Bed bugs are small, brownish insects that feed on human blood, usually at night. They are most commonly found on beds and sofas and their bites are really itchy and irritating.
A study by Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology has shown that chlorine dioxide can eliminate bed bugs. We found that Organiks Chlorine Dioxide Disinfectant, when used with a fogging machine, has the ability to penetrate various materials like bed covers and reach small cracks and crevices where bed bugs live. We recommend diluting Organiks 1:5 or 1:2 and fog or mist areas for several days to control bed bugs.
]]>World Health Organization says 1 in 10 people worldwide fall ill from contaminated food each year.
When it comes to food safety, it pays to know how to sanitize and disinfect equipment and surfaces that comes into contact with food such as utensils, kitchen counters and chopping boards.
The first step is of course to clean, meaning to wash away food, dirt, oil and other debris with soap and water. After allowing to dry, then we proceed to sanitation. Washing alone can only kill up to 99% of germs, that 1% is actually very important and can cause illness. Organiks Disinfectant is safe for to use on food contact surfaces and can eliminate hard to kill germs such as Salmonella and E.coli.
To sanitize, dilute Organiks Disinfectant with 1:10 ratio or 100ml Organiks to 900ml water to make a 1 liter solution. Wet all surfaces to be sanitized and allow to air dry.
Restaurants, hospitals, daycares, retirement homes, and many other public spaces are now adopting measures to sanitize their facilities and we should do the same at home.
To disinfect means to kill 99.999% of germs and you'll need a more powerful concentration to be able to achieve that. To disinfect hard surfaces such as dining tables and chairs, use at least 1:1 dilution ratio or 500ml Organiks Disinfectant and 500ml water to make a 1 liter solution. For more problematic areas that comes into contact with blood or excretes, use Organiks as is. Wet all surfaces and allow to air dry.
We recommend public places such as restaurants to disinfect menus, tables and chairs everyday to prevent the spread of germs.
]]>Synthetic fibers are "Odor Magnets"
To understand why gym clothes stink even after washing, we need to understand what makes them smell. According to Proctor & Gamble, over 70% of laundry dirt is caused by body soils that are invisible to the eye - sweat, skin cells and a waxy fat called sebum.
Different kinds of fabrics are also used for sporting. Cotton is the most common type of fabric and is very absorbent, which is why it feels heavy after we sweat a lot. Bacteria and body oils from sweat will all be absorbed by the cotton fiber but it can also be washed easily.
Synthetic fibers like dri-fit shirts are waterproof or sweat proof but are actually notorious for absorbing body soils. Our natural body oil or sebum and bacteria can get trapped in the fibers and become hard to remove, making them dirt and odor magnets.
Some laundry detergents do not perform as well when removing bad odors from synthetic fibers. According to Drew Westervelt, an expert in detergents "More than 60% of today's laundry is synthetic or blended fibers, but traditional detergent was never designed to clean those fabrics - they were always focused on stain removal. But odors from bacteria, mold and mildew are now the real problem and they can't be dealt with by simply covering them up with added fragrances."
To combat bad odors, we recommend adding Organiks Disinfectant to your laundry. Organiks Disinfectant works by eliminating the source of bad odor which is bacteria, rather than masking it with scents. Personally, for real bad odors from week old forgotten gym clothes (sorry!), we put in 1:5 ratio or 1 cup Organiks to 4 cups water in a basin and let the clothes soak for 5-10 minutes. Clothes always come out odor-free which always amazes us.
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Chlorine Dioxide
Alcohol
Formaldehyde
Overview
Chlorine Dioxide is used for a variety of antimicrobial uses, including surface and drinking water disinfection
“Alcohol” refers to two water-soluble chemical compounds—ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol—that are germicidal
Formaldehyde is used as a disinfectant and sterilant in both its liquid and gaseous states.
The quaternary ammonium compounds are widely used as disinfectants.
Peracetic, or peroxyacetic, acid is characterized by rapid action against all microorganisms.
Mode of Action
Denaturation of proteins
Denaturation of proteins
Inactivates microorganisms by alkylating the amino and sulfhydral groups of proteins and ring nitrogen atoms of purine bases
Inactivation of energy-producing enzymes, denaturation of proteins, and disruption of the cell membrane
Denaturation of proteins
Bactericidal
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bacteriostatic
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Mycobacterial
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Fungicidal
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Virucidal
Yes
Yes
Yes
Only Against Lipophilic Viruses
Yes
Sporicidal
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Corrosive
To Materials
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Harmful When Exposed to Humans
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Carcinogen
No
No
Yes
No
No
Eco-Friendly
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Sources:
Yes, Organiks is Eco-Friendly!
