EALLY CAN MAKE YOU ILL
Conventional cloths or sponges often do little more than move bacteria around.”
However, there are simple steps and strategies that will not only save your health, by reducing crosscontamination and exposure to chemicals, but could save cash too.
Take a tip from the NHS and switch to microfibre cleaning cloths and mops. A Department of Health report found, “Cloths woven from microfibres consistently outperform traditional cloths in terms of their ability to remove bacteria from a variety of hospital surfaces.”
Biochemist and medical herbalist Dr Chris Etheridge explains: “The secret is in the structure of these high-tech fabrics. As the name suggests, microfibre products are made up of millions of tiny fibres which can be split and knitted in different ways to enhance specific cleaning qualities.
“The greater the concentration of fibres per square centimetre, the greater the cleaning power.”
However, the Department of Health report noted, “Not all microfibre materials are of the highest quality; lower-grade materials will not deliver the required level of cleanliness.”
Microfibre cloths with 34,000 fibres per square centimetre are superior to conventional cleaning cloths but the highest-quality microfibre cloths have 10 times that number with the e-cloth range containing 480,000 fibres per square centimetre.
Used dry, a microfibre cloth is positively charged and this static energy attracts and holds dust and bugs. When it is wet, millions of tiny pores on the surface of the fibres use a capillary action to draw up and trap bacteria, grease and dirt. Manufacturing methods also determine absorbency and cleaning properties. The most effective use split fibres which are knitted rather than woven. A good clue to the quality of microfibre products is to look for those that can be washed at high temperatures and come with a guarantee that they will last for three years or 300 machine washes. Laboratory studies have shown that e-cloths and e-cloth mops remove 99 per cent of harmful bacteria using nothing more than water. Unlike conventional cloths, bacteria remain trapped in the e-cloth microfibres until they are rinsed away. Just 0.01 per cent of bugs are transferred to other surfaces. Dr Jenkins says: “Dozens of studies confirm this high-tech and ultra-hygienic approach not only eliminates the risks associated with chemical cleaners but also provides more effective cleaning and sanitising than costly conventional products.” However, if you still want to use conventional cleaning products, always follow the safety instructions. Dr Etheridge says: “Labels often include warnings that products should only be used in well-ventilated rooms, and with protective gloves.
“But how many of us actually follow those instructions? Very few I suspect.”
The National Eczema Society advises: “Try using ‘old-fashioned’ agents – white vinegar (as an alternative to a proprietary glass cleaner), bicarbonate of soda (as an alternative to bleach) and soda crystals (as an alternative to bathroom/kitchen cleaners).”
But Dr Etheridge adds: “Using old-fashioned cleaning agents such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda often requires a lot of additional elbow grease and time.
“Microfibre cleaning materials from e-cloth are a much more effective solution as they provide the cleaning power of products which contain harsh chemicals, without any of the risks associated with exposure to these everyday irritants.”
If you are worried about your breathing, take the British Lung Foundation breath test. Visit e-cloth. com for cleaning tips and to read Do You Know What You Are Breathing?