Tag Archives: germs

Three sets of EcoHydra hand sanitisers to be won – competition now closed!

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There are more than 10 million germs on the average hand, which is why washing them is not only a question of hygiene but a proven lifesaver.

Germs on hands can promote colds, influenza, skin infections, and even food poisoning – particularly if you don’t wash them after going to the toilet. And the real nasties here are MRSA, E.Coli, Bird Flu, Norovirus and SARS.

If you look at a bottle of typical hand sanitiser, you will see the majority percentage is ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol. That is same ingredient in beer, wine and Jack Daniels, meaning that 1 small bottle of hand sanitiser is equivalent to 4 shots of vodka! Not something you want around your children!

 
A quick search on youtube for drinking hand sanitiser results in a list of videos showing teenagers drinking it for an alcohol fix! With this trend continuing, experts are now telling parents not to leave their hand sanitiser lying round the house because the same product which you are using to stop you from getting sick could actually make your children sick.
 
With such extreme stories hitting the news, why are these hand sanitisers still being sold when they are non alcoholic versions on the market which are actually more effective?!
 
A typical high street alcohol sanitiser will kill 99.9% of germs, leaving a grimy 10,000 still breeding and being passed along. Available from Boots, alcohol free EcoHydra is approved and used by the NHS and consistently kills up to 99.9999%, leaving no more than 10 germs on hands and making it one of the most  effective hand sanitisers available.

Ecohydra costs £2.49 for 50ml (handbag size) and £3.99 for 210ml. Buy at Boots stores and online at www.boots.com.

THIS COMPETITION WAS WON BY ANN GUILLIM, OF POTTERS BAR, HERTS; JOANNE JACKSON FROM WOLVERHAMPTON AND SIMON (who has not claimed his prize to date).

We have three sets of the both the 50ml and the 210 ml EcoHydra handsanitisers to be give away. To win these prizes just answer the simple question below:

Shocking state of UK home cleanliness, new study from Zoflora experts

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ZOFLORA, the home cleanliness experts, mark 90 years of keeping British homes armed against nasty bugs and bacteria. Their little bottles of household disinfectant have become one of the nation’s favourites since the company’s founding in 1922. Below you can see photos of how the range has changed over time.
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But have the nation’s cleaning habits changed since then?  Well according to a recent study by Zoflora, we are still at risk, with our homes “a hotbed of potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses with all too many people failing to eliminate them through proper cleaning.”
Bacteria and viruses can trigger sometimes serious health problems unless they are eliminated from surfaces around the house. The World Health Organisation says that about 40% of food-related outbreaks occur in the home.
To paint a picture of the attitudes and habits of householders when it comes to cleanliness and tidiness, Zoflora commissioned a study of 2,000 adults from across the UK. Ninety percent of study respondents admitted their homes were not clean with just 5% noting their home was spotlessly clean and 6% highlighting that they were immaculately tidy. 
• Two thirds (66%) of us reckon our homes should be cleaner than they are. 
• One in five (19%) of us admit our homes are not clean at all. 
Dirty dish cloth shock
The same research also found that 20% of people clean with the same cloth for over a fortnight without disinfecting it or replacing it and wet cloths are one of the biggest breeding grounds for microbes in the home!

Smells…
In the same Zoflora research study, just two in 10 (20%) correctly agreed with the statement that ‘a bad smell in the house meant that surfaces were unhygienic’. By far, the two most common causes of unpleasant household smells were old food in the bin (20%) and pets (20%). Other reasons included young children and toilet smells. 
However, when asked what they did when they had a bad smell in the home, less than one quarter of people (23%) said they would clean the location or cause of the bad smell. Other ways of dealing with the smell included opening windows (25%), burning a fragrant candle (19%) and spraying perfume or even deodorant around the home (7%). However, while scents can mask a smell they don’t address the cause of the problem, leaving potentially harmful bacteria lurking and multiplying.

