Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:12:30 -0800WeeblyWed, 14 Mar 2012 00:28:49 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/03/furniture-odors-1.html Causes of Furniture Odors

Furniture can take on smells for a number of reasons. Wood furniture which has been stored in a damp environment for some time can take on a mold or mildew smell.

Upholstered furniture can absorb smells from the air and therefore can take on bad odor for a number of reasons:

• Pets sitting on it
• Accidents from pets or small children
• Tobacco odor
• Sweat from people who sit on it
• Smells from kitchen
• Mold and mildew

Getting Rid of Furniture Odor Body odor in upholstered furniture: For this technique you will need one or more boxes of baking soda plus a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment. Before you start, make sure your vacuum cleaner is strong enough to remove baking soda by rubbing a small amount of baking soda into a 1 x 1 inch (approximately 2 cm x 2 cm) square of fabric. Then make sure your vacuum can get the baking soda out of the fabric. Gently rub dry baking soda into the fabric of the upholstery and leave if for 48 hours. Then vacuum the baking soda and the sweat odors it has absorbed.

Removing odor from leather furniture: Leather-upholstered furniture has an elegant look, but it is a magnet for odors from pets and children. And new leather furniture can release its own less than desirable odor. Here are some quick tips for getting odor out of leather furniture:

Use a soft, clean cloth dipped in vinegar to wipe down leather furniture. There will be a temporary vinegar smell, but allow to dry and then wipe off with a different soft, clean cloth dipped in warm water.

Mix two tablespoons (30 ml) of ammonia with 30 ml of warm water and pour into a spray bottle. Give leather furniture a light spray and allow to dry. If there is a residual ammonia water, wipe off with a clean cloth made damp by dipping in water.

First, make sure your vacuum has enough suction power to vacuum up baking soda. Then sprinkled baking soda lightly over leather furniture and allow leave overnight, vacuuming up the baking soda the next morning.

If sprinkling baking soda on leather furniture is not feasible, consider putting baking soda into clean old socks or hose you tie into a knot and hide between the cushions.

Put sackets of Zeolite in between cushions. Every few days take the pouches of Zeolite outside to recharge them in the sun.

Mix a teaspoon (5 ml) of detergent in a pint (480 ml) of warm water and agitate to make suds. Dip a clean cloth in the sudsy water and wipe down leather surfaces, followed by a clean cloth dipped in clear water to remove the soap.

Never use coarse pads or brushes to clean leather.

Never use any chemical stronger than vinegar or ammonia on leather. Leather must retain its natural oils and any dyes used to color the leather.

Remove water spots from leather with water, only use less than made the spot.

Test any cleaning method on a small section of leather on an unnoticeable location first. ]]>Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:25:35 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/03/carpet-odor.html Causes for Carpet Odors

Carpets are made to look pretty, but they often smell bad. An astonishing range of health complaints are made by worse by carpet odors: asthma, allergies, insomnia, and depression to name just a few. Keeping carpets free of odor can make the difference between sickness and health for elderly people and people who have other chronic health conditions.

Most of the time the cause of carpet odor is bacterial. Carpets are excellent breeding grounds for odor-causing bacteria to grow. There are an enormous number of things that can lead to carpet odors in the house including. Anything that bacteria can use for food can result in carpet odor:

• Dirt from shoes and feet
• Food spills
• Grease from steam that is omitted from kitchen
• Hair and dirt from humans and pets
• Human sweat
• Pet urination
• Tobacco products

Molds and mildew also cause carpet odors. Anything that keeps a carpet wet—especially the pad beneath it—contributes to the growth of odor-causing molds and mildew.

Prevention and Elimination of Carpet Odors

• The best way to prevent carpet odors is vigilant cleaning.
• Vacuum carpets on a regular basis, even daily if there are a lot of things in your house that would contribute to odor.
• Clean up any spills on carpets immediately
• Keep your pets cleaned regularly
• Ventilate your house

If you are having problems with a smelly carpet, the first step is to identify the cause. For information on cleaning carpets due to tobacco, pet urine or foot odor, please refer to the chapters in this book that address those issues.

