Category: Kill Mold and Mildew

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Bacteria And Your Business: What You Can’t See Can Hurt You!

Problem

Queenaire Ozone Generators
Remove odors naturally without chemicals

If you happen to own a business which the public regularly visits it’s mandatory to kill bacteria from every source. Restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, etc., are petri dishes for bacteria growth. Your business’s appeal to the public and your financial liability are two of the main reasons for eliminating bacteria. Since “cost-effective” sounds like music to a business person’s ear, what affordable yet extremely thorough method is available?

Solution 

What you can’t see (bacteria) gets in every nook and cranny, so the solution must do the same. An ozone generator is the perfect solution for  odor problems a business must eliminate. Need reasons? Here’s some:

  • Ozone goes where air goes. Ozone generators produce ozone, a gas chemically related to oxygen. Ozone leaves the machine, goes wherever odor-causing gases are, and destroys them.
  • Ozone is colorless, yet “green”. Environmentally friendly anything is what’s not only trendy, but savvy in the business world. Ozone generators were employing “green” technology for odor removal back when green was just a color.
  • Workplace safety. Odor removal by chemical is the usual approach. While mainly effective, the biohazard possibilities for clients/customers as well as worker safety and liability issues exist. Unless you’re using an ozone generator. Ozone itself carries the rating “GRAS” (generally regarded as safe) by the Food And Drug Administration. Obviously, common sense must prevail when using it, as it is not an inhaler. Meaning, totally safe when used as directed. 
  • The air/attitude factor. A business that demands quality of its own working area, including the air itself, promotes and receives unspoken respect from its employees. A subliminal benefit of ozone “fresh air”.

   Next Step?

Business owners (and everyone else) who need foul odors gone now or just want to breathe the purest air must contact us for more eye-opening facts. Whether caused by bacteria or not, odor removal by ozone is vital for your business! 

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Eliminate Odor Naturally During National Care about Indoor Air Month

With National Care about Indoor Air Month in full swing, we wanted to spend a few moments this week taking about the topic. What many Americans may not be cognizant of is how big a problem indoor air pollution really is. So we decided to start off with a few shocking statistics and then talk about how to eliminate odor naturally.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on a daily basis, each of us takes in roughly 3,000 gallons of air. For most of us, at least 16 hours of our day are spent indoors. Now couple that with the World Health Organization’s research. It indicates that poor indoor air quality contributes a notable amount to what’s known as the global burden of disease.

How much is a notable amount? In the early 2000s, when the last major study was conducted, the amount was 2.7 percent. At the time, the organization was also able to directly contribute indoor air pollution exposure to more than 1 million fatalities. That, in effect, made it one of the organization’s top 10 public health concerns.

Although it has been a while since another study of that magnitude was conducted, we doubt that much has changed for the better. After all, the results of the American Lung Association’s 2013 State of the Air Report were not something to celebrate. They indicated that more than 44 million human beings still live in areas around the globe that are known to have exceptionally poor outdoor air quality. So we can only imagine that indoor air quality in America still needs a lot of improvement too.

Thus, if you want to eliminate odors naturally from your environment during National Care about Indoor Air Month, we’d recommend buying an ozone generator. It will help improve your indoor environment immensely. For more information about securing one in time for National Care about Indoor Air Month, please contact us.

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Don’t Let Hurricane and Flood Damage Leave Nasty Odors Behind

It seems like severe weather has been dominating the news cycle as of late. Hurricanes Harvey,  Irma and Maria have caused unprecedented damage in the Caribbean, Texas, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.  Unfortunately, the road to recovery will be a long one for those hit the hardest.

 

The type of property damage that occurs during weather disasters obviously varies. However, we can say one thing with a high degree of confidence. Storm related property damage often causes putrid odors that overtake homes and businesses.

 

Using an ozone generator or air purifier to remove odors and help with flood damage cleanup is a valuable option. The odor that occurs after water damage can happen as soon as a day or two after the flood damage.  The smell that you have to deal with will likely be mildew and/or mold.

Of course improving the air quality after severe weather is too tough a job for cans of aerosol spray. There are far too many odors and airborne particulate matter that may develop as a result of storm damage. Thus, it is best to attack them all naturally so no additional, potentially offensive items are introduced into the environment.

An ozone generator is a device that can get rid of the particulates that have been placed in the air.  They are specifically designed to remove odors associated with mold, mildew, bacteria, sewage and all of the other nastiness that washes into properties during flooding situations. However, they come in a variety of sizes. So it’s vital to choose one that is compatible with the size of the flood damaged area.

