When we think of spring, we may immediately think of outdoor allergens, open windows, and sniffles and sneezes that tend to return with a vengeance.
But when it comes time to invigorate your home or office space with a little spring cleaning, you may want to instead focus on the microbial contaminants that are easily spread from surface to surface and cycle through your air. The best way to assess these airborne contaminants is with InstaScope.
Thus, we are here to identify the top three areas that merit your attention, as well as some of the more specific items that can be inspected with InstaScope and are apt to become contaminated with time and neglect:
#1: The Kitchen
What if we told you that, according to a study conducted by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), the kitchen was rated highest in terms of microbial contamination?
When it comes to surfaces, specifically, kitchen sponges and dish rags — as well as kitchen sinks — were among the most highly-contaminated items to be found in one’s household, particularly as these items are consistently exposed to large volumes of water and other contaminants (such as food particles and chemicals). Further issues arise when mold growth in, under, and around a sink becomes airborne.
Additionally, it’s important not to forget the coffee maker. Also highly-rated in terms of bacteria and mold growth, coffee reservoirs may prove hazardous if not regularly cleaned.
#2: The Bathroom
How often do you think to clean your toothbrush holder, of all things? After all, not only will the holder itself accumulate moisture as a result of your damp toothbrush and its proximity to the shower but, every time you flush your toilet, you may be unwittingly spreading germs onto the shared surface.
Thus, the toilet bowl and toothbrush holder give us cause to rank the bathroom space as number two on our list. And, according to a study conducted on the microbial hazards of household toilets, the bowl itself might just be one of the surfaces most in need of your spring cleaning attention.
“Large numbers of bacteria and viruses when seeded into household toilets were shown to remain in the bowl after flushing, and even continual flushing could not remove a persistent fraction,” as explained by the aforementioned study. “This was found to be due to the adsorption of the organisms to the porcelain surfaces of the bowl, with gradual elution occurring after each flush.”
Additionally, any water leakage from showers, tubs, and sinks can lead to built up mold growth and increased exposure, all of which should be assessed using InstaScope.
#3: The Carpeting
The softer the surface, the more likely it is to trap fine particle contaminants. What’s more, when that surface is disturbed, those particles are released back into the air in what’s called “resuspension.” (Check out our video for more on “resuspension”.)
“The use of carpets is linked to increased levels of indoor dusts, allergens, and microorganisms, and associated with increased risk of a number of health outcomes including mild cognitive effects, irritative symptoms, and asthma,” according to a 2018 literature review.
Accordingly, a study published by Charles River Laboratories has confirmed that both the quantity and diversity of microorganisms within a home may be influenced not only by the location and types of surfaces found but the human activities that occur on and/or around them. This means the more people there are, the more airborne biological loading can also be present; all something that can be assessed using InstaScope technology to mitigate increased exposure.
Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that you and/or your clients should always pay attention to areas of miscellaneous moisture (such as attics and basements) that are particularly susceptible to moisture intrusion, as moisture and warmth make an ideal environment for mold growth. These often go unnoticed until it is too late and large remediation projects are needed.
To stay on top of whether or not your home or office is contaminated, we recommend using InstaScope to help determine what airborne contaminants are present.
In real-time, the InstaScope can sample and measure the overall air biological loads within a given space, offering you the ability to test the indoor air quality in any room an unlimited number of times. Precise and user-friendly, this revolutionary technology is capable of generating whole area scans that provide you with the comprehensive answers you’ve long-sought, thereby leading you to effective solutions and overall improved indoor air quality. It’s the missing puzzle piece to the indoor air quality puzzle!
Are you a service provider and ready to equip yourself with the resources you need to enhance IAQ inspection for customers worried about airborne contaminants? Then it’s time to turn to the InstaScope! To learn more about the InstaScope and its capabilities, contact DetectionTek today by calling 720-410-7030 or emailing info@instascope.co.