And if the problem is not pet or foot odor, involving bacteria, or tobacco odor, then it is most likely mildew or mold. The first step of controlling mildew and mold can be very simple. When you have a dry day, open the window. Simply allowing your home to air out will remove some moisture from the carpet. You can get rid of odor, although not necessarily the underlying problem with some simple home remedies for mildew smell:

Baking soda. When you can identify problem areas on your carpet by nose alone, treat them with a paste of baking soda and water, made from roughly equal amounts of baking soda and warm water mixed in a bowl. Allow to dry, and then vacuum to remove the baking soda and any dirt in the carpet.

White vinegar is highly acidic and will kill molds and mildew on contact. The problem then is you have replaced mildew odor with vinegar odor. Allow the spots you treat with white vinegar, then rub with warm water, then allow to dry again.

Lemon juice removes odors on contact, although it will not kill the molds or mildew that cause them. Apply a mixture of equal parts of lemon juice and water to affected areas, and allow to dry thoroughly.

 If you cannot determine the specific cause of the carpet odor, there are a number of products that can be used to clean carpets and eliminate odors:

Products:

• Resolve: This company has a number of carpet and rug cleaners that can be used with a sponge and a vacuum, many of which are very effective at removing odors.Website: www.rb.com.
• 3M Oxy Carpet Cleaner: This carpet cleaner uses oxygen and 3M’s Scotchgard to clean and remove carpet stains as well as neutralize odors. Website: www.solutions.3m.com.

]]>Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:23:35 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/02/odors-from-drains.html Causes of Odors from Sink Drain

Bathtub drains have very different construction from sink drains and are discussed in the previous chapter.

Odors from drains are nearly always caused by some sort of clog or buildup of residue on the pipes in the drain. Items that may clog or lead to smelly build up include:

• Hair
• Soap
• Trash
• Food
• Chemicals

Mold in or around the drain area can also cause smell from the drain.

Elimination of Drain Odors

Many home owners quickly learn that using a plunger or dumping drain cleaner down the pipes does little or nothing to eliminate drain odors—although they are a good place to start. Fixing a drain, however, need not be an overly complicated process. Chances are you can do it without calling the plumber. You won't find out the source of your drain odor, however, until you get your drain unclogged.

Most clogs in drains are not actually in the pipes. They are in the pop-up assembly at the bottom of the sink.

First of all, a description of the pop-up assembly is in order. The pop-up assembly has a metal rod that goes up and down. Because it extends down beneath the sink, it picks up, depending on how the sink is used, grease and food matter, or little bits of hair and soap. This mass of waste matter grows larger and larger until it makes the sink drain slow or stops up the sink completely. Unfortunately, drain cleaners usually don't make the matte on the pop-up assembly smell better. They may even make it smell worse.

The first step is to extract the pop-up assembly from the sink. Often it will come right up. Then you can use a long screwdriver to force the clog down the drain, finishing up the job with a flow of hot water.

If the pop-up assembly does not come up with a gentle tug, it is probably beneath the sink. Look beneath the sink with a flashlight, and find the bolt that holds the pop-up assembly. Don't start disconnecting pipes! Unscrew the nut on the side of the pop-up assembly, making sure you don't lose the nut, the washers, or the bolt they hold in place. Then lift the stopper out from the drain.

Chances are you will see a lot of gunk and scum that drain cleaners did not remove. Push as much of that gunk and scum as possible down the drain and see if it flows again. If it doesn't, then you may have to remove the trap.

The trap, as its name suggests, traps a small amount of water at the bottom of a U-shaped pipe. The water in the trap keeps sewer gases from backing up into the house. Remove the clog from the trap, and then carefully reassemble everything in the reverse order of the way you took it apart. You may want to lubricate the pop-up assembly with some plumber's grease so it will be easier to disassemble in the future. Make sure you put washers underneath nuts as they were when you took them apart, or you will get a leak.

To prevent future clogs and odor, try this simple prophylactic: Fill the sink with hot water and allow to drain quickly every week or so. This keeps clogs from building up in the pop-up assembly, in the trap, or in the pipes that lead to the sewer.

If you use drain cleaners such as Drano and you have a septic tank, be very, very careful to use only the amount of drain cleaner recommended on the label. You must keep the bacteria in your septic tank active so that they break down sewage, or you are at constant risk of clogs and overflows in your septic field. Drain cleaners are not to be used in toilet bowls, only in sinks. This is to protect the plumbing attached to the toilet and, if there is one, the septic system to which it leads. Some products for kitchen drains generate so much heat that they can cause the toilet bowl to crack. Also, read product instructions before using to open a drain that includes a garbage disposal.

