Not all people enjoy having a pool, if you are one who has, then consider, vacuum cleaner, yourself lucky enough. If you are luckier still, you will get to enjoy your pool all year round. Maintaining your pool is a constant process, vacuum cleaner, . However, it can be a breeze by following some simple tips. Pool supplies are mostly available online so it is not necessary for you to run, vacuum cleaner, to the store, making your maintenance more convenient and easy.

To get a good quality pool cleaner, it is necessary to take some basic points in mind since sufficient planning helps in a better management and maintenance of your pool.

For a pristine pool, follow these maintenance tips:

1. Your pool needs daily care. It is important to test the, vacuum cleaner,, vacuum cleaner, water for sanitizer level and make sure that certain alkalinity and pH are balanced. Unbalanced pools affect the clarity of the water, may cause erosion, damage, vacuum cleaner, pool equipment and could alter the water chemistry.

2. Try adding chlorine or bromine to your pool to sanitize it. This kills algae, bacteria and other living organisms present in the water. Most swimming pools in the United States are disinfected by bromine or chlorine in one form or another.

3. Check the Skimmer basket and, vacuum cleaner, clear away debris from it to help keep the water of the pool circulating and fresh.

4. Do water shock treatments every week. This is necessary to destroy combined chlorine compounds. This process sanitizes the pool water and raises the level, vacuum cleaner, of chlorine, vacuum cleaner, faster.

5. Add a dose of algaecide to prevent and control algae. A good algaecide chemical should kill algae but does not stain or damage your pool.

6. Add a weekly dosage of Metal Out to get rid of metal particles. Even pools that are maintained properly could contain tiny suspended particles that can escape the filtration system.

7. A weekly clarifier prevents cloudy water. Clarifiers remove very small particles that are, vacuum cleaner, not caught in the filter system. Clarifying agents will make these particles to cling to each other making them bigger and so they can be easily removed from the water through filtration or vacuuming.

You can also opt to maintain your pool as needed, such as, vacuum cleaner, vacuuming, vacuum cleaner, it, brush the walls, skim the leaves and check on the filter or backwash. A top priority in maintaining your swimming pool is using a pool cover. This accessory, vacuum cleaner, aids in maintaining, vacuum cleaner, the security and safety when the pool is not in use or you are away from the house for a long time.

For pool safety, always keep the pool fence gate closed, because there might be instances where someone else’s child or maybe your own will enter the pool area and get into trouble. Instead of glass, use plastic tumblers in the area of the pool to avoid unforeseen injury. Try to learn about basic CPR techniques before you open your pool.

The most important aspect of pool maintenance is cleanliness and chemistry. Taking these steps is the best method to preserve the pool and maximize your enjoyment.

Free call pick up and delivery.

No contracts required. One-time service / weekly service / monthly service (your choice).

Up to 50 Items of Clothing. Any of the following items: shirts, jeans,pants, skirts, blouses, dresses, linens, etc.

Please call 561-290-0432

Currently servicing:

Boca Raton
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Does not include:  South and West Broward, North Palm Beach or Miami.

No checks, please.

Ever wonder about the origins of “soap”? There is historical evidence that some form of the sudsy stuff was already being used in Ancient Babylon (2800 BC) *. But from where or what is soap actually derived? The word “soap” comes from the Latin word “sapo” — and early chemists began developing soap from lye, aromatic oils, and some vegetable oils as early as the 7th century. Much like modern-day potters, these oils and lye, among other additives were blended together in a big cauldron and heated to a boil. Once cooked, the chemical substance was poured into molds to form hard soap. Viola!

Soapy tidbits …

There’s an old adage that states, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” Perhaps old biblical scholars weren’t too far off when they made this remark. By the time civilized countries became industrialized, they realized the vital importance that soap had on reducing pathogenic microorganisms in a routine hygiene protocol and began promoting widespread production of the little colorful bars we can all readily purchase from store shelves today.

While most household soaps have the ability to prevent the spread of germs, it takes due diligence to practice regular hand washing. The bad news, however, is that many modern-day soaps and detergents sometimes leave our hands dry…or worse, covered in soap residue. Today, there are several variations of soap that provide skin emollients, improve the look and feel of skin, and even help reduce premature aging. These soaps are perfect for bath time and for normal hand and face washing. However, there will be times where we don’t have access to a sink, or we just don’t have time to wash our hands as frequently as we should. That’s why hand sanitizers like Zytrel XP are so good for you. Not only does it have a long-lasting effect (up to four hours) of bacteria killing power, but it doubles as a lotion so your hands won’t dry out like they would from repeated hand washing (something other hand sanitizer don’t do).

Soap has come a long way, baby…and since cleanliness is next to Godliness; shouldn’t we all use Zytrel XP to protect ourselves in between those vigorous hand washings?

