Fogging is an Inexpensive Way to Reduce Mold and other Microbial Contamination for Peace of Mind for Mold Sensitive People.
By Cesar Collado
Last week I published an article on co-infections that received many comments. Co-infections occur when a person is exposed to multiple pathogens. Any single pathogen, mold, yeast, bacteria, or virus can cause a severe immune response that compromises the immune system making patients susceptible to infection by other pathogens. This is a blind spot to many doctors. In most cases, a physician stops diagnostic testing once a positive diagnosis is made. Unfortunately, co-infections are much more common than physicians expect. Read more about co-infections HERE.
Mold patients should consider themselves immunocompromised and a high risk for a viral infection. With this in mind, let’s consider how airlines handle potential biological contamination of their planes.
Delta Airlines Announced fogging in March for high risk flights in Atlanta on Feb 29.
“In February, we began deploying a fogging technique with a highly-effective, EPA-registered disinfectant, on flights arriving in our U.S. gateways from Asia – Atlanta, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Portland and Seattle. Fogging procedures are currently being performed on all trans-Pacific arrivals into the U.S. We are working rapidly and have sourced additional machines to expand fogging to inbound international flights prioritizing trans-Atlantic inbound flights from markets with reported cases of coronavirus. Fogging procedures on all inbound Italy flights to New York-JFK and Atlanta began on Feb 29.”
Can You Employ Fogging in Your Home?
Cold Fogging is a cost-effective means to augment your regular cleaning activities during this time of concern. The fog distributes liquid cleaning products that are aerosolized to reach every surface in a room. This type of disinfection approach can provide piece of mind that every item used or exposed to air receives some exposure to a product that removes or disables microscopic pathogens. The aerosol consists of microscopic droplets that are 5-25 microns, similar in size to mold spores and other microbes.
Types of Disinfectants
The perceived gold standard are EPA and OSHA registered Disinfectants. There is a list of 82 EPA disinfectants that “should” address the Covid-19 virus, although, there is no product that can make the specific claim because of the short lifecycle of the virus and EPA registration takes experimentation and time to get approved or registered. The majority of these disinfectants are made with chemical active ingredients. Popular ingredients include quaternary ammonium, bleach, ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, Sodium hypochlorite, L-Lactic Acid, and others. All of these disinfectants are considered effective by the EPA based on their activity on other viruses. These include SARS, MERS, Canine and Feline viruses, Norovirus, Rotavirus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and others. Viruses are composed of viral DNA or RNA covered by a lipid envelop. The soft lipid envelope is not particularly strong and a disinfectant disrupts the envelope resulting in neutralization.
It is important to note that environmental testing for viruses is very limited. In fact, it is impossible to declare a room virus free. This is due to the fact that the source of the virus is the occupant themselves, so the virus is cannot be permanently removed.
The Challenge with Industrial Disinfectants and Mold Patients
Products used to disinfect the contaminated spaces can also cause debilitating symptoms. This compounds the fact that mold affected individuals are immunocompromised due to mold and/or bacteria exposure. Adding another irritant seldom results in wellness. Patients who also suffer from multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) will continue to be immunocompromised and chemically sensitive. Symptoms will likely continue or be replaced by other symptoms.
Additionally, many of these chemicals include bleach or hydrogen peroxide so the effect of these chemicals on home furnishings must be considered. Some of these disinfectants may cause discoloration of textiles and other surfaces. More important, using these products can result in a reaction when mixed with other cleaning products to create corrosive compounds and toxic fumes that can be dangerous or even lethal.
Citrus Seed Extracts
Citrus seed extracts have long been known for antimicrobial activity. GSE (Citricidal) has been reported to be effective against more than 800 bacteria and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of parasites. CitriSafe and Bio-Balance have been supplying their proprietary bled of citrus seed extract products for over 15 years to address mold problems. Learn more about The CitriSafe Story on how Walter Hayhurst innovated to create all natural and safe products for mold.
Fogging with an All-Natural Citrus Seed Extract in Your Home.
If airlines are fogging planes, so can you. If you are mold sensitive, fogging and cleaning your home using the natural botanical based fog to balance the environment and reduce mold counts down to minimal levels is a necessity. Fungi are some of the most resilient microbes. To that end, the Mold Solution has also shown to be effective with bacteria. The blend of citrus seed extracts is an effective cleaner and deodorizer against putrid smells associated with bacteria and musty smells associated with mold. Like all of the disinfectants mentioned, the testing has not been done for viruses.
Fogging empowers the occupant to address microbials in their homes regularly. It is safe for people, children, and pets and can be used regularly without safety equipment. Many physicians, healthcare facilities, Kennel operators, and mold remediators use these natural products on a daily bases at work and at home. They remove smells, maintained healthy indoor air quality, and are cost effective. Most of all, they provide peace of mind regarding the health of patients and family members. Safety equipment is not needed to fog because the active ingredients are natural and safe.
In fact, this picture shows me being fogged directly. Physicians who treat mold patients will often ask patients who smell of mold to step back into the lobby to be fogged. This is done for the safety of patients in the waiting room, the staff, and physician. medical practices prefer to avoid contamination in the exam rooms. The entire office is fogged at the end of the day.