Products:

• Drano: This SC Johnson product has a variety of chemical drain cleaners as well as agents that can be used to prevent drains from ever getting clogged in the first place. Best used to prevent clogs than to remove them, however. Website: www.drano.com.
• Liquid Plumber: This is a brand from the Clorox company and also makes a variety of chemical drain cleaners and clog removers. Website: www.liquid-plumr.com

If plunging and use of chemical drain openers doesn’t have water flowing smoothly through your drain, you will want to call a plumber, as the clog is probably in an area which will require some dismantling of your pipes.

Drain odor is not always caused by clogs. If the cause of the drain odor isn’t a clog, you should investigate the possibility of mold. First, clean the front and underside of the drain cap.  Make sure any slime or residue is removed. Second, check for leaks around the drain area. If there are any leaks, the surrounding area may be moldy. There are a number of products on the market that prevent mold and mildew.

Products:

• Tilex: The Clorox Company makes this line of bathroom cleaner that is specifically targeted at preventing mold and mildew as well as removing it. Website: www.tilex.com
• Lysol: Lysol makes several bathroom cleaners including mildew remover with bleach. Website: www.lysol.com
  

]]>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:19:45 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/02/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.htmlWhen all other measures fail, check the water seal. The water seal keeps sewer odors from backing up into your toilet. Since this repair involves removing the toilet from the floor, hire a plumber unless you are sure you know how to do the repair.

Products: Bleach, isopropyl alcohol, muriatic acid, toilet rim deodorizers, available in most supermarkets and home repair stores.

• Clean the tub regularly. Dirt, oils and skin cells from your body can easily collect on the sides of a tub or shower and becoming a breeding ground for bacteria that causes odor. It is important to scrub this regularly to prevent odor from becoming a problem.
• Sewer odor is more than just offensive. It can literally asphyxiate the people living in your house. Sewer gases are ordinarily trapped in a P-shaped pipe underneath the tub. Sometimes hair and bathtub debris clog the pipe so that when it dries out, sewer gas can enter the house or apartment. To take care of this problem, have two or three buckets ready and then follow these simple steps:
  

1. Take the stopper out of the tub. If hair and grease come up, put them in a bucket to be thrown away.
2. Clean the stopper and the metal rod supporting it in hot, soapy water. You may need a wire brush to get rid of debris. If you see anything else coming up from the drain, you can catch it with the handle of the wire brush and put it in the waste bucket to discard.
3. Flush the pipes with several gallons of hot water. This will help wash any remaining gunk down the drain.
4. Check the vent at the top of the house. Remove any leaves or twigs clogging it by hand, or wash it out with a high-power hose. In extremely windy weather, by the way, the pressure over the vent will be lower so that your tub is slower to drain.
5. If this procedure does not work, see if you have a leak around the drainpipes. If necessary, call a qualified plumber for assistance.

 
Products: Hot water, buckets, wire brushes.

• Scrub the areas around the shower and tub. The bath accessories can easily become moldy or mildew because of the amount of moisture that pools and collects in them. Be sure to clean these as well as the tub and shower. Trigger spray pump products work best if you use them every day.
• Wipe down wet areas of the shower after each use. A squeegee is best for flat surfaces, a towel for the rest. If you wipe down the shower every time you use it, there will be no accumulation of hard water scale, scum, or grime.

Products: Lime-Away, Charlie's, Comet, Tilex, Mr. Clean, Windex. Use SoftScrub if your tub has an easily marred finish. Gel Gloss is useful for acrylic shower stalls. Use Clean Shower to prevent hard water scale buildup on glass doors.

• Use a body wash (gel) instead of bar soap and your shower will not accumulate soap scum.
• If you use a commercial product to remove soap scum, be sure to give it time to work. Liquid dishwasher detergent is also effective against soap scum. Use 3/4 cup (180 ml) of dishwasher detergent diluted in 1 gallon (4 L) of warm water. Rub gently over dirty areas, using several times if necessary. Rinse when done.
• A paste of baking soda and vinegar fights mildew.
• Spraying hot white vinegar on shower surfaces removes odor. Be sure to rinse off the vinegar about 30 minutes after application.
• Clean and replace the shower curtain and curtain liner regularly. Always return the shower curtain to its fully extended position when you leave the shower so it has a chance to dry out. The liner for the shower curtain builds up mildew very quickly. This is an area people often forget about.
• Mop and sweep the floor regularly. Even if you don’t see dirt and grime on your bathroom floor, it’s there. It should be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent odors.