Cleaning scuba diving gear can be very simple if you know the right procedures and if you have the proper cleaning accessories. Plus it doesn’t take that long, 10 to 12 minutes tops. It is very important to learn how to clean and sanitize your gear because a lot of bacteria, viruses, and fungi can grow on the inside and outside of your gear if you don’t clean it regularly.

You should clean your gear after each and every use using chemicals specifically formulated for cleaning scuba diving gear such as a non-ionic detergent solution. This solution is used to remove any contamination that can build up in the regulator and other parts of your equipment. If left alone, this contamination could cause harm to you or someone else that may use your equipment.

To clean your scuba diving gear, you will need fresh water and a non-ionic cleaning detergent of your choice. Beginning with the regulators, you will first need to spray the solution into the mouthpiece and the second stage parts until the surfaces are soaked. Let the non-ionic solution soak for 10 minutes. The solution may start to dry up. If this happens, you need to apply more solution. This is because the gear must be wet for the whole 10 minutes or the solution will not completely kill all the germs and contamination. After 10 minutes is up, rinse all the second stage parts and the regulators with fresh clean water.

Suggested cleaning for BIBS masks scuba diving gear includes detaching the BIBS mask from the hose and spreading an ample coat of non-ionic detergent solution to each part of the surface, including the straps. Allow the detergent solution to remain on the surfaces for no less than 10 minutes. If the solution begins to dry, you will need to add more for the same reasons mentioned above.

Another piece of scuba diving gear that you want to make sure to clean and sanitize is the chamber oxygen hood. The best cleaning method involves covering the whole inside surface of the neck dam and hood with the solution and allowing it to soak for a good 10 minute, adding more solution as necessary. Make sure that the surfaces remain wet for the whole 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up, rinse the whole hood in a sink filled with water or under running water, whichever you prefer. After it has been rinsed thoroughly, set it aside and let it air dry before putting it back in the chamber.

Sanitizing and cleaning the recompression chamber interior is the last piece of scuba diving gear that we’re going to cover in this article. Cleaning the recompression chamber interior is not that complicated if you know the right way to go about it. The best methods require that you sanitize and clean the interior chamber with non-ionic detergent solution to get rid of any disgusting contaminates; rinse thoroughly; and use a lint-free cloth dampened with the solution to wipe down the surfaces. Allow this solution to also sit for 10 minute before rinsing completely.

Cass Sunstein: Censor Hannity, right-wing rumors!!
If Obama has his way…The First Amendment will be a thing of the past! Yes people, a thing of the past where only politically correct language is
authorized. Everything else will be sanitized to the goverment’s favor, a.k.a. China.
Even after Bo ’s most recent trip to China promoting,(clear throat, cough, ahem)
Free speech..at least on the internet. This evolves! Remember the language/terms used in the movie The Demolition Man? You were fined every time you spoke unfavorably. Yes, BIG BROTHER was LISTENING AT ALL TIMES!
The American People are slowly, I repeat slowly, being conformed to a such
a civilization. No matter how extreme you may think it may be, just remember things,
issues, or circumstances that have come to fruition after seeing them in film or someone idealistic put a plan into action.

This is not a condemnation of films or inventions, but to show if a person put it on film or paper (thought of it)
another can, will or try,to take whatever the issue may be to the next level. But back to the immediate issue at hand. This infringement on the FIRST AMENDMENT must be squelched!

This is an absolute abomination of American Freedoms! We finished this fight over 200 years ago and are doing it again! When you have a President who can tell a CEO of a Major Company to resign, then determines which company will stay in business and which will fail it’s pretty obvious that the micro manager will extend himself elsewhere. This can be seen with threats to those who dislike his policies but extends to ALL Americans, Problem is too many are still ignorant to that fact. We conveniently have a hate crime law now, where you have been muzzled and is the beginning of the end for Freedom of Speech.
Case in point. …You cannot threaten anyone speaking their mind without intention any intention to harm anyone. The President infers through his mouth pieces that issues concerning particular talk shows should be CENSORED, yet it seems that he also has brought back a piece of CHINA’S policies, while including what has rubbed of from his militant friend Rev. Wright. While Rev. Wright is a Marxist by self admission and a racist, he is the one Obama should be censoring!
This Presidency is something Americans would soon hope to forget, but it will take quite awhile considering the damage that has been cause to the American People.

By the way accept Timothy Geitner’s resignation! You set him up to FAIL! So take responsibility and find some one who can do the job while also getting a straight answer from Bernanke about the missing 13 TRILLION DOLLARS!

Want to sit on Santas’s lap this year kiddies… SANITIZE with hand gel first…LOL.. this is policy this year for many Santa sitters!