Organiks chlorine dioxide is environmentally friendly due to the fact that it breaks down into harmless and nontoxic compounds.
“Because chlorine dioxide oxidizes but does not chlorinate, chlorinated organic by-products (e.g., THM, HAA, dioxins, furans) typically are not produced. Neither does chlorine dioxide produce appreciable amounts of aldehydes, ketones, ketoacids nor other problematic compounds associated with oxidation of organic matter by other, less selective means.”
In fact, chlorine dioxide is also used as a pollution protection technology, protecting the environment and human health from bacteria and by-products formed from other disinfectants. In some cases, chlorine dioxide from industrial mill waste water has led to a significant improvement in aquatic eco-system.
]]>How Does Chlorine Dioxide Kill Bacteria?
Compounds on the surface of cell membranes and within the cells of bacteria that contains oxidisable materials react to chlorine dioxide, causing disruption in cell metabolism and kills the microorganism. Unlike other disinfectants, chlorine dioxide can kill microbes even when they are inactive. Due to the strong oxidizing mechanism of chlorine dioxide, most microorganisms are also unable to build up resistances against chlorine dioxide.
Chlorine dioxide has been found to be one of the most effective tools for dispersing biofilms, and in some cases, inhibiting the formation of future biofilms. This function is especially valuable in the small cooling towers of food processing facilities where food product contamination can contribute to heavy films or algal slimes. Biofilm is a film or coating that protects and harbors viable bacteria colonies making surfaces more difficult to clean and disinfect.
]]>The Active Ingredient
The active ingredient in Organiks Disinfectant is chlorine dioxide.
Chlorine dioxide is a small and very strong molecule that can effectively eliminate bacteria and other germs that are responsible for bad odors and illness. Even at low concentrations, chlorine dioxide is effective because of its unique property of being able to absorb 5 electrons (or absorb and eliminate more germs) - making it more effective than normal chlorine.
In its natural state, chlorine dioxide is a gas and is actually very hard to handle since its gas, it will break down fast back into our atmosphere, is highly flammable and toxic. However, with our process, we are able to transform chlorine dioxide gas into something stable that we can all use safely - in aqueous or in liquid form. In this liquid form, World Health Organization studies has shown that liquid chlorine dioxide has almost the efficacy but without the harmful effects- and has even been used in disinfecting drinkable water supply.
Unlike other disinfectants such as chlorine bleach and bromide, which makes carcinogenic byproducts, chlorine dioxide breaks down into salt, water and oxygen - making it environmentally safe to use. Chlorine dioxide also does not leave any residues when used, perfect for washing vegetables and fruits.
]]>Germs love to hide, but are usually in plain sight!
Viruses are the most common of infectious diseases that we catch and spread while at home, work or in public. These can be transmitted from person to person thru droplets when we cough or sneeze, but indirectly spreading thru surface to person is also very common. So what are the areas germs can live on?
High-touch areas where people would usually touch or hold. Basically any surface that is being touched by a lot of hands are a candidate for germs such as:
Mobile phones or Office Phones should be regularly sanitized or disinfected, especially shared phones. You can easily get sick by putting an infected phone close to your mouth or face. The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention even categorizes mobile phones as a commonly touched surface! Be cautious about borrowing another person's mobile phone.
Kitchen needs to be regularly cleaned and sanitized as well to prevent cross contamination when handling raw produce and preventing the spread of Salmonella. Sanitizing your cutting board goes a long way and don't forget about your kitchen sponge and sink area. Germs love moist and warm areas.
Infectious diseases can easily spread in Offices and Classrooms where people stay for a long time. These areas are also usually multi-used areas where people study, work, eat and play. All it takes is to have one person cough to infect the whole lot.
]]>The difference? It's 0.009%.
Sanitizing means killing 99.9% of germs while Disinfecting means killing 99.999% of germs. Seems trivial, but for microbiologists there's a huge difference!
People usually interchange sanitizing and disinfecting when it comes to cleaning but they are actually two different terms according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Sanitizing is generally more gentle than disinfecting and aims to lower the number of germs to a safe level and can be achieved within a minute.
Disinfecting on the other hand can be achieved by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects usually within 10 minutes.
Sterilizing on the other hand takes the most effort, it means killing all forms of microbial life. It's often done in health care facilities or laboratories using physical or chemical methods.
How do I know whether to Sanitize or Disinfect?
Normally, it's best to sanitize objects that are not normally in contact with dangerous bacteria or exposed to the public such as your hands, cooking tools or your bedside table. Disinfecting is meant for areas that are exposed to the public and high-touch areas such as door knobs, office tables, counter tops, faucets, etc. Disinfecting is also usually done for areas involving bodily fluids such as toilets or sinks.
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