Products: Ajax, Comet, Lysol, Scrubbing Bubbles, and X-14 are inexpensive but may scratch surfaces. Ajax with Bleach Scratch-Free and Comet Scratch-Free Disinfectant and Bleach are good for removing mildew without damaging surfaces, but require considerable manual effort for application. Kaboom Shower Tub & Tile cleanser will keep mildew and scum from forming the in the first place, but it must be applied every day. Green Works Natural is a "chemical free" shower cleaner, but it has limited use in fighting mildew. ]]>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:55:29 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/02/bathroom-odors-1.htmlCauses of Bathroom Odors:

The bathroom in your house, for a variety of reasons, is host to large numbers of germs ad bacteria. It is not just the toilet that causes germs and odor. Virtually everything you do in a bathroom releases substances which are a haven for odor causing bacteria.

• Use of toilet
• Shaving
• Brushing Hair
• Brushing Teeth
• Changing Clothes
• Showering/bathing
  

Even the constant washing heightens the risk for mold and mildew.

How to Eliminate Bathroom Odors:

• Flush the toilet after every use.
• Do not use the toilet as a garbage can. Used diapers, sanitary napkins, and plastic bags should not be flushed down the toilet.
• Clean the toilet bowl inside and out at least once a week.
• Immediately unclog the toilet when there is a clog. Do not allow the clog to stand.
• Make sure your toilet releases enough water to flush. Don't hesitate to flush twice.
• Pour bleach into the toilet bowl after you have cleaned it, but do not mix bleach with muriatic acid. This chemical combination can do serious damage to your lungs.
• If your toilet is used unusually frequently, consider a rim deodorizer. Hung from the rim of the toilet, a rim deodorizer releases a small amount of borax or bleach every time the toilet is flushed. Blue water in the toilet bowl indicates the deodorizer has been recently applied.
• Add a small amount (1/4 cup/60 ml) of vinegar to the toilet bowl and allow to stand overnight. Flush the next morning to remove toilet odors.
• Alternatively, add a small amount (1 tablespoon/15 ml) of detergent with a small amount (also 1 tablespoon/15 ml) of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Allow to stand overnight and flush the next morning to remove toilet odors.
• If your toilet bowl needs heavy-duty cleansing, clean the bowl by your regular method and then flush to remove debris. Following label instructions, apply muriatic acid to the bowl and under the rim. Wearing gloves, scrub the toilet and under the rim with a toilet brush. Wash the exterior of the toilet bowl (but not the seat) with more muriatic acid. Then flush to remove the muriatic acid from the interior of the bowl and wash the outside of the bowl with cool water to remove all traces of the acid.
• Fix leaks. Overweight users of the toilet or improper seating of the toilet itself will result in leaks which provide moisture for molds and bacteria. Make sure your toilet is properly installed, and, if necessary, get leaks at the bottom of the bowl sealed.

]]>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:02:24 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/02/pet-odors.html_Do visitors know you have a pet dog—before Rover comes romping into the room? Are they aware of your kitty Fluffy even while she is hiding under the sofa?

With the possible exception of your pet fish (as long as they stay healthy), all pets come with a variety of odors. Some however, can be far more noticeable than others. These animals cause very distinct odors to fill your home if you are not careful about cleaning them.

Older people greatly benefit from pets—but often do not detect pet odors. People with migraines, Parkinson's disease, or Alzheimer's have similar issues with not being aware of the odors of their pets. All pet owners, however, are more tolerant of the odors of their own pets than they are of the odors of pets belonging to other people.