Flic Spa- Get a free sample of homemade soap.

http://www.freakyfreddies.com

Last night was an extremely late night in NYC (that’s another post) and today I planned on staying in my PJ’s, being as productive as I could and working all day. I receive a panic call from my daughter’s best friend, (she’s also like a daughter), Her daughter (who’s like a granddaughter) was scratching her head like crazy and she was concerned she had lice. This is something I used to deal with at work quite often (I was a cosmetologist) and I know how freaked out people can get. I tell her to calm down, just because she’s itchy doesn’t mean she has lice. I explain to her how to check for it and to call me back. She calls back and guess what? She has it…..now I talk to her very matter of factly, It’s not the end of the world and very common among children. It’s going to be a pain in the ass but it’s curable! I explain the whole process of what to do for her daughter, herself, the house, the car, and who she needs to call.

I then remember my husband telling me how the baby(she’s not really a baby, she’s 5) came over yesterday and she slept at my daughter’s house. SHIT- now I have to check everyone’s head and totally sanitize the house. Of course my daughter calls me and is freaking out, so I tell her I’ll be over to help.

After sanitizing both houses, and checking everyone’s head- I give the clean bill of health. Just in case though, my daughter wants to run to Target to grab Rid….just in case. I finally get back at 9 pm and put on my pj’s…better late than never.

Lice…..when most think of this disgusting little pest of a bug, they get totally freaked out. If you think you or your child have lice, stay calm and follow these steps.

What are lice?
Lice are tiny bugs that live on the scalp and neck. They are not able to jump or fly but they are highly contagious and can spread quickly from person to person. They spread mainly through head-to-head contact, sharing clothing, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats can also help pass them along. They are not dangerous and don’t cause disease. They do feed off the blood by biting a couple times a day, causing red bumps that itch. They lay eggs are the hair which are called nits.

Checking for lice

You will need to part small (very small) sections of the hair and look for the actual bug (louse) and look for the nit. The nit looks like a piece of dandruff stuck to the hair (usually close to the scalp) and doesn’t come off easily.

What to do if you find it

You will need to purchase a treatment shampoo (Rid is good) and a fine-tooth comb. There are kits that include the nit combs.

Treating hair

Follow the directions on the medication. While the hair is wet, you’ll need to part the hair in tiny sections and comb-out the nits. Sometimes olive oil is used to help get the nits off. You can use conditioner after you use the shampoo o make it easier to comb through. This process is tedious and takes some time.

If your child is under 2 years, call the physician.

Treating the house

1. Wash all bed linens and clothing that’s been recently worn by anyone in your home who’s infested in very hot water (130° Fahrenheit, 54.4° Celsius), then put them in the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes. Dry clean any clothing that isn’t machine washable or store all clothing, stuffed animals, comforters, etc., that cannot be washed or dry cleaned into a plastic bag and seal it for two weeks.
2. Vacuum carpets and any upholstered furniture (in your home or car).
3. Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in rubbing alcohol or medicated shampoo for 1 hour. You can also wash them in hot water (130 degrees F; 55 degrees C) or just throw them away.

Calls

Call your child’s school, daycare, and anyone they may have come in contact with.

You can find complete information at www.cdc.gov/lice/head/factsheet.html

Fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves become bright yellows and reds, pumpkins are ripe, and the air is crisp. The best part of fall, besides Thanksgiving, is Halloween. With my favorite holiday one day away, I thought it would be a good idea to post up some Halloween safety advice as well as let you guys know what I have planned. *Menacing music here*

If you are taking your kid out for All Hallow’s Eve or even if you are just going out yourself, you need to make sure that you are visible for obvious reasons. My solution to this was making my kid’s costumes myself from scratch. I have made a ghost costume for my son and a cute red and blue gypsy dress with a blue and silver glitter shawl for my daughter. White and silver are good colors, because they are easy to see in dark places. While it may not be as practical for you to make your own costumes, mainly due to the amount of sewing, there are other ways that you can make sure that you can keep up with your kids. Use reflector strips, you know, the kind that keeps people on bicycles from getting hit by traffic. A few of those work well for visibility. If you can’t find the stick on strips, you could always just use one of the panel pieces that are meant to attach to the back of the bicycle or the spokes. Just attach it to the costume and you are set for a fun night out. If you don’t want to go through that type of hassle, stock up on the glow stick bracelets and necklaces. Wile not as bright as the reflectors, they will work as long as you keep an eye on them for when they start running out and becoming dull. They are cheap and easy to switch, because no kid I know would choose a dead glow stick over a new one that works.

If you are looking to score candy, choose your hunting area carefully. Houses that are well-lit are the houses you want to go to. They usually have the most candy in my experience. You do not want to go trick or treating down a dark alley, yet again for obvious reasons. Other places that give out free loot to costumed kids include some Sonic restaurant in small towns, or at least mine did. I use to get free ice cream from them every year. Parades are great places for scoring loot on Halloween. If you visit your local haunted house, you may just get lucky and score some stuff there as well. Remember to ask yourself these important questions while out and about. Is it well-lit? Are there other people around that could hear me scream if a psycho lives here? Is there a main road close at hand if we have to run away? Over all just use your common sense.

