Cleaning Top Tips From Astral Hygiene 

What everyone should know about hand hygiene

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Is PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer active against Swine Flu?
While no hand sanitizer is indicated to prevent Swine Flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the ways you can help protect yourself from Swine Flu is by practicing good hand hygiene. Specific CDC recommendations include keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water may not be available, such as when you're on the go.

How do most infectious diseases spread?
According to the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH), the hands are one of the most frequent transmission routes for many types of infections as they come into direct contact with known portals of entry for pathogens (mouth, nose, conjunctiva of the eyes). Therefore, practicing proper hand hygiene is the easiest way to help reduce infections. Another way that some infections can spread is through the air, which is why it is important to cover your mouth with a tissue when you sneeze.

What is the proper way to practice hand hygiene?
Use soap and water, especially when hands are visibly dirty. Wash hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds.

When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Apply enough product to thoroughly wet hands, then rub hands together briskly until dry.

Is PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer active against MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)?
While no hand sanitizer is indicated to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the ways you can help protect yourself from MRSA is by practicing good hand hygiene. Specific CDC recommendations include keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

"What has the CDC said about alcohol-based hand sanitizers? Are they useful for children?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty. CDC recommends that children in school may use alcohol-based hand rubs as an alternative to hand washing.*

What types of germs does PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer kill?
PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer kills common germs that may cause illness. Germ kill has been demonstrated in laboratory tests of common bacteria, viruses and fungi. FDA does not currently allow makers of instant hand sanitizers to make claims against specific types of germs due to its concern that consumers will take away a message that the particular illness caused by these germs will be completely prevented through use of the product. Because germs can be spread in a number of ways and one's chances of actually developing an illness depends on a number of factors, no maker of these products can make that kind of guarantee. However, proper hand hygiene is one of the most important tools to prevent the spread of illness. This is why the CDC and various other organizations recommend hand-washing or use of an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer, like Purell®, when soap and water are not available.

How does PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer fare in effectiveness against transient germs versus resident germs?
TheGerms live all around us. Our bodies are covered with germs that help us stay healthy and are referred to as resident germs. In addition to the good germs, we are also exposed to transient germs from contact with other people or objects. It is these germs that are often responsible for making you sick. Similar to washing your hands with soap and water, PURELL® products reduce some of your resident germs while killing the transient germs. However, in both cases, your body quickly regenerates your resident germs which are generally harmless and actually important for healthy skin.

Why do you need alcohol?
The alcohol content in PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer is at a level which safely and effectively reduces the level on hands of the most common germs that may cause illness. Using alcohol based instant hand sanitizers, when soap and water are not available, is one of the Centers for Disease Control recommendations. Unlike some other instant hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps, laboratory testing has never shown alcohol-based hand sanitizers lead to bacterial resistance.

How effective are alcohol-based hand sanitizers, like PURELL®?
Since PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer was introduced 10 years ago to consumers, it has helped millions of children and adults stay healthy and well by reducing bacteria on the skin. PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer kills 99.99 percent of the most common germs that may cause illness.

Do alcohol-based hand sanitizers like PURELL® lead to resistant bacteria?
Unlike the active ingredients in some other instant hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps, laboratory testing has never shown alcohol-based hand sanitizers like PURELL® to lead to bacterial resistance. There is no evidence that organisms adapt and become immune to the active ingredient in PURELL® products. Many sources indicate that for organisms to become resistant, low levels of the chemical must remain on the hands for the organisms to adapt. The alcohol in PURELL® does not remain on the hands for long. Once your hands are rubbed dry after application of PURELL®, the alcohol has evaporated completely. PURELL® leaves no harmful residue. A small bit of emollient (skin conditioning agent) is left on the hands after use to leave your hands feeling soft and refreshed.

When is it especially important to practice good hand hygiene?
Practicing good hand hygiene is especially important:

• After using the bathroom
• Before eating or drinking anything
• Before and after handling raw foods, fish, poultry, or eggs
• After using a public phone
• After riding public transportation
• In schools and day care centers
• After changing diapers
• When one is sick
• After shaking hands
• After sneezing or coughing
• After touching an ATM, elevator buttons, escalator handrails

What is the proper use of PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer?
As with all over the counter products, it is important to use PURELL® products properly and according to the instructions on the label: wet hands thoroughly with product, and briskly rub hands together until dry. Adults should always supervise children in the use of the product.

