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Bacteria only need 8 hours to multiply an astonishing 16 million times. Are you worried about germs and bacteria infecting the areas around you? Are you searching for quick, low-cost, and non-toxic disinfectant solutions?
Good news: hypochlorous acid fogging is the go-to solution for many commercial industries and even home cleaning problems. It’s fast, inexpensive, and tough on germs but gentle on everything else.
What is hypochlorous acid? How will fogging work, and how can it benefit your industry or environment? Read on for a comprehensive guide that has all the data and information you need to make this solution work for you.
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a naturally occurring substance in our white blood cells. It’s used to fight off harmful foreign agents like bacteria and fungi. It can even destroy notoriously tough strains like Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
This makes HOCl a very impressive pathogen killer, while also being gentle enough to use on your eyelids. It’s completely free of the toxic surfactants or detergents found in other anti-pathogen solutions.
HOCl can be made by combining chlorine gas and water. This results in a very weak acid solution.
Despite its low acidity, it’s still highly effective at killing bacteria. HOCl destroys microorganisms by latching onto cell membranes and disrupting their permeability. Once the membrane is ruptured, the rest of the cell quickly disintegrates.
HOCl also disrupts viruses by denaturing their proteins. Virus proteins use spikes to help them gain entry into your cells. Once the spikes are denatured, the virus more or less becomes “toothless.”
HOCl’s effective yet gentle combination makes it useful in a variety of situations. HOCl solutions can be used for:
If HOCl has so many benefits, why hasn’t it already replaced toxic chemical cleaners on supermarket shelves? Is there a catch?
HOCl has traditionally been too unstable and cost-prohibitive to compete commercially with other similar products, like bleach. It also deformed on contact with sunlight and/or heat.
With the rise of COVID, green cleaning demands, and more advanced solution techniques, however, the HOCl product market is rapidly increasing.
Both HOCl and bleach are highly effective at killing pathogens. Their chemical makeup is very similar: hypochlorous acid versus sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).
But the tiny atomic differences between the two chemical compounds make a world of difference. Bleach has toxic effects not found in HOCl solutions.
Sodium hypochlorite is highly corrosive. It causes adverse effects on your skin, eyes, and lungs through contact and inhalation. Many short-term and long-term health problems have been linked to bleach exposure, including respiratory illnesses and pneumonitis.
Bleach is also toxic to the environment. It has carcinogenic and mutagenic effects when contaminating water and soil.
HOCl is non-toxic for human and environmental exposure. Yet it’s still 80–200 times more powerful than bleach, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
Fogging is a common technique used in cleaning and pest control. It can more effectively spread agents over a large area where continuous surface contact isn’t practical.
For example, you may spray a window crack with pesticides if you notice ants crawling through it. If you need to kill an entire ant infestation in your home, however, a fogger can spread pesticides more quickly and over a wider area.
The same technique applies to disinfectant fogging. Many commercial industries use fogging when they need to rapidly clean large areas.
Fogging uses a device with a fan attached to create and disperse an aerosol mist. These aerosols can kill pathogens in the air and on surfaces.
Despite its rapid deployment, fogging has two important limitations:
When you use fogging, you typically have to wear PPE and clear the area of humans, pets, plants, and anything else vulnerable to toxic agents. It also leaves many pathogens or pests that would be destroyed by direct contact methods like wiping or scrubbing.
Fortunately for disinfectant fogging purposes, a HOCl fog method can overcome these limitations.
HOCl fogging combines the benefits of both hypochlorous acid and fogging in one go:
This combination of benefits creates a perfect disinfectant solution for homes and commercial industries. HOCl solutions are also relatively cheap to produce for fogging machines.
HOCl is a more powerful pathogen killer than bleach. The American Journal of Infection Control found that HOCl fogging reduced E. faecalis bacteria by 6 logs (99.9999%).
HOCl fogging is especially effective at fighting COVID pathogens. The NCBI has called it the “disinfectant of choice for coronaviruses,” regarding healthcare spaces in particular.
It can eliminate pathogens in the air, where surface-contact sprayers are ineffective. On top of that, HOCl fogging can fight these airborne viruses and germs without creating highly toxic fumes.
A HOCl fog can eliminate pathogens without undue health risks to humans, animals, food, and the environment. HOCl fogging is especially useful for spaces that deal with food and animals.
The USDA has determined that HOCl solutions are mild enough to be used as a no-rinse disinfectant on fruits and vegetables. It can kill e-Coli, salmonella, and listeria strains without leaving toxic contamination in food.
HOCl fogging can also be used effectively as a pesticide and/or fungicide. The EPA has ruled it non-toxic as a pesticide.