While we are on the subject of candy, I must remind you that you should always check your candy. While the whole razor in the apple was just a story to scare kids, it makes a good point. Better safe than sorry. If a piece of candy you received is open, you should just throw it away. Kids are all reaching their hands into the same buckets and cauldrons of candy, so if something is open you really don’t want to try to think of everything those kids could have touched in between candy grabbing. If you get fruit instead of candy, make sure you wash it before you let your kids eat it. As I said, better safe than sorry. One last thing before moving on, if you have hand sanitizer, you may want to use it, your kids as well, to ensure that you keep germs to a minimum. Nothing is worse than having a sick kid the week after Halloween, laying on the couch and begging for more candy.

If you are going to a party on Halloween and are planning to take the kids along, make sure that it is a child friendly party. I’m sure you don’t want to have to explain the difference between a big person drink and why kids can only have water wile you are trying to enjoy yourself. A call to the person having the party is all it takes to ensure you know if it is the best place to go with your child. Above all else be safe while you are out having fun. If you are letting your child go out with friends, make sure you remind them of these important things before he or she leaves the house. Make sure that they understand that Halloween is about having fun and being safe while doing it. Never never let your child go out alone and if you do, make sure it is the older child rather than the young one.

As for me, I will be going to a party to drop off a birthday gift for a friend’s toddler, and then taking my kids around to trick or treat while my husband hands out candy to the neighborhood kids. Halloween is just a few years old here in Germany, so I’m not really expecting much. I just really want to dress up in my evil forest fairy costume. Have fun and be safe! I guess I am off now to finish my second Jack o’ Lantern, which I will post pics of as soon as I get another few minutes to sit, and to finish with that gypsy costume, which I will also get pictures of.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This is a proven, highly effective treatment involving simple household products combined with a specific multi-step technique. Established medical and scientific journals have acknowledged the concept behind this method for years. However, it can be dangerous if done incorrectly or carelessly, and therefore considered medically unorthodox by most physicians. Aside from the safety concerns; if all steps are followed precisely as described, this is by far the fastest course of action you can take to kill your cold sore dead. Proceed at your own risk with care.

This method should only be attempted on minor HSV-1 early stage cold sore blisters or aphthous ulcers (canker sores) that are located on the outer or upper/lower lip (between the lips). Weeping or crusting blisters may also benefit, although possible damage to newly formed scabs and tissue may delay healing. Therefore, late stage blisters are not recommended for this treatment. Mucous membrane sores in the mouth or nose should never be treated with this method. See photo on the top right side titled “Minor Cold Sore”. The earlier you detect and treat the sore, the faster your recovery will be. Read the warnings and skin discoloration risks shown below before you get started.

Get a white (no pattern) paper towel sheet. Cut it down to roughly 3” x 6”. Fold it over 4 times into a small rectangle about ¾” x 1-½” (so you can grab the end). It should be around 16 layers thick by the time you’re done folding it over. The size of the folded mini-towel should be about as wide as the sore you’re trying to treat. Soak it in 91% to 99% isopropyl alcohol. Pinch it lightly with your fingers to squeeze off excess alcohol that may drip into your mouth and contact your tongue. Hold it in place on the sore between your lips until you need to swallow.

The pain will only be intense for a few minutes as the nerves become numb from the alcohol. If you have a small fan, blow it towards your face to redirect the alcohol fumes. Take the mini-towel out to swallow, then reposition it back on the sore. If holding it in your mouth with your lips isn’t possible due to the sore’s location, the use of a latex glove or Saran wrap protecting your fingers is recommended. Re-soak the mini-towel every 15-minutes in alcohol, then pinch off the excess and reposition it back on the sore.

The target duration is to reach 45-minutes of continued direct contact so the alcohol saturates the inner layers of the skin where the outbreak initially self-replicated. After this step is complete, you have basically transformed your cold sore into a common sore (like a scrape or a bruise) which heals on average 3-6 times faster given the right conditions.

You should now apply just a small amount of Neosporin antibiotic ointment on the sore. Drink liquid food supplements (like Ensure by Abbott Labs or Boost by Nestlé HealthCare Nutrition) and water only through a straw for the rest of the day. If at all possible, continue the straw-fed regimen the following day. You can supplement nuts and small fruit like grapes or berries that simply pop into your mouth without touching your sore. Bite-sized food that’s bland and doesn’t require lip contact to separate (unlike a deli sandwich or spaghetti) should be fine. This will dramatically improve healing by keeping the sore dry, and away from aggravating salty or acidic foods.