Areas of Your Home that Absorb Pet Odor:

• Carpets
• Drapes and Curtains
• Furniture

Preventing Pet Odors:

• Clean all feeding areas for pets on a daily basis. Recirculating water bowls are best for cats.
• Identify areas of concentrated odor on your carpet. If you do not know where they are, use black light to find them and then clean thoroughly.
• Sprinkle a live-enzyme pet odor removal powder over areas of pet accidents until you have time to do deep cleaning. Most products also include live bacteria that can digest the proteins that cause odors and make them easier to remove from the carpet. Borax powder and baking soda also remove odor, but not as effectively as the bacteria-enzyme based powders.
• Deep clean stained areas of carpet with a carpet shampooer you fill with cool water only—no cleansers or detergents. This will help you avoid creating even worse odors that combine the odor of pet waste with the fragrances in the carpet shampoo. Never use a steam cleaner to clean up after a pet accident, since the heat will cause the odor to set in the carpet.
• Don't use cleaning chemicals, especially ammonia or vinegar. Your pet may be confused them with the odor of urine and return to urinate in the same place.
• Clean the carpet after you use an odor-neutralizing product. If you don't, the second application of the odor-neutralizing product will work on the first product, not the new urine or feces.
• Clean litter boxes and other toilet areas daily.
• Vacuum and sweep areas where the animals spend time regularly.
• Do not allow animals on the furniture.
• Clean and bathe animals on a regular basis. Get your pet accustomed to bathing as soon as possible after they become a part of your home.
• Realize that frequently soiled areas of carpet may need a new carpet pad.
• If accidents continually occur in the same areas, consider the root of the problem. Does your dog have access to the outdoors often enough? Is there a problem with the placement of your cat's litter box? Cats, in particular, tend to relieve themselves in the same place—even if someone has removed the litter box.
• When there are frequent pet accidents, it may be necessary to make the "accident zone" off limits to your pet. Sometimes your pet returns to the area where he or she smells his personal scent.
• To clean washable items, add a one-pound (450 g) box of baking soda to regular detergent. If urine or feces is still visible after washing, rewash with an enzymatic cleaner (available at pet supply stores), following the instructions on the box.
• When cleaning up fresh urine or feces, if possible, take the paper towels to the place where you wish for your pet to toilet. This gives your pet the message that defecation and urination are OK if they are done in the right place.
• Washable paints and wallpaper can be treated with enzyme-based cleaning products.

Problems with Pet Odors:

Dogs: Sometimes there is a condition where your dog may smell no matter how much you wash it. It may be necessary in this situation to see the veterinarian.

Cats: Cats may occasionally urinate outside of their litter boxes. This smell can be very difficult to remove, but if you don’t remove it, the cat will most likely continue to urinate there so it is important to take action.

Removal of Pet Odors:

Cat Urine: There are a number of products on the market to remove the smell of cat urine. However, if the urine has seeped into the carpet padding, it will be necessary to actually replace the padding. The best products on the market contain enzymes that cause a chemical reaction that breaks down the urine and neutralizes the odor.
Products:

Just for Cats made by Nature’s Miracle. Website: www.naturemakesitwork.com.

Stain & Odor Remover by Kids n’ Pets. Website: www.kidsnpetsbrand.com.

Dog Smell: If the smell has seeped into carpets, it will probably be necessary to clean the carpet commercially and replace the padding underneath. Once wet dog odor or urine has seeped into a carpet’s padding it cannot be removed without replacing the padding.

Products:

Room Shocker: This is recommended by veterinarians to remove tough pet smell. It is made by Biocide Systems. Website: www.biocidesystems.com.
]]>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:17:33 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/01/ways-to-remove-vocs-from-the-home.html

• Houseplants can help remove VOC's from air. Some plants can remove 30 times their weight in VOC's over the course of their lives. These varieties are particularly good:

• Ferns
• Dragon Tree
• Golden Pothos
• English Ivy
• Orchid
• Philodendron

Surprisingly, not all houseplants reduce VOC's in indoor air. Some, such as the areca palm, peace lily, weeping fig, and snake plant, actually produce them.

There can also be a problem from pesticides growers of the plants add to the potting soil before selling the plant.

• Air cleaning systems with filters can be used to improve indoor air. They can remove VOC's although they cannot capture carbon monoxide emitted by space heaters. If you do not use kerosene or gas space heaters, however, air-cleaning systems can remove essentially all the harmful emissions in household air. For removing humidity from the air, use a dehumidifier, not an air filter.