Cleaning Top Tips

Astral Hygiene Cleaning Supplies

Types Of Germs

One of the main reasons we clean is to control and eradicate “germs” - the disease-causing microorganisms that contaminate our world causing infection and illness. While medical advances have made incredible progress in the battle against these pathogens, the best defence is still good hygiene and regular cleaning, whether it is your house or your teeth. Not only does this help to prevent the spread of infection, it also removes the types of environments that encourage these pathogens to grow in the first place.

Pathogens fall into 4 main categories – in all cases, when the pathogens invade our bodies, they produce toxins that cause infection and/or inflammation leading to symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, respiratory distress and autoimmune reactions such as rashes. If left untreated, serious, fatal illness can result in some cases.

Bacteria

Perhaps the most familiar “germ”, bacteria are single-celled organisms, which can reproduce extremely quickly; in fact, one bacterium could become one billion (1,000,000,000) bacteria in just 10 hours! This means bacteria can be found living on almost every surface in every climate in the world and a single teaspoon of soil can contains over 1,000,000,000 bacteria.

Not all bacteria are dangerous however – in fact, without bacteria, there would be no dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt, there would be nothing to decompose rubbish and clean up oil spills and we would never have developed some important medicines. We even have “good bacteria” that live in our guts and aid in our digestion.

But pathogenic bacteria can be very dangerous, due to the rapid rate of their population growth, and it is these types that we try to keep at bay with regular, effective cleaning and good hygiene practices. Examples of these include Streptococcus, which causes pneumonia, and Salmonella, which causes severe food poisoning and typhoid fever.

Virus

These are simpler than bacteria in structure and usually not even really considered a “living organism” although they possess the same frightening ability to clone themselves and reproduce exponentially. Viruses can only survive by taking over a host cell in another creature and so are constantly looking for other animals to infect and invade.

An invaded cell loses all ability for normal function and is forced to follow the viral instructions to produce viral proteins and create more clones of the invading virus. Once these clones are assembled, the virus forces the host cell to rupture, releasing all the clones to infect other host cells nearby – and thus disease spreads.

Viruses can be particularly deadly and unlike bacterial infections, which can be successfully treated with antibiotics if caught early enough, many viral infections are untreatable and fatal. Infamous examples include HIV (AIDS), Ebola and rabies. Other viral infections cause less serious but chronic or repetitive illness, which can be just as debilitating – examples of these include the common cold and Hepatitis A.

Viruses are especially dangerous as they can linger in many environments for long periods – for example, on a doorknob, which is why effective hand-washing is so important!

Fungi

Mould and mildew, which plague many bathrooms and other damp areas in your house, also belong to the same group of organisms. While they may not be as dangerous as bacteria and viruses, they can still cause irritation and disease as they colonise substrates (including your skin) and release spores through asexual reproduction.

Fungi usually cause problems when they are breathed in or come into contact with the skin and can result in serious fungal infections. Mould spores inhaled in large numbers can trigger, allergic reactions, asthma attacks, increases susceptibility to colds and flu and causes sinus infections.

The biggest problem with fungi is that they are very difficult to kill without harming the host cells as well – thus, any drugs developed usually only manage to prevent further growth but do not manage to kill off the existing colony.

Protozoa

These are parasites such as amoebas which often spread through moisture and water and cause a range of diseases, from gastro-intestinal infections which lead to diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting and stomach aches to more serious illnesses such as dysentery and malaria.

Regardless of the type, “germs” are usually spread through contact via sweat, blood and saliva and through the air via sneezes, coughs and even breathing. Even just cleaning with simple soap and water can effectively control their growth and preventing grime and dust from collecting will help to prevent the kind of environment that they thrive in.