To learn more about dealing with flood damage related odors, please visit our website at http://ozoneexperts.com or contact us toll-free at (866) 676-9663.

#HurricaneRecovery

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Ozone Generators Effectively Eliminate Odors from Homes and Businesses

Queenaire Ozone Generators
Today many people want to eliminate the odors in their homes that result from tobacco, pets, cooking, mold and more. Using sprays other types of air fresheners only masks the sent and do not eliminate them. In order to successfully remove odors from their homes many people use an ozone generator. It doesn’t mask these odors and actually destroys them.

According to an article in Ozone Journal, “Ozone removes odors by destroying the molecules, bacteria, and spores that cause unpleasant smells…Ozone is very quick to chemically react with particles that it comes into contact with in the air and on surfaces…extra oxygen atom in the ozone attaches itself to other molecules, chemically changing their structure to create non-offensive molecules – eliminating the smell”

Eliminates Strong Odors

An ozone generator can be used to eliminate the strongest smells from any enclosed area. They are designed to continuously find odor particle and eliminate them by turning them into carbon dioxide and oxygen. They can be used for rooms with plants, one that has suffered smoke damage and more.

Business

There are a variety of ways an ozone generator are used by businesses. Painters will use them to eliminate the smell of paint and primer from an area close to where people can be affected by the smell. Carpet installers will use them to remove the smell and unhealthy elements that come from new carpets. They are also used by building managers for a variety of purposes. Any professional who restores buildings after a flood, fire or other disaster will utilize an ozone generator.

Home

People who are moving into an apartment may want to have an ozone generator to eliminate any odors left by a previous tenant. People will want to use them for removing garbage or dumpster odors, bathroom odors and more. Any place in a building where there is undesirable odor is a place an ozone generator can eliminate it.

If you would like to know more about the benefits of using an ozone generator we can help. Contact us today and learn more.

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How Ozone Can Kill Bacteria and Remove Odors in the Process

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The three oxygen atoms that make up ozone occur naturally. In fact, approximately 20 percent of the planet’s breathable air is made up of ozone. Yet there is more to this highly unstable molecule than meets the eye. Did you know that ozone will kill bacteria and do away with offensive odors in the process?
  • Ozone reacts with the cell walls of bacteria. Ohio State University experts recognize ozone as “a potent antimicrobial agent” that not only kills bacteria but also eradicates fungi, viruses and even parasites. Researchers discovered that the oxidative burst, which occurs when the ozone molecule reacts with bacterial cell walls, paves the way to further destruction of the undesired organism’s cellular components. This refers to bacterial genetic material, a wide variety of enzymes contained within the cell wall and the lipids that make up parts of the cell wall itself. Microorganisms cannot withstand this onslaught and die.
  • A destruction of bacteria results in odor removal. Offensive odors are usually the result of bacterial activity. For example, in the case of a smelly shoe closet, the bacteria that ingest sweat subsequently excrete acids that are exceedingly pungent. Thus, by destroying the odor-causing bacteria in the first place, any offensive odor you may notice in a home or business also gets removed.
  • Ozone may be created artificially. It is possible to artificially create ozone in the business or home environment. Newaire is a recognized leader in the plug-in technology field.Rainbowair makes units that serve the hotel industry as well as the manufacturing sector. Queenaire offers a wide variety of compact units, some of which are designed to continuously treat areas of up to 10,000 cubic feet. No matter what type of setting you envision, there is an ozone generator that is a perfect fit.

Unlike with antibiotics and chemical-based bacterial cleaners, it is not possible for the targeted microbes to develop a form of immunity to the oxidative burst. This knowledge is now being harness by physicians who have long been concerned over the increasing levels of hospital-acquired infections. Gizmag reports on Canada’s Queen’s University that is now experimenting with the use of ozone to kill difficult-to-eradicate and highly infectious bacteria.

At Ozone Experts, we understand that you do not want to use harsh and potentially dangerous chemicals to kill bacteria. Contact us today to discuss the types of ozone-generating products that would be perfect for your home or business. Losing offensive odors in the process is a welcome fringe benefit.

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Property Managers Secrets for Dealing with Real Estate Odors

what-is-ozoneWhen you consider all the ways that homes become “odorous” it is easy to imagine that a property manager has come across smells that bewilder the average person. Pet smells, mold and mildew, old dirty diapers and all sorts of stuff to offend the nose are common when folks move out of a property. Before the home can be shown and re-rented it is important to make it look and smell like new.