WARNING: You need to examine your sore and the surrounding tissue every 5-minutes in a mirror during the 45-minute alcohol application period. Doing this will reduce the likelihood of an adverse event becoming a significant risk. Some people have an allergic reaction to isopropyl alcohol which is why it’s so important to check the status regularly. Obvious swelling or redness is a sign you should stop and check back in two hours. Do not substitute the alcohol with other chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide or nail polish remover. This can result in serious tissue damage requiring a hospital visit, as well as make you very sick. Keep the alcohol away from your eyes and nose. Wearing swimming goggles combined with the use of a fan directed towards your face during this process is strongly advised. The fumes alone can cause severe eye, nose, throat, and respiratory irritation lasting for days. Be very careful with the alcohol so close to your face.

Skin pigmentation discoloration and the development of dermal hypersensitivity associated with frequent and/or prolonged contact with isopropyl alcohol: Most of the data readily available associated with these rare occurrences involve OSHA Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) intended for workplace safety. Factory workers involved in large scale daily production are considered at risk. (See additional studies in PDF below.) The point being made here is that an established link between exposure and long term adverse events exists. In relationship to this treatment’s alcohol exposure duration and surface area affected, the risks should be quite low. However, no long term controlled study presently exists representing this treatment. If you have a pigmentation disorder (Vitiligo) or very parched, easily irritated skin or scalp/hair, this would not be an advisable solution to undertake.

If you’re concerned with the risks but still want to try the treatment, start off very slow. Start out with only 1 or 2-minutes of alcohol skin contact using a cotton swab (vs. the mini-towel). Every 3-hours of the day apply the swab for another 1 or 2-minutes. This is not as effective, but it will reduce the healing time. Follow the rest of the treatment steps. You can slowly up your alcohol application time as you become more familiar with the results. By the next time you get an outbreak, you’ll know weather or not you can zap it out with the target 45-minutes from your previous trials.

The controversy over the use of bleach: Household chlorine bleach is 5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite (a stabilized derivative of diatomic chlorine gas). This is a strong oxidizing agent capable of serious burns and cellular damage if not carefully diluted. Oxygen or peroxide bleach which contains hydrogen peroxide or peroxide-releasing compounds is a progressive, fast acting oxidizer. This makes it hard to predict outcome on a delicate lip sore. Sodium chlorate is another bleaching compound you’ll hopefully never run into. Due to an EC decision on the chemical and its associated hazards, it will be withdrawn from the market as of May 10th, 2010. Bleach does not discriminate between healthy and unhealthy cells, and at elevated concentrations, skin tissue will begin to break down as the powerful oxidizer works to sterilize everything in its path.

However, there is the rare exception. When bleach is diluted to about 60% strength (36,000-ppm) using the Clorox brand 6% sodium hypochlorite, it has been shown to be effective on cold sores using short duration applications. The first day of this treatment you’ll need to carry around a timer, cotton swabs, and worst of all, the diluted bleach. Like Houdini, bleach can work its way out of a container causing permanent damage to clothes, car seats/chairs, or carpet. Carry the smallest amount possible in a reliable hermetically sealed screw cap container, and reseal the container in a Ziploc bag. The steps to this method are as follows: Hold a saturated swab 1 to 2-minutes on the early stage blister. Don’t rub the swab to attain full coverage. If the blister is larger than the swab’s tip, use two swabs. Repeat the process every 3-hours with no more than 6 applications in 24-hours. You should experience positive results the following day. If possible, start this treatment when you first wake up so you can follow through with at least 4 of the 6 consecutive tri-hourly applications. This is essential because each application is significantly dependant on the other to bring down the infection.

Compared with isopropyl alcohol, the use of bleach is less effective, although still provides better results than most OTC medications. Bleach is a more powerful germicide, and thus lacks restraint during its search and destroy mission for pathogens. Isopropyl alcohol is absorbed more efficiently and targets the viral infection with less collateral damage to healthy live cells. Bleach cannot be used in adequate strengths for extended periods because of its destructive nature. In addition, concentration levels in chlorine bleach are not monitored as closely as FDA approved skin disinfectants. Because bleach comes in so many different brands, mixtures and strengths, calculating acceptable dilution ratios without knowing what you’re using would be ridiculous. Despite bleach not being an allergen, tolerance levels vary widely from person to person. Minuscule amounts can react with other substances to cause serious problems. Furthermore, chlorine’s toxicity threshold is so vast, it’s currently undefined. Therefore, bleach is not recommended unless you know exactly what you’re getting into.

The controversy over the use of ice: Some people have claimed ice has helped shrink the cold sore resulting in an accelerated healing. Others have gone so far as to say the repeated use of ice has killed off the virus completely. In actuality, to kill off the cold sore with the use of ice alone, you would have to use the dry form which would be insane. At temperatures below 195-K (-78.2 °C, -108.7 °F) on delicate facial tissue, dry ice will cause serious burns, and likely lead to permanent scaring. Therefore, never attempt to use wart removal kits of any kind for this purpose.

