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“Vacuuming reduces the bulk of household dust and reduces the overall exposure burden but does not change the concentration of allergen (i.e., micrograms per gram of settled dust).”
“After 7 weeks [of vacuuming every other day] the number of mite eggs and house dust mites had increased enormously.”
Dust raised by vacuuming in homes with cats increases cat allergens, researchers announced at the 2002 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). Robin Gore, MD, and colleagues from North West Lung Centre, Manchester, UK, used an intranasal air sampler to assess personal cat allergen exposure in homes with cats when vacuuming with modern and old vacuum cleaners. Results indicated that cat allergen exposure was 3.7 times higher during vacuuming than before the room was vacuumed. Researchers found no difference in the amount of cat allergen in the air when vacuuming with the new HEPA vacuum cleaners or old vacuum cleaners.
“These data indicate that steam cleaning has considerable potential as highly effective and efficient method of killing dust mites and reducing concentrations in domestic premises.”
Vapor steam cleaners use true stream, at high temperatures and low moisture levels, to sanitize, deep clean and deodorize in one operation without using household cleaning chemicals. The steam produced by vapor steam cleaners dry steam -- of very low moisture content -- usually less than six percent water, which is actually less water content than the air we breathe. Unlike "steam cleaners" that use hot water to clean and can leave carpets wet, carpets cleaned with vapor steam cleaners typically dry within 15 minutes. What this means for allergy sufferers is the steam penetrates the pores of the material being cleaned to kill dust mites, viruses, molds and fungi. Because it does not leave the material soaking wet, it prevents the material from becoming a breeding ground for mold, mildew and dust mites
“This study is aimed to investigate the feasibility of household steam and vacuum/steam cleaners in reducing pathogenic and spoilage bacterial populations on surfaces of pork skin contaminated with E.coli O157:H7. Pork skin surfaces were contaminated with a five strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7 at 107 or 105 cfu/ 10 cm2 area. The contaminated pork skin was treated by three commercial household cleaning systems for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 sec, respectively. The application of steam and steam/vacuum yielded a reduction in populations of E. coli O157:H7 up to 7.38, 4.85, and 5.79 log cfu/10 cm2 (P < 0.05) with a treatment time of 60, 180 and 180 sec, respectively at 107 cfu/ 10 cm2 inoculation level. A similar trend was observed in the reduction of total plate counts and thermoduric bacteria counts at both inoculation levels. Significant differences were observed between different inoculation levels, treatment times, and type of steam and steam/vacuum systems used (P < 0.05). The study infers that the commercial household cleaning systems' could be effectively used by small and very small meat processing facilities as a part of HACCP system.”
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