HOCl fogging’s wide-area dispersal helps reach areas that would otherwise be missed by surface-contact cleaning methods. It can also disinfect areas when time is of the essence, such as transitions between customers or patients.
HOCl fogs have a wide range of uses for commercial industries. It can disinfect common and public areas more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional cleaning methods.
HOCl fogging is uniquely poised to provide benefits for a variety of industries. These include the following:
HOCl fogging is a boon to both dedicated cleaning staff and regular staff tasked with cleaning duties. It allows them to sanitize and disinfect an entire area without needing any chemical PPE, toxic waste disposal, or Safety Datasheets.
Restaurants in particular see numerous perks from HOCl fog’s non-toxicity. There many pathogens lurking in commercial kitchens, including the following:
Any of these can spread to customers and make them sick. Disinfecting the cooking and food handling areas can be tricky, however. It can also be overly time-consuming.
HOCL fogging kills surface and airborne pathogens without creating toxic fumes and toxic food. It can also eliminate unpleasant odors from grease, garbage, and food byproducts.
Hotels have high cleaning requirements that only became higher with COVID. Rooms must be cleaned and sanitized between customers.
Hotel cleaning staff are only given a short amount of time to clean many rooms per day. Some staff requirements include full cleaning turnovers with only around 20 minutes allotted per room.
HOCl fogging reduces cleaning times by quickly disinfecting the entire hotel room, and by reducing the need for toxic waste handling. It can also effectively clean common hotel areas like pools, lobbies, and fitness areas that see high amounts of foot traffic.
Fitness centers see all sorts of sweat, grit, or even blood and tears (hopefully not as often). Anyone who’s used a shared gym or exercise area knows they can become nasty fast without regular disinfecting. Common germs include the following:
Fitness centers can have many intricate machines and workout equipment that are difficult to disinfect safely and thoroughly. They also have different types of areas to disinfect, including:
HOCl fogging can disinfect multiple surfaces and surface types several times a day with corroding costly equipment. It’s also more time and cost-effective than relying on hundreds of bleach wipes every day.
Young children are affectionately referred to as little germ factories. They’re especially good at spreading pathogens to unaware, more vulnerable adults.
Even colleges full of young adults can struggle with viral outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic added even more burdens and battles in the fight to maintain healthy school hygiene.
HOCl fogging is more effective for budget and staff-strapped colleges and schools. It can even reach high-vaulted ceiling areas. It also won’t expose students to toxic chemicals that can hurt their health.
Like schools, vet offices struggle with their versions of germ factories. Diseases or infections that can be spread from animals to humans are referred to as zoonoses. Common zoonoses in vet offices include the following:
They also rely on non-toxic and non-corrosive cleaning solutions so animals aren’t exposed.
It’s critical for vet offices and other animal handling areas to disinfect as much as they can, since animal outbreaks can spread quickly in domestic animal populations. A recent bird flu outbreak has already wiped out 37 million chickens and turkeys.
HOCl fogging is a fast and effective way to sanitize animal areas without causing additional toxin-related health problems for the animals. This includes areas with difficult surfaces to clean, like stables and coops. A HOCl fog also won’t contaminate their food and water supplies.
Healthcare clinic spaces like dental offices deal with exposure to blood-borne viruses like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Because of this, they routinely use no-touch decontamination procedures and solutions. This makes HOCl fogging ideal for these spaces.
A HOCl fog can also reduce the higher chances of airborne pathogen contamination. Over 190,000 dental specialists were shut down during COVID. The NCBI has specifically cited using HOCl in aerosol fogging as one of the best decontamination techniques for dental clinics.
Long-term healthcare areas are full of vulnerable patients, such as senior citizens and with people with chronic health issues. These populations are especially at-risk for COVID. Other pathogens include:
It’s critical to reduce pathogen exposure for long-term residents. Even relatively common pathogens can cause death during outbreaks.
HOCl fogging can sanitize long-term care areas without leaving lingering toxins for health-compromised individuals. A HOCl fog can also be used to quickly contain suspected outbreaks before they spread further.
It may seem like overkill, but HOCl fogging is also useful for home disinfecting. It can be especially useful for homes with:
Bleach is toxic and harmful. A HOCl fog disinfects your home areas without exposing vulnerable people and pets to bleach. It’s also hypoallergenic, so it’s safe around babies and people with asthma and allergies.
HOCl fog can also be used to disinfect a whole room in one quick swipe. For example, disinfecting an entire bedroom would require washing all the bedding, clothes, and carpets. You’d also have to wipe down all the surfaces and then spray a pathogen killer in the air.
Hypochlorous acid can eliminate tough pathogens while still being gentle enough for your skin. HOCl fogging has many commercial uses that bring you non-toxic, quick, and cost-effective solutions unique to your industry.