The first step a property manager must take is to clean the home, everything from the windows and walls to the ceiling fans and blinds need to be washed with a disinfectant and antibacterial cleanser. Opening the windows and shampooing the carpets will go a long way toward letting the home air out and smell a bit better, sadly this is a first step to dealing with real estate odors but not necessarily enough.

Some property managers choose to place bowls of vinegar or lemon juice in the property overnight. Lemon leaves behind a fresh fruity scent but doesn’t really eliminate the bad odors and vinegar does neutralized odors and the vinegar smell fades quickly leaving what appears to be fresh clean air.

But the next time the manager visits, to show the property there is likely still a lingering bad odor. This can be completely remedied by installing ozone producing machines. Ozone generators create ozone which is also known as activated oxygen. The ozone produces is a natural way to eliminate odors completely instead of just covering them up.

While these machines are similar to air purifiers or air filters the difference is that the machine creates ions which go forth and destroy odorous molecules while air purifiers have to cycle the air through the machine to clean it. Contact us to learn more about how ozone generators could be the answer to your bad odors.

Successful property managers get empty units filled quickly, in order to make this happen they have to know a bit about removing real estate odors, cleaning, and covering up scents only works to freshen the home temporarily, the only way to make sure the smells don’t reappear after a few days is to completely purify the air molecules with an ozone generator.

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Employers Shift Towards Embracing Clean Air Smell Over Chemical Scents

At one time, businesses were encouraged to pump public spaces full of artificial fragrances. The marketers thought that doing so would spur consumers to spend more and be happy. But that school of thought, as evidenced by a recent article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, has slowly started to go by the wayside. Now, people are more apt to opt for a clean air smell than one filled with chemicals. Here’s why:

As the Las Vegas Review-Journal article indirectly pointed out, people have slowly become more aware of conditions like fragrance sensitivity. And as that awareness has grown, more human resources departments are focusing on implementing fragrance free policies. The policies currently vary widely from firm to firm. However, many contain provisions that prohibit the use of fragranced products by all staff and promote the use of workplace air purifiers.

Part of this newfound understanding may be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was amended in 2008. After it was amended, some people started to consider fragrance sensitivity a disability. That, in turn, opened up uncharted territory that many firms were not prepared to deal with at the time.

Consequently, a few people afflicted with the condition began suing employers that did not make accommodations for them. Some won their cases and others did not. So at the time, that only added to the confusion. Needless to say, those types of adverse events also prodded more businesses to err on the side of caution and meet the needs of scent sensitive individuals as best they could.

Thankfully, businesses hoping to implement fragrance free policies of their own in 2014 have a lot more options to choose from than they did when the collective shift towards the new way of thinking began. On that list of options are air purification systems such as Rainbowair Ozone Generators, Newaire Hydroxyl Generators and Plugin Deodorizers and Queenaire Ozone Generators. Slightly different in design but united in purpose, all three can remove irritating fragrances from the workplace and leave a comforting, clean air smell behind. To learn more about how they may help employers, please contact us by calling us toll free at (866) 676-9663.

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Fire Damage and Odor Problems Expected to Plague Western Half of U.S.

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This May, as the eastern half of the United States was getting soaked to the bone and flood-damage weary, the western states were being bombarded with smoke and fire damage. So much so that both USA Today and Time magazine were already predicting that this year’s fires could prove to be among the worst ones yet. And the news coming out of the Insurance Information Institute wasn’t any rosier.

Last year, Americans were faced with more than 47,000 wildfires that caused heart-stopping fire damages in the millions. Since the start of this year until now, they’ve already handled 900+ fires, which is more than double the amount of events that occurred between January and April 2013. Thus, it unfortunately looks like Time magazine and USA Today’s predictions may very well come to pass.

Residents on the west coast will undoubtedly have to act fast when it comes to wildfire clean up too. That’s partially because wildfire ash can be extremely alkaline and full of salts. As a result, it has the potential to permanently damage surfaces (i.e. discoloration and etching). That’s not even taking into account the odors and acidic nature of smoke or water damage.

Oftentimes, it is best to have a professional crew come in and clean up both the water and fire damage. During the process, household textiles (e.g. drapes and carpets) may need to be removed or deep cleaned by professionals to remove soot, mildew, mold and fire extinguisher emissions. Other items, like kitchen appliances and electronics may also need to be disposed of too.