Water ice wafers can be made by simply filling an ice tray ¼ of the way full. The ice wafers are thin enough to fit nicely between the lips while reducing the risk of chilling a tooth nerve (vs. a full size cube). The ice will numb the pain providing some short term relief. However, ice unfortunately produces additional moisture which is what the virus thrives on. Putting the ice in a plastic bag is a far better idea if you feel you need it. Overall, the use of ice on canker sores (especially blister stage oral herpes) has shown inadequate results in randomized controlled clinical trials as well as large scale systematic reviews. Some physicians recommend it, so if you feel it’s effective, then continue using the ice in a bag.  

Fomite removal is a crucial last step in the recovery process. Replace your toothbrush with a brand new one. Swap out your washcloth, bed pillow covers (bed sheets too if you want to be extra careful). Thoroughly wash coffee cups, glassware and utensils. Toss out the used Chapstick/lip ointments that may have been in contact with your sore. Sorry, but yes… Stay away from your spouse/kids until it heals. This method is also effective on Athlete’s Foot (tinea pedis) fungal infection.

As with all medical advice, talk to a qualified healthcare professional about your medical conditions before undertaking any treatment. Getting multiple opinions before making a decision is always a good idea. Be careful with this information provided, and good luck.

Written by Lab Rat v-Ki-ras2

Dermal exposure and acute toxicity data for Isopropyl Alcohol (condensed).

The following links are to the above PDF files:

Isopropanol Exposure Data

http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol71/mono71-45.pdf

Isopropyl Alcohol Acute Toxicity Summary

http://oehha.ca.gov/air/acute_rels/pdf/67630A.pdf

Dermal Absorption & Pharmacokinetics of Isopropanol

http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/cgi/reprint/26/3/197.pdf

Effects of Isopropanol, Journal of Immunology

http://www.jimmunol.org/cgi/reprint/181/4/2348.pdf

Note: Isopropanol and isopropyl alcohol are the same substance. There is another isomer, n-propanol or n-propyl alcohol. “Isopropanol” is an incorrect mix of two different naming systems. The “ol” suffix is part of the IUPAC system of nomenclature. The “iso” prefix is part of the common system of nomenclature. This should be noted when doing your own research on this chemical.

This Blog does not endorse, support, or affiliate with any of the automatically placed advertisement banners or footnotes soliciting goods or services.

Whole house water filters are the ideal choice for people that are interested in having a home that delivers sparkling, clean water. Together with imparting good drinking water all over the house, a whole house water filter also provides effects such as removing impurities that instigate spotting in water that is used to rinse dishes. Unfiltered water can also initiate hitch such as corroding plumbing and appliances, tarnishing clothing that is washed and tinge sinks or showers. Although whole house water filters are as a rule used in residential homes, they might also be an useful preference for apartments or offices.

Whole house water filters disinfect water in the same mode that other filters, such as countertop or under sink filters, do. The discrepancy is that it asks no more than one filter, which is operated to the key water source, instead of needing multiple water filters to be fixed to many devices.
Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier
Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier

I was editing an episode featuring a green hotel in California when i noticed this rather interesting device they were using to clean their surfaces.

It’s called the Lotus Sanitizing System and it looks kinda like a small spray bottle. Apparently, all you have to do is fill it with tap water and put it on the special base it comes with for a while. What the machine does is infuse the tap water with Ozone to make it a powerful cleaning agent 52% stronger than bleach! Give it an hour or two and it’ll turn right back into regular tap water.

The beauty of it? Never will you have to buy another harmful chemical household cleaner again. Save resources, save money and protects your health. Now how cool is that?

A lot has been made over the spread of MRSA within hospitals and other medical facilities. MRSA is a strain of staph bacteria that is resistant to even the strongest antibiotics, and is responsible for infections that are not easily clear-up. Eradicating MRSA has proven difficult and it continues to be a problem in many places. Researchers in Israel have found an often ignored area that is a potential vector for the spread of drug-resistant pathogens: chest X-ray equipment.

The researchers observed technicians perform nearly 200 chest X-rays and found that proper sanitation protocol was followed only 1% of the time. Drug-resistant bacteria was found on 39% of the X-ray machines. Then, after educating the technicians on correct protocol, the rate of compliance went up to 42%, which is far from perfect, but more importantly none of the machines tested positive for resistant bacteria. The lesson here is that with timely intervention and proper education, a facility can decrease or eliminate the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA on their equipment.

Read more about this research here.

The school bell is about to ring!

In a very short time kids, young adults and adults will be flooding the hallways of schools, colleges and universities around North America.  It’s an exciting time for many!