Mess...
Very few people are happy with an untidy and unclean house. 
• One third (33%) said it made them feel stressed
• 20% felt anxious
• 13% felt depressed. 
The aspects that worry people the most about having an untidy or messy home are that others may come round and see an unclean house (28%) or that the clutter makes them feel trapped (28%). Just 16% are most worried that it could be unhygienic. Just under one-third of people (32%) admit that having an unclean house can keep them awake at night. Of these people four in five (81%) have got up at some time between midnight and 4am.
Fewer than one in ten (8%) said they employed a cleaner, with the most common reason not to have one being given as not being able to afford one (46%). 
• Nearly a quarter (23%) said that pride stopped them from having a cleaner and they were quite capable of looking after their own home while 17% said they did not like the idea of a stranger in their home. 
• Of those with a cleaner, more than half (60%) said they cleaned around the house a bit before the cleaner arrived because they were embarrassed about the state of their home.
The importance of fragrance
The majority of people like rooms to smell good (71%), and nearly one in five (18%) said they would walk out of a room if it had a bad smell. A quarter of people (26%) said that smell affected their mood. When it comes to scent choices, the Zoflora research study found that:
♣ Linen fresh is the most popular choice of how people would like their homes to smell, followed by:
¥  Warm Cinnamon 
¥ Citrus Fresh 
¥  Lavender 
¥ Cherry Blossom 
Zoflora fragrance and home bacteria expert, Nicola Hobbs notes: “Our homes are fertile breeding grounds for bacteria to grow and multiply. Common microbes found in our houses include ‘superbug’ methicillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and bacteria like Campylobacter, a common source of food poisoning. A study commissioned by Zoflora found that a shower head had 300,000 times more bacteria than a set of front door keys – bacteria thrive in warm, damp places. Research has shown that flushing a toilet sends a spray of water droplets into the air which may be contaminated with bacteria and viruses, and that these germs can float around in the bathroom for at least two hours after each flush before landing on surfaces. A study of 60 kitchens where raw chicken was prepared found that bacteria were frequently spread around – and that cleani
ng with detergent and hot water had little effect compared with the cleaning action of a disinfectant.
“There is no getting away from it: homes are havens for bacteria. That said, with the right cleaning routine and the best products, bacteria needn’t be left to thrive to the point where they become a health hazard. It’s important to clean the home regularly and frequently and use a disinfectant that is proven to work on bacteria and viruses. Bad smells can be an important sign of bacteria present on a surface or area in the house, so it’s crucial it’s dealt with properly. Simply masking the smell with an air freshener or other scents is no good – it’s crucial the cause of the problem is tackled thoroughly.
“The good news is that if you use Zoflora as a disinfectant as part of your cleaning routine, you can not only be confident that it will kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses but also that it will banish any unwanted odours and leave a long-lasting freshness. Having a really clean and fragrant house needn’t be onerous or expensive. It is simply a matter of choosing the right product, and longevity of Zoflora – now celebrating its 90th anniversary – shows that it has been, and still is, trusted by many to do just that job.”
Guest habits…
Around one-third of participants in the survey (36%) had found that visitors had started cleaning their home without being asked, most commonly a parent or parent-in-law. More than half (56%) of those affected in this way didn’t mind, but a further 20% thought it ‘a bit odd’ and 21% were upset or angry. Over half of those surveyed (58%) said they asked people to take off their shoes when they visited. Over a quarter (27%) say they always take their shoes off in other people’s homes and another quarter (24%) do so when they remember. Nearly one-third (31%) take them off if prompted but a stubborn 18% say they try not to or even refuse outright.
Zoflora – www.zoflora.co.uk or www,facebook.com/lovezoflora or @LoveZoflora on twitter
The survey of 2,000 UK adults was commissioned by Zoflora and conducted by OnePoll on October 2012.
About Zoflora 
Zoflora’s range of disinfectant products have been protecting and disinfecting British homes for over 90 years. It is a unique concentrated disinfectant that kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, eliminates odours and comes in a range of 12 long-lasting fragrances. Simply added to water, Zoflora can be used all over the home – including floors, tiles, work surfaces, sinks, toilets and bins. The concentrated formula can be diluted 1 part Zoflora to 40 parts water to make full strength disinfectant for large areas, such as floors and bathrooms, making them hygienically clean and welcoming. With its three in one action, Zoflora kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, eliminates household odours and leaves a long lasting-scent. Zoflora is available nationwide from supermarkets, pharmacies and other retail outlets. Zoflora is available in 12 fragrances including Cherry Blossom, Citrus Fresh and Lavender and Linen Fresh. A variety of the Zoflora fragrances are available in each size.
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What lurks in your home?

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London: The kitchen tap is dirtier than the toilet seat when it comes to bacterial contamination according to a new study.