Afterward, the lingering fire damage odors may be dispatched with the invaluable assistance of an ozone generator. It also has the potential to help tamp down any airborne particulate problems that may still remain after the initial clean up. To learn more about removing water and fire damage odors after a catastrophic event, please contact us at your convenience.

 

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NIOSH warning: Health hazards of mold and mildew odor

TEXT:

Office building alert

In a November 2012 alert, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), issued this warning about mold and mildew odor:

“Occupants within damp office buildings, schools, and other nonindustrial buildings may develop respiratory symptoms and disease.”

What causes the health hazard

Mold, bacteria and the breakdown of building materials have been associated with a host of respiratory ailments like asthma, bronchitis, infections, etc. Anyone exposed who is already suffering from respiratory problems runs the risk of having their condition worsened or even raised to the next more severe level.

Faulty design or maintenance can be factors

Often dampness in buildings is the result of poor design, construction or certification before people occupy the premises. According to NIOSH, “These problems and associated health effects can be prevented by making dampness prevention a goal (during the planning phase).”

Once the structure is built, however, dampness can occur through lack of good maintenance and preventative measures before and during bad weather. You don’t need to be a biologist with a mold spore measurement instrument. Just look for leaks, damp areas, water dangers and signs of mold. The telltale musty odor and overall clammy feeling you experience around indoor damp areas
are commonsense detection measures that are your call to action. What building owners and employers need to do:

  • Actively and aggressively respond when anyone reports environmental or health concerns associated with environmental dampness.
  • Inspect building areas exposed to the weather or subject to dampness (cellars, crawls spaces,
    attics, etc.) and do what is necessary to dry, repair and seal them.
  • Keep the indoor humidity down by using dehumidifiers for your climate control systems.
  • Within 48 hours after porous building materials become wet or damp, take steps to repair or replace damp-infested areas.
  • Tell your employees about the dangers of exposure to dampness. Write up your plans for response to  complaints or evidence of human exposure to hazardous mold and bacteria.
  • Publish and distribute your plans and keep them ready and updated as necessary.

How employees can get into the picture

The NIOSH alert recommends that workers and building occupants:

  • Report signs of dampness or musty smells and moldy odors. Tell employers about any associated health problems that may be occuring as a possible result of workplace dampness.
  • Talk to a physician who is qualified in occupational medicine. Tell the employer what the physician discovered.
  • If the employer has an indoor environmental quality program or team, get involved and participate. If the team is not established or active, encourage management to get one     going.

Letting in the fresh air

When you have uncovered the cause and taken the steps to combat mold and mildew, it’s time to deodorize and let in the fresh air. Contact us and check out our ozone generating equipment. Satisfaction guaranteed!

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Using Ozone Technology to Permanently Remove Mold and Mildew

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Many people all over the world suffer from problems with mold and mildew odor in their homes, and are often in search of a way to rid the house of this unforgiving and difficult problem. When you get mold in different areas of the house, this then leads to mildew, which can leave a nasty odor in the area.  Mold is essentially a fungus and is found in areas where there is little ventilation and a warm, damp surrounding. Mildew is basically mold which has attached itself to some kind of material, mainly fabric and is usually found on carpets, rugs, clothes, towels and linens.

Mold and mildew odors are a problem in many households and is difficult to get rid of completely. As well as mold and mildew odor being unpleasant to our senses, it can also be dangerous to people with allergies as it contains irritants and toxins which can be harmful. In most cases of mold and mildew odor, traditional deodorizers and cleaning equipment doesn’t get rid of it completely, it is important to make sure that all of the molecules and bacteria are removed; the best way to achieve this is by using ozone technology to eliminate mold and mildew completely.

Ozone is created through a device which naturally creates ozone molecules from the air and then pushes them out into the area of the offending mold and mildew odor. The ozone molecule which is made up of three oxygen molecules will then separate and attach itself to the mold molecules and neutralize them. Once the oxygen atom has attached, the mold molecule is stripped of its personal odor characteristics and is dispersed as a neutral atom. Ozone is a very efficient air cleaner, as well as being proficient in odor control, as it is able to purify the air around it in a green and natural way, without releasing strong odors and chemicals into the air instead. The equipment that generates ozone is becoming more widely available and is a great investment as it takes care of the mold and mildew odor forever rather than just masking it for the immediate future.

The technology also has major health benefits as it works as a brilliant air purifier. This is why ozone is often referred to as the world’s natural air filter, which makes the air cleaner and healthier for people who suffer from allergies and irritations in their lives.

For more information, click here to visit our website to select the right ozone generator for your needs.