Fact vs Fiction
In this weeks blog I thought it would be useful to cover off some of the myths that have been circulating around about cleaning products but also to introduce some of the newer ones that have been created as a result of the pandemic.
In any sector, there is always a lot of misinformation, but when I joined the cleaning and hygiene sector I was really appalled at all of the cloak and dagger stuff that goes on in this sector. Before the REACH regulations (which really tightened the law up in terms of the way in which chemicals are described) the claims were outrageous, and even the plastic bag market is an absolute mine field – believe it!
Firstly, I’ll start with some of the tamer claims, and then I’ll work up to the good stuff!
I’ve read a lot on social media that vinegar cleans everything, but in fact vinegar is an acid – which can cut through dirt, but for this to happen effectively you’d need to use that sucker straight – so pouring straight vinegar all around your house, would just make it honk! A lot of the methods want you to put a capful of vinegar in a bucket of water….. which will do nothing! Don’t bother with vinegar…. Save it for your chips!
Fact or Fiction….. do plants purify the air in your home? Yes, and in fact having plants in your home does purify the air, giving a healthier and fresher living environment, and varieties like peace lillies, ferns and ivy do the job really well!
I recently heard that hoovering ruins your carpets, which really made me laugh! I do think that this rumour was started by someone trying to get out of hoovering! The truth is that the dirt and the dust that gets way down into the base of your carpet actually does more damage than a hoover ever could!
There is a lot of misinformation about whether or not to soak your cookware? In preparation for writing this blog I of course did a little research (who wouldn’t right?) and I came across this little nugget! To soak or not to soak? My findings actually indicate that soaking is not bad for ALL of your cookware across the board, but it is in fact really bad for stainless steel pots and pans! Who knew? Apparently stainless steel pots are prone to water stains and this can result in pitted surfaces! Another exception to the soaking of cookware would include wooden spoons etc, but that fact actually seems more obvious to me; soaking of wooden spoons can cause them to warp and split.
This is a fairly oldie, but it is a goodie! Coca Cola can tidy up toilets? Fiction! Many people around me hate tins of coke (but a can of coke is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine!) but the idea that it has enough acid to clean a toilet or remove a hard water stain simply isn’t true! Also if you’re pouring full fat coke down the loo, that is really going to increase bacteria!
Another one, that I’ve been having loads of fun with recently is that fogging can provide protection for 30 days! That is absolute fiction, and this is the one that I will basing this weeks facebook live on! So all you non-believers out there, stay with me while I break this down and engage common sense. It may be that your fogging operative actually believes this to be true, so I’m not going to beat the fogging specialists who are so naïve that they believe this fable. I’m blaming manufacturers, who are 1) Not abiding by REACH regulations (manufacturers can now only say a product does what it says it does – or risk being reported) 2) are selling their product under false pretence 3) are miseducating their operatives – which is really dangerous!
When you fog an area, that area is only sanitised for that specific snap shot in time. It will not keep the area sanitised if someone contaminates it with ecoli, COVID or any other bacteria or virus. Even if the biocide (chemical) was so very strong that it worked for 30 days (impossible) what kind of a toxic substance is that operative leaving behind for people to pick up and put in their mouths – particularly kids who always have their fingers in their mouths. With this in mind, what kind of substance are these characters spaying around our schools/shops. It is absolutely impossible to guarantee that any area is sanitised for 30 days, for me it is laughable!
So I’m going to throw the gauntlet down here…. Anybody locally who has had fogging and has received a 30 day certificate that it is sanitised… let me and my team in within the 30 days to swab the area and send the swabs to an independent lab, and lets see what comes back? It will not be sanitary – I’ll stake my reputation on that! It doesn’t matter what you are using to fog, it could be the nastiest, most toxic chemical you can get your hands on, its not going to keep anything sanitary for 30 days! Bacteria grows….. over time, 30 days is a long time! Challenge me! Get in touch!
Many people think that washing machines clean themselves. NOT TRUE! Just because your washing comes out clean that does not mean your washing machine isn’t harbouring some nasty bacteria! Do your washing machine a favour and give it a good deep clean… I gave you instructions in my Spring Clean Blog!
I’m sure I’ve said this thousands of times, but nothing will sanitise your dishes better than a dishwasher. Thermal disinfection is by far superior to hand hot water, bacteria just can’t survive in very hot water, so dishwashers are a better approach to cleaning dishes. Even babies bottles are better off going though the dishwasher!
Final thought from me, Lemonade in the bottom of your vase of flowers makes your flowers last much longer than without! The flower food will give them that initial burst, but after a week change your water, and put some fizzy lemonade in, you’ll get at least another week!
This weeks FACEBOOK LIVE will be on Thursday at 11am… see you there.