 Astral Hygiene Cleaning Supplies

Organisation

• Recruit your children to help with a basic cleaning routine. Regularly following a routine will develop good organisational habits in your children and will reduce the stress caused by reminding your children to tidy their room.
• A toy chest kept at the end of your child’s bed is an ideal place to store toys and games. Plastic bins or baskets that can be stored in a closet or underneath the bed are a perfect way to eliminate clutter.
• Always tidy first. Take any dirty dishes to the kitchen. Pick up loose toys. Collect newspapers and place in the recycle bin.
• Make a cleaning kit that has all the essential supplies and materials needed to clean each room. Store in a brightly coloured plastic bucket or basket that can be carried from room to room.
• Make up a separate bathroom cleaning kit that will keep all the cleaners and equipment together in one place. Store in a plastic bucket or basket. Be sure to keep it out of reach of small children.
• Instead of many small perfume and personal care items sitting individually on the dressing table, place them in a decorative basket or on a tray.
• If you find it difficult to clean because of the large amount of time spent picking up and putting things away, establish a house rule that if you take something out then you put it away.
• Items that have not been used in a long time may be just taking up space and can be donated to charity or sold at a car boot sale.
• Apply the MOLLY MAID System of cleaning from top to bottom and left to right in whatever room you are cleaning. This is the quickest and most efficient way to clean.
• Magazines, newspapers, or other subscriptions piling up? Re-evaluate your subscriptions and cancel those you no longer read. This is an easy way to save money and time by decluttering your home on a long-term basis.

Dusting

• Dust first and vacuum second. Any bits of dust and dirt will fall to the floor where they will be collected in the vacuum cleaner.
• The best dust cloth is a damp, clean, cotton cloth. To dampen, hold the cloth by a corner and lightly mist with clean water from a spray bottle. The cloth should be just damp enough to pick up dust without leaving moisture streaks on the furniture.
• When dusting wall units follow this procedure: first lift and dust each object, then dust the shelf both underneath and behind. Start from the top of the unit and move down to the bottom.
• Never dust a warm or hot light bulb with a damp cloth, as the bulb will shatter.
• Dampen a clean, soft paintbrush to remove dust from louvered doors, telephone keys, carved furniture, etc.
• Clean mini blinds can be maintained with minimum effort. Close the slants, dust, close the slants the opposite way and dust again.
• Wipe wood surfaces with the grain to avoid streaks.

Floors

• Sweep or vacuum floors first to collect crumbs and dirt before damp mopping. Start washing the floor in the farthest corner of the room and work your way towards the door.
• Use a cloth on the end of a mop handle to reach the narrow space between appliances.
• A plastic hair brush or hair pick will straighten the fringe on area carpets. Comb the carpet fringe in a direction away from the centre of the carpet.
• Vacuum or sweep the bathroom floor to collect any loose hair, dust and dirt prior to washing the floor. Remove mats, wastebaskets and any other items sitting on the floor that may get in the way.
• Ensure that the correct vacuum attachment is used for the specific floor surface you are cleaning.
• To reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents, place anti-slip backing under rugs.
• Place a mat inside and outside each entrance to your home to reduce the dirt that is brought in on shoes and boots.
• Protect your floors and furniture by preventing surface damage. Never set wet cloths, bottles, buckets, or damp mops on furniture, hardwood floors, carpet or marble.
• Look underneath the furniture beforevacuuming so the vacuum does not pick up small items such as toys, jewellery, coins, etc.

Kitchen Appliances

• Appliances that hang under cabinets save both space and time, as cleaning under them is no longer an issue.
• To soften splatters inside the microwave, fill a cup with water and microwave on high for a few minutes. The steam will loosen any baked on food so you can easily wipe it clean.
• Allow burner rings and drip pans from the stove to soak in a sink full of hot, soapy water. This will loosen the dirt and make them easier to clean.
• Spray oven racks in a plastic rubbish bag for easier cleaning.
• Dish cloths and sponges can be incubators for germs. Launder dish cloths regularly.

Bathroom

• Use a toothbrush for hard to reach areas around the soap holder, taps and drain.
• Add a fabric softener sheet to the wastebasket to avoid odours.
• Foggy mirrors can be easily remedied by rubbing a small amount of glycerin onto the surface.
• A small window squeegee used on the tile walls after each shower will slow the formation of water spots on the surface.
• To unclog shower heads, remove and soak the head in boiling water and vinegar.
• It will be much easier and less time consuming to clean the bathroom if it is done on a regular basis. Then you will be maintaining the room instead of letting mildew and soap scum build up over time.