Products:    

• Miracle Air Cleaner: These HEPA air cleaners are designed to remove air odors, pollen, tobacco smoke, dust and vapors. Website: www.purenatural.com.
• Honeywell: This consumer products company makes a wide variety of HEPA and other filters for a variety of different air cleaning possibilities. Website: www.honeywellstore.com.
• Air cleaners can be used along with improved ventilation to reduce pollutants to indoor air.

Products:

Photo catalyst Coating Spray: This spray is used to remove VOC's. It works through titanium dioxide, which neutralizes VOC to harmless CO2 H2O2. It is made by Ecoteam. Website: www.ecoteamlab.com._
]]>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:13:36 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/01/how-to-avoid-volatile-organic-compounds-vocs.html_

• The best method is to use materials that do not give off VOC's. There are a number of paints and building products now being made that do not emit high levels of VOC's. If you cannot afford the new VOC-free paints, such as Freshaire's Choice, water-based paints are less of a problem than acrylic paints. The VOC's in paints are removed from the body by urination, so drink more water when you paint around the house. Always open windows or use ventilation fans when painting indoors.
• Allow gases from new furnishings and building materials to be given off in storage for a few weeks before being brought into your home.
• Avoid landfills, which emit many VOC's, more as the trash inside the landfill ages.
• Fix leaks. Even when there is no mold, dampness increases the irritation caused by VOC's.
• Do not allow smoking in or near the house.
• If your place of worship uses incense, minimize indoor exposure to incense at home. Outdoor use of incense minimizes exposure to you (although it increases exposure by your neighbors).
• Always add the cleaner to water, not water to the cleaner.
• Wear gloves, and if you are applying a chemical at nose-level, consider wearing a protective mask so you do not inhale VOC's.
• Do not bring dry cleaned clothing into the home if it has a strong smell. Allow it to air outside of its plastic bag, outside of the home first. Hanging dry-cleaned clothes on outdoor clothesline for about 2 hours is enough.
• Ventilate the house by opening windows and doors.
• If you live an area with many farms that use pesticides or a lot of chemical industry, do not drink well water.
• Use natural wood instead of pressed cardboard fireboard logs in your fireplace.
• Have the chimney to your fireplace cleaned at least once a year.
• Don't use kerosene space heaters, since they dump all their toxic VOC's directly into the rooms they heat.
• Make sure your home has a carbon monoxide detector in addition to a fire detector.
• Use face protection when removing old pipes and wiring.
• Don't idle the car in the garage.
• Don't use gas or charcoal grills inside, ever, even during disaster situations.
• Radon gas is not a VOC, but it is the second leading contributor to lung cancer after cigarette smoke. Especially if your home has a basement, get a radon gas detector.
• Make an effort to regularly get fresh, clean air into your home.
• Make sure your woodstove is vented to the outside, or do not use it at all.
• Be careful when exposing foam insulation or particleboard. These construction materials are made with formaldehyde.
• Make sure your gas stove is well vented to the outside. Although the primary pollutant from gas cooking is nitrogen dioxide, which is not a VOC, this chemical can trigger asthma attacks and make the lungs more sensitive to VOC's from other sources.
• Whenever possible, don't install carpets. Carpets and carpet pads trap and emit VOCs, and make odor control very difficult if you have pets.

]]>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:11:28 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/01/volatile-organic-compounds-voc.htmlWhat are Volatile Organic Compounds?
Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOC's, put simply, are the compounds you smell when your nose smells something in the air. They are what give the air around you a pleasant aroma or a foul odor. The technical definition of VOC's is chemical compounds which have high enough vapor pressure to vaporize and enter the atmosphere. When atmospheric pressure is lower or temperature is higher, more VOC's enter the air. For this definition, an "organic" compound is one that contains carbon, rather than one that comes from "natural" or "organic" sources.

Problems with Volatile Organic Compounds:

In high levels, VOC's can be damaging to your health and toxic to breathe. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, VOC's are a big contributing factor to ozone at ground levels. The ozone in the upper atmosphere is beneficial, but ozone at the ground level it can affect the function of the lungs, even in healthy people. Indoor air pollution levels can actually be two to three times higher than outdoor air pollution levels—and especially clean houses are the most likely to be contaminated by chemicals!

