Looking forward to seeing my regular customers out West and making new ones at the Home & Garden Show - Trusts Arena, Waitakere 27-29th April.  I have a few free tickets if interested!  Email me; info@cleanfreshair.co.nz

We have some new products for you to come and see!  Everything Tea-Tree; anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral - all 100% natural.

We will be exhibiting our complete range of Tea Tree Oil based products at special expo prices along with providing information at our seminar talk each day.  Protect your home and workplace naturally with ‘Clean Fresh Air’.  ALSO Enjoy the natural and yummy food products at the extended Better Food Fair aligned with this expo.

I have 12 free tickets to give away to loyal customers.  Please contact me if you would like one.  Deb.

A recent study by teams from Harvard  Syracuse Universities have found that employees working in a 'green environment' (where ventilation was improved and levels of carbon dioxide and emissions were reduced), cognitive performance increased dramatically. Working in air-conditioned environments results in a cycling of shared air.  Improve the air you breathe by introducing not only live plants, but insist on placing units of our 100% natural evaporative gel on tops of Heat pumps and within air-con units.  Use our spray when cleaning filters.... 

So excited to announce a new product to our range that will help balance mind, body and soul while helping to create a relaxed and purified environment - Clean Fresh Air - naturally. 

Our beautiful wood look diffusers (in light or dark wood) ultrasonically humidifies the air you breathe as the summer months rob us of needed moisture. 

So good to know we can open our windows now and let fresh dry air in to ventilate our homes.  We spend nearly 90% of our time indoors, so indoor air quality is becoming increasingly recognised as a contributing factor in health.  Tip for today; houseplants such as spider plants and peace lilies act as living air purifiers, so bring nature indoors!  Look for us in the latest Spring edition of Living with Allergies magazine.

MOULD LOVES damp, cool, still air. It also loves to feed and expand on sources like cotton (backs of curtains), leather – your handbags and your leather shoes (nooooooo!), window sills, shower silicone, ceilings and dust.

Preventing mould in your home involves: -

1. Eliminating or minimising sources of moisture
2. Using a dehumidifier in damper areas of your home
3. Insulating and heating your home
4. Preventing air from getting trapped
5. Cleaning regularly – preferably with natural products like our Tea-Tree spray
6. Ventilating with open windows on sunny days.
7. Popping a tub of our Tea-Tree evaporative gel open in problematic areas! 😊 

The main sources of moisture in New Zealand homes are cooking, showering, airing washing indoors, using un-flued gas heaters, and – for homes with raised timber floors – rising damp. 

More tips on minimising mould in our next blog! Ps…. Summer isn’t a myth.

So, your home has suffered some leaks, maybe total flooding, or maybe you have a damp/musty room. What are the real risks and what can you do about it now when getting a new kitchen installed or a builder available to do repairs has a wait list of up to six months!

First of all, let’s see what mould spores actually do to you; the World Health Organisation (WHO) specifically mentions a pneumonia-like illness and brain-bleeds as being a particular condition that arises from mould exposure along with a huge host of terrifying health complaints. The WHO also states that children are particularly susceptible to mould and its effects due to the way mould specifically attacks rapidly growing lung tissue.

When authorities talk about homes, they mainly talk about moisture – not mould. If they do approach mould they say things like “mould causes asthma, respiratory issues and occasionally other things.” Mould is painted as an irritant and little more. This is terribly misleading according to recent studies and educational material produced by the World Health Organisation. Most people who see mould in their homes would be shocked to know that mycotoxins are so dangerous they can be refined and used as chemical warfare agents.

What can you do?

In addition to visible mould, other signs of damp problems may include: mould odour, water stains, frequent condensation, peeling or cracked paint or wall paper, damp basement, and standing water under or around the house.

There are several practicable measures you can take to prevent or minimize indoor mould. These include adequately heating and, in colder climates, insulating your home to reduce air humidity levels and condensation.  On sunny days especially, open windows as much as practical, consider installing a heat pump and use a dehumidifier, particularly in areas where water vapour may be emitted such as bathrooms and laundries.  Position our Tea Tree gel units (with fan dispenser) in particularly bad spots as the natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties of our top-quality Tea Tree Oil acts as your natural defence to mould spores.  Tea Tree vapour breaks down the molecular wall structure of the mould spore, stopping mould from taking hold.

If you find visible mould in your home, remove the mould safely; wear a mask, use our Tea Tree solution and spray the affected area. Return after a couple of hours to wipe away the ‘dead’ mould or hoover carpet and identify and address the cause of the excess moisture.  You may need to throw away absorbent materials such as carpets, depending on the level of contamination.

Although those with pre-existing allergies or asthma are at greater risks, mould can also cause health effects in otherwise healthy people. So, measures to prevent or reduce mould exposure are important to everyone.

Sources:

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/06/12/how-dangerous-is-mould-to-your-family/

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/73674088/the-hidden-dangers-of-mould-in-the-home