The product is safe on clothing, skin, and inhalation. Some people feel better instantly when being fogged.
It is important to recognize that mold sensitive patients can be immunocompromised and fogging to reduce fungal and bacterial air counts may be a necessity, especially during a time where people are being overly cautious for a viral pandemic.
Antimicrobial Laundry Detergent for Clothing
When a person arrives home after potential exposure, it is recommended to remove clothing in carports or garages and placing them directly into the washing machine. CitriSafe Laundry Liquid Detergent is extremely effective in removing microbes from clothing and bed linens to further enhance the feeling that your home, clothes, and bed is a microbial safe haven.
Bio-Balance and CitriSafe Solutions
For over 15 years, CitriSafe and bio-Balance have developed natural, botanically based products to fight mold in homes and help mold sick patients achieve wellness. The Bio-Balance Home Maintenance Misters have proven valuable tools for patients sensitive to both mold and chemicals. This helps maintain higher indoor air quality so that the patient can reside in a home where their bodies can heal. Without it, the continuous assault on the immune system via inhalation can suspend or delay healing.
Cold Fogging Solutions
The Bio-Max Home Maintenance Mister is an ideal low-cost and light weight solution to fog your home, car, or even yourself daily upon entry into your home. It is considerably lighter and easier to use than other fogging products. The cost is $195 and it comes with a bottle of Bio-Balance Maintenance Solution that will make a Gallon of fogging solution.
The Bio-Max Commercial Maintenance Mister is a larger, more powerful cold fogger. It can be used to fog you home, work, garage, waiting or exam rooms, kennels, or larger spaces daily in addition to fogging yourself.
CitriSafe Mold Solution Concentrate can also be used in either of the Bio-Max Maintenance Misters.
If you would like to share your story, please comment on this article.
About the Author:
Cesar Collado is a former pharmaceutical R&D senior executive, venture capitalist, and seasoned strategy consultant in biotechnology and technology industries in general. He currently works as an advisor to multiple technology start-ups and advises several companies with technology solutions, including companies that provide healthcare and other services for environmental illness. Cesar worked with MicroBalance Health Products from 2014-2019, where he had responsibility for strategy, revenues, marketing, and finance, as well as, writing all original content for the company’s newsletters during his tenure.
Cesar is passionate about awareness and treatment of environmental illness as a significant, unmet and misdiagnosed, medical need. He has partnered with Integrative Physicians, Bau-Biologists, Environmental Inspectors, Mold Remediators, HVAC IAQ Specialists, and other professionals to generate educational materials for the environmentally ill. Cesar currently writes original content for ImmunLytics, Bio-Balance, and CitriSafe: Protocols and Products for a Healthy Life.
Is it safe for pets, specifically birds and cats?
These products are safe for pets when used as a dinfectant for the home. The solution is mainly water and there is literature regarding Grapefruit seed Extract with dogs, cats, and even birds, when used orally. I cannot speak to that level of dosing. But Citrisafe has been used over 15 years safely to clean kennels, homes, ect.
There is some literature that certain GSE have impurities that are not safe. This occurs when additives ar used to make the extract. We only use food grade extracts in our formula.
Is there any residue that you have to wipe up or HEPA vac flat surfaces after cold fogging? When the mold spores or mycotoxis fall to flat surfaces do you have to immediately clean up or does the solution break up the mold? Is there a film that builds up overtime on the flat surfaces?
Also does the water you spray into the air increase the humidly level in the house? Trying to keep it under 50% can be a challenge in summer months so wondering if this will make it worse.
I just want to understand the whole protocol for maintenance using the cold fogger.
Thanks!
So sorry that we didn’t see these questions until now…
We always suggest wiping down horizontal surfaces, or HEPA vacuuming after fogging or misting. Although the fogging and misting result in immediate improvements, the extra wipe-down step ensures that all potential pollutants are removed. Quite simply, reducing dust reduces mold and the associated toxins.
Cold fogging or misting may leave a light film that is easily wiped off, but typically it is not a concern.
The water used in the cold fogging or misting really does not increase the humidity much, and the humidity returns to normal background levels within a few hours. As a side note, if you are having difficulty keeping under 50% humidity, we highly recommend installing a dehumidifier and setting it to 50% or less to assure you stay within the appropriate range.
Hi there. I’m VERY interested in the fogging products and want to fog my home. In the past, I had a mold professional tell me that water feeds mold, even if there are good anti-mold ingredients mixed in with the water and not to use them around the house.
Do you have any thoughts about this?
Thanks much.
Great question! Humidity is similar to standing water in that it is not a huge issue if it is temporary. In the case of standing water, or wet building materials, you want to dry them within 48 hours to prevent mold growth. The same logic is true with humidity. Humid air itself is not exactly the problem. Humidity transferred to building materials and contents, which raises their water activity to a level that promotes mold growth is the problem. As a general rule of thumb, we would suggest not having above 50% humidity for more than 48 hours to limit mold growth. When you mist, or fog, the humidity really doesn’t rise very much, and easily returns to normal background levels within a few hours.
Thank you!!