Clean by a Schedule

Astral Hygiene Cleaning Supplies

Create a long-term cleaning schedule that lists tasks often left out of regular cleans, such as ovens, light fixtures and fridge interiors. By knowing what you plan on cleaning, and how often, you can develop a strategy that ensures nothing is overlooked.

99 Reasons To Use Purell

Astral Hygiene Cleaning Supplies

Commuting
1. Fare-card machine keypads
2. Turnstiles
3. Escalator handrails
4. Handrails of stairs
5. Subway car handles and straps
 6. Subway seats and poles
7. Bus seats and handles
8. Revolving door handles
9. Gas pump keypads
10. Gas pump nozzles
11. Car door handles and locks
12. Dashboard surfaces and buttons
13. Toll booth tickets and currency

At Work
14. Computer keyboard
15. Computer mouse
16. Photocopy machine keypads
17. Fax machine keypads
18. Calculator keypads
19. Printer buttons and trays
 20. Staplers and other office supplies
21. Doorknobs and handles
22. Light switches
23. Elevator buttons
24. Handrails of stairs
25. Office and conference room phones
26. Laptop computer keypads
27. Vending machine keypads
28. Staff room refrigerator handle
29. Staff room microwave handle

On Vacation / Traveling
30. People mover handrails
31. Pay phone buttons
32. Pay phone receivers
33. Vending machine keypads
34. Currency at fast food restaurants
 35. ATM machine keypads
36. Plastic security buckets at airports
37. Airplane seat rests
38. Airplane blankets and pillows
39. In-flight magazines
40. Hotel room key cards
41. Hotel room remote controls
42. Hotel room A/C controlsAt the Gym
43. Treadmill keypads
44. Elliptical machine keypads and handles
45. Stepper machine keypads and handles
46. Stationary bike keypads and handles
47. Rowing machine handles
48. TV remote controls

Working Out / Weight Room
49. Abdominal equipment handles and headrests
 50. Weight machine handles
51. Free weights and barbells
52. Exercise and stretching mats
53. Medicine balls
54. Jump rope handlesAt Home
55. Computer keyboards and mouse
56. Toys for pets
57. Remote control devices
58. Thermostats
59. Light switches
60. Doorknobs and handles
61. Kitchen countertops
62. Kitchen sponges
63. Refrigerator door handles
64. Oven door handles
65. Microwave door handles
66. Stairway railingsShopping
67. Shopping cart handles
68. Shopping basket handles
 69. Bulk-food scoop handles
70. Tongs for baked goods
71. Currency
72. Credit cards
73. ATM machine keypads
74. Stair handrails
75. Escalator handrails
76. Elevator buttons
77. Public rest room surfaces
78. Hand soap dispensers
79. Paper towel dispensers
80. Bathroom door handles

At School
81. School bus seats and handles
82. Shared toys
83. Library books
84. Crayons
 85. Mats
86. Cafeteria trays
87. Bathroom surfaces
88. Doorknobs and handles
89. Playground equipment
90. Vending machine keypads
91. Sports/gym equipment

At Movie Theaters, Sports Events, Clubs
92. Seats
93. Bar surfaces
94. Arm rests
95. Condiment/napkin area surfaces
96. Tickets
97. Video game controls
98. Pinball machine buttons
99. Cigarette lighters

Some more Top Cleaning Tips

Astral Hygiene Cleaning Supplies

Cleanliness may be next to Godliness but cleaning certainly doesn’t feature on most people list of favourite activities. However, with a few strategies, you can make cleaning – if not more enjoyable – then at least certainly less of a chore! So here are a few tips and tricks to help you on your way:

• Don’t just plunge in the minute you feel the urge to clean – decide on the rooms that you want to tackle and identify specific tasks within each room. In particular, if you have limited time, it is a good idea to make a list of cleaning priorities, so that you have a set of gaols to be achieved by the end of the day. This way you will not feel disheartened after a day of hard work, when you might feel like you have not really got anywhere or that you have not managed to get around to the important tasks – tackle the key areas first (e.g.. the cobwebs in the corners, the streaked windows, the ingrained stains) – and leave the less important, perhaps more aesthetic concerns to later or another day.
• Take time to assemble all the things you need so that you do not waste time and effort later in the middle of cleaning looking for things. If you have to keep stopping and starting, this is not only inefficient but also breaks the momentum of your work.
• Delegate! Cleaning should be a family responsibility so make sure that you involve everyone living in the household. Assign each individual tasks according to their age/maturity and ability and experience. This also makes everyone aware of their responsibilities and appreciate the effort required for cleaning – leading to possibly more responsible behaviour in the future (this is especially true for teenagers!).
• If you’re spring cleaning the entire house, start at the highest level and work your way down. Similarly, within any room, work your way from top to bottom, especially when you are dusting.
• Set aside a specific time period for cleaning, especially if you are planning a major clean, and try to turn off or prevent any distractions which may delay or hold you up, such as visitors and the phone.
• Don’t let clutter build up! Remember, not only does a cluttered home look messier and dirtier but it will also have more surfaces to collect dust and attract dirt. Having a “sort-through” while you’re doing a major clean can be a great idea – set aside some bags or boxes for different actions, e.g.. “Give Away”, “Return to Another Room”, “Repair”, “Store in Garage” or “Rubbish” and place items accordingly as you go through the cupboards and spaces in the room while cleaning.
• Try to keep up a regular schedule of cleaning – this will make things much easier, rather than trying to tackle months of ingrained dirt, thick dust and stubborn stains all in one go
• Deodorising the house is important – a room that smells fresh automatically seems cleaner. You can use commercial air fresheners, cedar blocks or just good old baking soda sprinkled on the carpet and then vacuumed away in the morning.
• Keep mats at all doorways to catch dirt and debris coming in from the garden and front door. Wipe pet paws before they come in to reduce the risk of muddy paw prints and dirt distributed around the house.
• Even if you don’t enjoy cleaning, try to make it an enjoyable activity – put on some rousing music to work to or maybe even invite a willing friend along to help while you have a good gossip! (And you can return the favour another day) Don’t forget to reward yourself at the end for a job well done!

Astral Hygiene Cleaning Supplies

FACTS ABOUT HAND SANITIZERS AS PUBLIC CONCERNS OVER THE SWINE FLU INCREASE

SKILLMAN, NJ - Major health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommend that hand washing and - when soap and water may not be available - hand sanitizing with an alcohol-based rub (like PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer) are critical to minimize the spread of germs during illness outbreaks, such as the Swine Flu.

The makers of PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer have compiled these important public health messages:

Is PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer active against Swine Flu?
While no hand sanitizer is indicated to prevent Swine Flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the ways you can help protect yourself from Swine Flu is by practicing good hand hygiene. Specific CDC recommendations include keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water may not be available, such as when you're on the go.

How do most infectious diseases spread?
According to the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH), the hands are one of the most frequent transmission routes for many types of infections as they come into direct contact with known portals of entry for pathogens (mouth, nose, conjunctiva of the eyes). Therefore, practicing proper hand hygiene is the easiest way to help reduce infections. Another way that some infections can spread is through the air, which is why it is important to cover your mouth with a tissue when you sneeze.

What is the proper way to practice hand hygiene?
Use soap and water, especially when hands are visibly dirty. Wash hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds.

When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Apply enough product to thoroughly wet hands, then rub hands together briskly until dry.

How does PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer work?
PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer has a unique formulation of 65% alcohol with a special blend of moisturizers to kill germs on hands and leave them feeling soft and refreshed. The alcohol breaks down the germs' cell walls causing them to die. When applied to hands it evaporates within seconds. According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Guidelines for Infection Control Practice, "alcohols applied to the skin are among the safest known antiseptics."

Do alcohol-based hand sanitizers like PURELL® lead to resistant bacteria?
Laboratory testing has never shown alcohol-based hand sanitizers like PURELL® lead to bacterial resistance. There is no evidence that organisms adapt and become immune to alcohol based hand sanitizers.