The study, carried out by the Hygiene Council and supported by Dettol, reveals Britons’ poor hygiene practices in the home, which are putting people at risk from the spread of germs and infectious disease. With the World Health Organisation reporting the first global flu pandemic for 41 years, the study findings are especially worrying as they suggest that modern British households are in danger of germ contamination.

When it comes to bacteria and viruses, appearances can be deceiving. As they cannot be seen by the naked eye, we often assume items are ‘clean’ when in ‘microbiological’ terms they are not.

In this video, food safety consultant Dr Lisa Ackerley tells us more about the findings of the Hygiene In The Home study 2009, showing us where the germ hot spots are with the help of swab test evidence and advice on what to do about the nasties that lurk there.

Anything coming into regular human contact can be a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria – from your remote control and telephone to the worst culprit, the kitchen cloth. Keeping a home clean and hygienic doesn’t have to be a chore – here are some simple tips to ensure your house is a germ-free zone.

TO WATCH VIDEO, CLICK HERE:VIDEO

For more information visit www.hygienecouncil.com

Flu spreads the commuter transport system

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London: One sneeze from a rush-hour commuter can end up giving up to 150 fellow passengers a cold in just five minutes, researchers have found.

Unless they are contained in a tissue or handkerchief, the germs spread so quickly that within seconds they are being passed on via handrails on escalators or seats on trains and even on discarded newspapers, revealed the study.

Each sneeze contains around 100,000 droplets at a speed of 90 mph.

The researchers surveyed 1,300 workers, on behalf of flu drink Lemsip, about their health and found almost all commuters suffered at least one cold last winter.

The results were analysed by cold and flu expert Dr Roger Henderson, who looked at the daily commute of the sneeze itself.

Up to 10 per cent of all commuters will come into contact with an area infected by that one sneeze, Dr Henderson calculated.

In the busiest areas, such as escalators at stations, this amounts to around 150 people during rush hour, he said.

The research found that in contrast, only 58 per cent of those who work from home regularly caught a cold last winter.

This compares with 99 per cent who travel by Tube, 98 per cent who go by bus and 96 per cent of train passengers. But it falls to 88 per cent of those who walk to and from work, according to the survey.

A new survey says up to 10 per cent of all commuters will come into contact with sneeze-infected areas

They found 20 per cent are annoyed by fellow travellers sneezing without using a tissue and 33 per cent are angered by those who cough without covering their mouths.
Men are more likely to be at fault – one in three do not carry a tissue compared with 81 per cent of women.

Relentless sniffing gets on the nerves of 12 per cent of travellers, although throat-clearing is only an issue for three per cent.

But most will either walk away or grin and bear it. Only eight per cent will actually say anything to an annoying sneezer or cougher sitting next to them.

Perhaps they realise they are just as guilty as two thirds (67 per cent) admit to travelling in to work even when they are feeling ill.

The company is offering cold and flue advice which includes stocking up on tissues and not leaving old newspapers behind.

The winter flu season – no better time to quit smoking?

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London: The smoking ban, which came into effect earlier this year, leaves the UK’s 12 million smokers facing a very bleak winter… So if hanging outside in the bitter cold to indulge in a cigarette doesn’t seem like such a good idea any more, there really is no better time to finally kick the habit.

The good news for those determined to stop smoking this season is that from the moment you have your last cigarette, your body begins to heal. It only takes 20 minutes for your blood pressure to return to normal. Within 24 hours the carbon monoxide levels in your blood will drop. After 48 hours nicotine is eliminated from the body and there’s an improvement in taste and smell. If giving up for just two days can have this kind of effect, just imagine how good you’ll feel if you give up for good.

But trying to go it alone in your quit attempt is not the route to success, only 3% of smokers who attempt to quit using willpower alone are smokefree a year later. But, it seems even brief advice from a healthcare professional can increase the likelihood of a smoker staying off cigarettes by up to 30%. As support is fundamental to quitting, a campaign called SERIOUSQUITTERS has launched to offer just that, a support system for those aiming to stub it out for good.

TV presenter Kate Thornton was herself a former smoker, explains why she is supporting the new Serious Quitters campaign: “Giving up smoking was one of the hardest but also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I would urge any smoker to stop and really think about what they are doing to themselves every time they light up. I never ever thought I could do it. That is why I am urging smokers who want to quit to access the information and support available from SERIOUSQUITTERS and hopefully taking the first step in stopping for good.”

For more information visit www.seriousquitters.co.uk