allergen fabric industry figured out how to replace the vinyl with a water vapor transmissive coating of urethane.  As a result, the material was still highly effective at stopping allergens and was much lighter and cooler.  Laundering was not difficult, but care had to be taken when drying the fabric. Right after the urethane membrane fabrics appeared on the scene, the first microweaves appeared..

Microweaves are fabrics where the fibers are so tightly woven that allergens cannot penetrate the fabric. They were initially referred to as barrier cloths, because they put a barrier between the sleeper and the allergens.  The microweaves became highly popular because they were lightweight and could be woven from a variety of fabrics.  The downside to these microweaves is that they require a great deal of raw material to produce and as a result the fabric is very expensive.  When the economy was clicking along at 4 and 5 percent unemployment the microweaves became all the rage and the coated fabrics faded quietly into the background. 

Until recently, the coated fabrics were marketed primarily for their ability to keep bed bugs from feeding through the material and thus were an important part of controlling an active bed bug infestation.  The dust mite stopping characteristics of these fabrics faded in the background.

Well, I say “No More!”  If you need a budget-friendly dust mite mattress cover then please consider our Linen Cotton/Poly Blend material..  The blend of cotton and polyester (equal amounts) woven to a percale-type finish is fused by heat to a 1 mil urethane backing.  This urethane makes the fabric allergy-proof and water-proof.  With proper care, this membrane can last for years.  Heat and chemicals are the dangers.  When you wash your membrane coated covers, you must not use liquid chlorine bleach.  Also, when you place them in the dryer, you want to use the lowest setting possible.  High heat will cause the membrane to separate from the fabric.

Because I sleep on a soft-sided waterbed, a zippered encasement is not possible for my bed.  I must use a fitted cover, and the fitted cover is only available in the Linen fabric.  While I live in South Florida, I don’t find the fabric to be hotter than any of the other fabrics.  I have zippered covers on my other mattresses and I don’t see a big difference as far as temperature is concerned.

In these tough economic times, you have to save where you can.  Don’t leave your mattress unprotected because of the higher prices of the microweave fabrics.  Use the Linen on your mattress.  If you can’t afford the SMS or vinyl box spring cover right now, get that later.  For the best bang for your buck, get the mattress and pillow covered first.  Cover the duvet second and worry about the box spring last.  Get the Linen for the mattress and a microweave for the pillow and get relief now.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Several studies have been conducted over the years looking at the prevalence of allergies in people that live in urban versus rural areas.  The focus of these studies has been on variations of environmental allergies.  Researchers have noted that people living in rural areas have fewer environmental allergies than people that live in urban, suburban and more populated areas.

Theories abound, from the early childhood exposure to bacteria found living in rural areas strengthens the immune system to pollutants in urban areas weakens the immune system.

However, the results of the only large scale study conducted in the United States of children’s food allergies as distributed by geographic location was just recently released.  It was no surprise that children in urban and more populated areas tended to have more food allergies than children that live in rural areas.  Of the food allergies reported, only milk and soy allergy showed no preference for city or country living.  Peanut and shellfish were the most widely reported and there are more food allergies in the southern population than the northern population. Although with the exception of Nevada, the states with the highest food allergies reported tended to be states with coastlines and it might be that these kids are more exposed to shellfish than kids in more interior states. 

You can read the entire study here at The Clinical Pediatrics Journal.  The researchers draw no conclusions based on the study, but one can’t help but wondering if a return to a more rural lifestyle would be healthier.  Now that doesn’t mean you have to sell the condo in the city and grab a cow and head for the country, but there is something to be said for letting the kids out more and encouraging them to dig in the dirt.

I encouraged my kids to garden with me when they were small.  They don’t have food allergies, and I don’t know that their lack of food allergy has any relationship to their digging in the dirt.  My hubby has food allergies and if there is a hole to be dug in the yard, he’s your man!  So, it can’t hurt to get out there and dig in the dirt and if you have pollen allergies, don’t let that stop you either.  Just grab the best mask for gardening…ever…the Q-Mask.  Wash your hands when you come inside.

Go have fun.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

A study published in the March Journal of Applied Toxicology reports strong evidence for the connection between parabens and breast cancer.  You can read more here at  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jat.1786/abstract.

In a nutshell, researchers in England studied the tissue removed as part of mastectomies and in 99% of the cases, the tissue contained parabens. The tissues studied came from different parts of the breast and from women of all ages and breastfeeding history. the one thing they all had in common was the presence of parabens. Parabens are widely used in the cosmetic and personal care industries as preservatives.  While some folks have long suspected deodorants to be a factor in cancer, it is interesting to note that some of these women didn’t use any form of deodorant (must be an English thing). Parabens also a common irritant to people that are sensitive and can cause dermatitis.

Deodorants can contain parabens, as well as shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams, sunscreens and other substances that people apply directly to their skin and hair.  Kind of scary when you consider that your skin is the largest organ in your body.  You think you are doing something to protect yourself when in fact you could be doing more harm than good.  We don’t recommend that you stop using skin lotions and creams and sunscreens and we aren’t saying to quit washing your hair.  But we are saying to be aware of what you are putting on your body and start reading labels if you don’t do so already!

Dermatologists have been recommending VaniCream and Free & Clear personal care products for years because they are free from dyes, fragrances, masking fragrances, and other irritating substances.  Based on these findings, I would recommend that anyone concerned about breast cancer start reading labels and look for parabens in any of their skin or hair care products.   Even if you don’t have outward appearances of sensitivity to parabens, bad things can be going on under the surface.  The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database of personal care products has always rated the Vanicream and Free & Clear products as safe.  The Vanicream Sunsport sunscreen made the list of preferred sunscreens this year.  If you are already using a paraben free skin cream like Vanicream, be sure to tell your friends and family about this breast cancer link and urge them to start reading labels.

Friends don’t let friends use skin and hair care products with parabens!

Til Next Time

Cheryl
The Allergy Store