Genesis Fogger offers competitive HOCl products at affordable prices. We combine decades of expertise and experience to bring you the most effective disinfection solutions. Contact us to learn more about how to use our great products!
Shared Air is the Problem, Not Shared Surfaces
Most disinfection methods only address surfaces and do nothing to prevent airborne transmission of these respiratory viruses. Reducing the spread of airborne pathogens is paramount for the health and well-being of dogs. Atomized hypochlorous (HOCl) is a revolutionary approach to controlling airborne viruses, including illnesses spread through animal contact at boarding kennels, dog daycares, groomers, and other canine care facilities. Airborne viruses pose a significant threat in such settings, making effective disinfection crucial. Atomized hypochlorous has been identified as the single most effective, powerful, and safest method for controlling airborne viruses and enhancing the overall hygiene of canine care facilities.
What is Hypochlorous?
Hypochlorous (HOCl) is a molecule composed of three natural elements (Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Chlorine, not to be confused with chlorine bleach) straight from the Periodic Table of Elements and more importantly, inherent in the white blood cells of every mammal. It is produced naturally in the immune system to combat infections, making it a biocompatible and eco-friendly disinfectant that is completely safe for animals as well as humans.
What is Atomized Hypochlorous?
Atomized HOCl refers to the process of breaking down liquid hypochlorous into tiny, airborne droplets, allowing it to effectively combat airborne pathogens and neutralize contaminants on surfaces at the same time. Upon contact with airborne viruses, HOCl penetrates the protective envelope of a virus, rendering that virus inactive. Because of its unique ability to penetrate the cell walls of contaminants, it is particularly effective against a wide range of pathogens, including canine respiratory viruses. The atomization process transforms hypochlorous into fine droplets, allowing it to linger in the air for an extended period. This ensures that as animals move and pathogens become airborne, the disinfectant is readily available to neutralize these threats, providing immediate airborne disinfection. Atomized hypochlorous doesn’t stop at controlling airborne viruses; it offers a dual-action approach by settling on surfaces. This ensures that not only the air is disinfected, but also hard-to-reach surfaces where pathogens might land, creating a comprehensive defense against disease transmission.
Broad Pathogen-Killing Range
One of the standout features of hypochlorous is its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against a broad range of pathogens. According to the FDA, “HOCl has the highest bactericidal activity against a broad range of microorganisms.” In addition to viruses, it is effective against bacteria, fungi (airborne mold), and other pathogens, making it a versatile solution for maintaining a clean and safe environment in any animal care facility. Hypochlorous quickly and effectively tackles ammonia-based odors without posing any harm to pets, humans, or the environment.
Non-Toxic and 100% Hypoallergenic
Traditional disinfectants often introduce respiratory risks due to harsh chemicals or irritating fumes. Because it’s a natural compound, atomized hypochlorous eliminates these concerns. It provides a respiratory-friendly solution for both animals and caretakers, contributing to a healthier environment. The natural composition of hypochlorous reduces the likelihood of adverse reactions Hypochlorous exists in a neutral pH range, making it gentle on the skin and mucous membranes. It does not cause irritation or allergic reactions commonly associated with more harsh cleaners.
Maintaining Business Operations
Incorporating Genesis + HOCl into your animal care protocols is not just about responding to existing threats but it’s also about implementing preventive health measures. By proactively controlling airborne viruses, facilities can reduce the risk of disease outbreaks and maintain a healthier population of animals. Hypochlorous atomizing can help animal care facilities stay open and operational, assuring their customers of a safer environment for their beloved pets. Beyond its efficacy, atomized hypochlorous is an eco-friendly solution. It breaks down into harmless components, contributing to sustainable practices in animal care facilities.
Disinfect Air and Surfaces Simultaneously
In the complex landscape of animal care, controlling airborne viruses is crucial. Atomized hypochlorous provides a powerful, safe, and versatile solution. Its ability to effectively disinfect air and surfaces simultaneously, coupled with its hypoallergenic nature and eco-friendly profile, positions it as a game-changer in elevating the standards of hygiene in animal care facilities. Genesis + HOCl stands at the forefront of innovative solutions to provide a healthier and safer environment for the veterinary and animal care community.
And, because it’s fast and nearly effortless to use, Genesis + HOCl also reduces the amount of time and labor required to thoroughly disinfect animal care settings. The convenience of Genesis + HOCl decreases costs while simultaneously improving hygiene at your facility. And, adding that extra layer of protection communicates to your clients that you are providing the healthiest environment possible for the animals and people entrusted to your care.
Please visit our page specifically for Veterinary Clinics and Animal Care Facilities.
Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.
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