• New clothes,
• New books,
• New teachers,
• New friends
• And exposure to H1N1…SWINE FLU!

What can we do to protect ourselves and our families?  Get armed with the best information and the right tools!

When you understand the opponent, then you will know how to protect and defend you and your family from it.  Here’s what you need to know; The Center for Disease Control (CDC) posted the following Q&A segme

nt on their website giving more insight to SWINE FLU or H1N1

Is novel H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that novel H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.

How does novel H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of novel H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

Now that you know a little more about what you are fighting and how it is spread, it is time to arm yourself and your family.

BE PROACTIVE!

Schools gearing up for a new year are working hard to improve germ control and sanitation standards.  It’s not enough to depend on our schools to clean.  Our families need to be prepared and proactive when it comes to fighting the war on Swine Flu!

You and your family should arm themselves by carrying the proper H1N1 surface and hand sanitizers.  The CDC recommends fighting this germ in the following way:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze – Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

MAKE VIRAGUARD YOUR GERM FIGHTING ALLI – HERE’S WHY…

Kill bad bacteria, germs and disease with Viraguard. Veridien’s patented Viraguard® formulation kills harmful infectious pathogens in clinical, residential and industrial environments, while not harming those who use our products. This formulation is environmentally compatible and a highly effective solution for the disinfection of hard inanimate surfaces. The Viraguard® formulation is registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a hard surface disinfectant. Sold in several convenient forms, Viraguard® provides multiple ways to kill bacteria and germs, and protects against the transmission of disease by killing the pathogens responsible for spread of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, Influenza (flu), Tuberculosis (TB), Athletes Foot and other Fungus, MRSA, VRE, and other forms of bacteria and virus.

Viraguard® hand antiseptic products are drug listed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in sanitizing hands when soap and water are not available, and kill bad bacteria and germs from hands.

The patented Viraguard® formulation utilizes Isopropanol (Isopropyl Alcohol) in its optimum concentration, combined with other ingredients, to meet both EPA and FDA requirements, without the need for harmful or residue producing chemicals such as Quaternary Ammonium, Phenols, Chlorine, or Glutaraldehyde. A mild citrus scent makes Viraguard® disinfectant ideal for use in hospitals, private practice offices, ambulances, police, fire and paramedic vehicles, nursing homes and anywhere that disinfection and antisepsis is critical. Viraguard® hard surface disinfectants are available in liquid and wipes packages, providing multiple ways to kill bacteria and germs. Viraguard® antiseptic hand cleanser is available in fresh scented hand wipes and hand gel, as well as three fruit scented and original scent non-aerosol hand sprays.

Good discussion came up on IRC today, regarding sanitizing of the data.

I’d like to clear up a little confusion and hopefully set the record straight on the sanitizing of data.

First, we need to keep in mind that there are two types of “evil” data, which most web developers are worried about.
One can hurt your database and the other one that can hurt your HTML pages.

Therefore, it is generally advisable to protect your web application against:

1. SQL Injection
and
2. XSS, or cross-site scripting.

It is, however, important not to mix up the two and realize at which point it is appropriate to protect yourself (or your app) from harm.

First, the good news. With CakePHP you are automatically protected from SQL injection IF you use CakePHP’s ORM methods (such as find() and save()) and proper array notation as outlined in the manual. The bad news is that if you are playing around with plain SQL or do not adhere to proper CakePHP syntax of writing queries, you could still be vulnerable to an SQL injection attack.

To be a little more specific, CakePHP will quote and escape all fields and values in your queries, assuming you’re following the rules, to keep your DB nice and safe.
(If you care about more details, see here).
It is important to note, that updateAll() does not escape the fields, so be cautious when using it.

So, technically you have to worry very little about SQL injection when working with CakePHP.

Now, what about user inputting some evil scripts into your blog to hijack your site?

I think the most important point here is that any HTML script, tag or trick is perfectly safe to store in your database as is.
The basic rule is that you do not need to sanitize HTML data in any way before saving it into the database.

When you are concerned about XSS it is the output of data from the database that you need to worry about. If you display raw data from the DB, it is quite possible that you’ll have “evil scripts” injected into your page. With CakePHP it is easy to combat enough with a handy h() method.

Are there cases where you must sanitize HTML before saving it to the database?
Probably, but I can’t really think of any.
Even if your application requires it, you might want to create two fields in the relevant table raw_data and sanitized_data, as an example.

P.S. AD7six just proposed an excellent question, which he also answered just as well… Why allow script code to be stored in some user’s profile? The answer is that having this raw (although unwanted) data is useful for tracking and dealing with malicious users. That’s where having two fields in the table to store sanitized and raw data might come in very handy. If you remove the script tags prior to storing the user information, it’ll become much harder to find and flag users who are obviously trying to screw with your app.