VOC's have chemicals that can cause the following health concerns:

• Dizziness
• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Headache
• Nausea
• Skin Problems
• Higher concentration can also cause damage to the liver, kidneys or central nervous system
  

Causes for Volatile Organic Compounds in the Home:

Many common household products emit volatile organic compounds:

• Aerosols
• Burning of wood, gas or kerosene
• Ethanolamines, used in silver polish and jewelry cleaners
• Fireplaces
• Floor cleaners (ammonia, however, is not volatile—only a problem if you are in direct contact with it)
• Floor varnish
• Floor waxes, especially if applied with a buffing machine
• Formaldehyde which can be found in particle board, plywood, foam insulation, and some drapes and textiles
• Fragrances, especially in bathroom cleaners applied from a spray can
• Gasoline—never siphon gasoline by mouth
• Glues
• "Green" arsenic-treated wood, especially in children's play sets
• Household cleaners, especially those sprayed on windows and mirrors, causing direct exposure of the lungs to the chemicals
• Incense sticks and candles
• Nail polish remover
• Open toner cartridges
• Paints
• Perfumes and hairspray
• Sanding sealers
• Sink cleaners, especially if the person using the cleaner is not using gloves (skin contact, and later inhalation of chemicals from the skin of the hands)
• Solvents
• Tobacco products
• Toilet bowl cleaners, especially if the bowl is then scrubbed with a short brush
• Underarm deodorant
• Well water in areas with chemical contamination
• Window cleaners
  

The amount of VOC's given off by these products tends to decrease as the products get older and dry out, but the VOC's greatly increase if they are not used at the dilution recommended on the label. Using "straight" bleach or cleaner, for instance, releases more VOC's than bleach or cleaner diluted with water. ]]>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:24:44 -0800http://www.ecoteamlab.com/3/post/2012/01/smells-associated-with-aging1.html_What causes odors in elderly people?

Hormone Changes: Humans go through rather pronounced hormone changes that can affect a host of other things in the body including sweat and other factors in body odor. Women experience both drier skin and vaginal dryness. The drying of skin and mucous membranes makes them more susceptible to infections which can cause inflammation, irritation, and odor.

Many men suffer prostate-related problems that cause dribbling of urine. The constant minute flow of urine causes urine odor, but it also inflames and irritates the skin and causes odors related to the destruction of skin and related tissues.

Bad Breath – At least 70 percent of elderly people do not produce enough saliva, so their breath becomes foul. Dental problems and gum infections are often problematic for the elderly. See section on bad breath for treatment of this condition.

"Old Man Odor" – Also known as "old lady smell," "old man smell," and "old people smell," this condition results from the accumulation of a chemical called 2-nonenal. It is also one of the aromas the human nose perceives in old books, beer, buckwheat, cucumbers, lard, and orris (iris root), orris being used in some cosmetics.

This distinctive odor of elderly persons results from the accumulation of omega-7 fatty acids in the sebum glands of the skin. Most people have heard of omega-3 or maybe omega-6 essential fatty acids, but the omega-7 fatty acids are a little more obscure.

These are the fatty acids that can be found in a few little-used health supplements, such as sea buckthorn and rosemary leaf, and in relative abundance in seafood and macadamia nuts. For some reason scientists do not yet completely understand, these fatty acids become palmitoleic acid on the skin, but only in persons aged 40 and older. Unfortunately, the human nose can detect even tiny traces of this chemical, even 3 to 4 parts per million in the air of the room of an elderly person.

Treatment of Odors Associated with Aging

Washing: As many elderly people don’t go out as often as they used to, some let their personal hygiene habits lapse a bit, but because of the increased changes in the skin, mouth and hormone levels, it is important for elderly people to remain vigilant about frequent washing and use of soap. Assistance with personal hygiene may be necessary, especially when urination and defecation become problematic.

Drinking more water: Drinking water can help with the breath problems associated with lower saliva production and can also help flush out any toxins from the skin that are causing odors. Hydrating the skin makes it more supple, so the pores containing the fats that become "old person smell" can be more easily cleansed. Drinking water also rinses food particles off the tongue and gums and in between the teeth.

Deodorant Spray: It is used by spraying the air, bed linens and clothes of an elderly person.

Products:

Silver Spray: There is only one product on the market right now specifically targeted towards the elimination of odors associated with aging. It is produced by Ecoteam. Website: www.ecoteamlab.com
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