Water Bottle Blues?
The biggest issue inside water bottles of any kind (metal or plastic) is the buildup of biofilm — that is when bacteria establish protective colonies inside your bottle. The closest parallel is plaque on teeth. Biofilms are impervious [...]
Can You Explain It to a Fifth Grader?
Richard Feynman, the late physicist who received a Nobel Prize for his work in quantum physics, made a contribution to learning by asking fellow scientists to explain concepts in simple words to test their own grasp of [...]
Legacy Strategies for Better Indoor Air — And a New One: Proximity Air Cleaning (PAC)
According to the US EPA, there are three main ways to protect IAQ. They are, in order of importance: Source Control: That is, eliminate or control the source of pollution. Ventilation: Bring in fresh and exhaust stale air (goal: five [...]
Evidence-based Cleaning for Health (EB-CFH) for Healthier Spaced-based Outcomes
Evidence-based Cleaning for Health is research into and measurement of cleaning processes and results to enable higher-quality and healthier spaced-based outcomes. Since room-related environmental factors (e.g., ventilation, non-cleaning-related pollutants indoors) are as important as cleaning, EB-CFH is linked to [...]
Ask a Powerful Question: How Clean is Clean?
According to executive coach John Mattone: “A powerful question can clarify purpose and fuel passion. Thus, it can help in solving problems, gaining direction, and leveraging focus.” One such question is, “How Clean is Clean?” It prompts related questions: [...]
ATP Uncovered – A Q&A With Robert W. Powitz, PhD
Q: How has ATP-measurement technology progressed, and what relevance does it have to cleaning for healthier indoor spaces? A: The many technological advancements to the luminometer and the stability of the reactive enzymes and swabbing system have made ATP monitoring [...]
Testing — Dipstick versus Learning Tool
"There are few surer ways to raise the hackles of many students and educators than talking about testing. The growing focus over recent years on standardized assessment, in particular, has turned testing into a lightning rod for frustration over [...]
Does Infection Prevention Start in the Restroom?
Infection prevention starts by preventing germs from entering the human body, and the number one method is handwashing, which generally happens in restrooms; so yes, from this perspective, that is true.
Is Carpet a Dust Trap or Source?
The short answer is both. Proponents of carpet often say carpet is a dust sink or trap, and only creates indoor air quality (IAQ) problems when the sink overflows, i.e., if you remove the dust from carpet through effective vacuuming [...]
Adding “Desirable Difficulty”
We are adding “Desirable Difficulty” to IHC lessons and blog posts to increase retention. Psychologists Elizabeth and Robert Bjork – scientists that research human memory – coined the term “Desirable difficulty” to note the value of retrieval effort, struggle [...]