The Maytag MVWB800VQ Washer at Leiberts.com, works differently than most washers that you are accustomed to. The most striking difference is that the top load washer uses a new innovative IntelliClean impeller at the bottom of the wash basket that moves your load through a mixture of water and detergent. This virtually “touchless” system gives you a new clean while reducing wear on your clothes. The MVWB800VQ features an automatic Oxi-Clean fabric dispenser, releasing oxygenated stain-fighters at the right moment during the cycle to remove stains. The Sanitary and Super Wash cycles remove at least 95% of tested allergens, which include dust mites and pet dander. Its also insulated with the QuietSeries&trade 400 sound package to reduce washer operation sounds and noises. With a MVWB800VQ, your clothes will be cleaner & you’ll save on utility costs with an energy & water efficient machine from Maytag.

The Bosch 800 WFMC8401UC model at Leiberts.com is one of the most efficient front loaders that are out in the market. Heavy-duty and gentle at the same time, this washer marks the signature quality of Bosch. As with any other Bosch washers, the Bosch 800 WFMC8401UC also has the quietest motor and more stable grounding that doing the laundry can be such a peaceful activity. With its 54 db quiet performance, this washer spins at a 1,200 rpm speed to wring out the most moisture out of clothes before they are put inside the dryer. Its also packed with great features like the XXTRASANITARY, JEANS & KIDSCARE cycles to make laundry washing easier, sanitizing, more convenient, and safer for different types of fabric. It is also very cost efficient because of its low water and detergent usage and reduced electricity consumption by 72%. Overall, the Bosch 800 WFMC8401UC is a very efficient washer with energy-saving capabilities not only benefit the user but the environment as well.

We spend a good portion of our days communicating.  We call people, listen to and respond to voice mail, and we text all from our handy dandy cell phone.  Do you know what else we can do from our cell phones?  Get sick!

Recently doctors and infectious disease specialists found MULTIPLE strands of germs and bacteria on 95% of cell phones tested.

Just think of all the things your cell phone comes in contact with throughout the day:

• Various surfaces
• Inside pockets and purses
  
• Make-up
• Saliva
• Oils
• Bacteria
• Stray pieces of lunch and other debris
  

Since we use our cell phones frequently and they come in CLOSE contact with our face and mouth, prolonged use of an unsanitary cell phone could result in:

• acne
  
• infections including Staph, Meningitis, e-Coli, MRSA and Flu

Buzz word:  Flu…what about the Swine Flu?  Wonder if I can contract it through a grimy cell phone???

Hmmmm.  I’m not taking any chances…think I’ll pick up some disinfectant right away….COME SHOPPING WITH ME!

What does all the Pandemic hype mean?  How do you stay healthy? I’ve got answers for you!  It’s important for you to know what you are dealing with in common terms.

PANDEMIC: as defined by Wikipedia; an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads through populations across a large region; for instance a continent, or even worldwide.

The World Health Organization has six phases of pandemic alert to assess the potential for a new global flu outbreak.

- Phase 1. There are no viruses circulating in animals that have been reported to cause infections in humans.

- Phase 2. An animal flu virus has caused infections in humans in the past and is considered to be a potential pandemic threat.

- Phase 3. An animal or mixed animal-human virus has caused occasional cases or small clusters of disease, but the virus does not spread easily. The world is currently in phase 3, with H5N1 bird flu viruses sporadically infecting humans and occasionally spreading from human to human.

- Phase 4. The new virus can cause sustained outbreaks and is adapting itself to human spread.

- Phase 5. The virus has spread into at least two countries and is causing even bigger outbreaks.

- Phase 6. More outbreaks in at least two regions of the world; the pandemic is under way.

If the World Health Organization raises its pandemic alert level to 4 or 5, that means that the swine flu virus is spreading between humans. If the level rises to 4 or 5, governments should get their pandemic preparedness plans ready and increase detection systems for potential cases.

The CDC offers the following advice to stay healthy:

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

• Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
  • Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection
(As of M

ay

4, 2009, 6:58 PM ET)
Laboratory confirmed cases by State

Alabama 4

Arizona 17

California 30

Colorado 7

Connecticut 2

Delaware 20

Florida 5

Idaho 1

Illinois 8

Indiana 3

Iowa 1

Kansas 2

Kentucky* 1

Louisiana 7

Maryland 4

Massachusetts 6

Michigan 2

Minnesota 1

Missouri 1

Nebraska 1

Nevada 1

New Hampshire 1

New Jersey 7

New Mexico 1

New York 73

North Carolina 1

Ohio 3

Oregon 3

Pennsylvania 1

Rhode Island 1

South Carolina 15

Tennessee 1

Texas 41

Utah 1

Virginia 3

Wisconsin 3

TOTAL (36) 279 cases 1 death