If properly designed, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) cleaners that use ultraviolet radiation from UV lamps may destroy indoor biological pollutants such as viruses, bacteria, and some molds that are growing on the moist interiors of HVAC surfaces (e.g., cooling coils, drain pans, or ductwork). But typical UVGI cleaners used in homes have limited effectiveness [...]

Quotations below are from the excellent book by Carol S. Dweck, Phd, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, and relate to our aim to increase the self-concept, potential and intelligence of workers through research-based efforts. "'A few modern philosophers assert that an individual's intelligence is a fixed quantity, a quantity which cannot be increased. We [...]

Looking away and reciting what is read from memory has benefits established many years ago. Per the book Make It Stick: A large-scale research program published findings in 1917 showing that "children in grades 3, 5, 6, and 8 studied brief biographies from Who’s Who in America. Some of them were directed to spend varying [...]

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 air changes per hour). Air Purification: Clean the air by filtering it. While source control [...]

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 with proper filtration, carpet does not add measurably to IAQ issues by releasing dust. In [...]

We are adding “Desirable Difficulty” to IHC 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 or exertion in better learning; i.e., if it’s too easy to retrieve the information, long-term learning drops, whereas [...]

While EPA-Registration of products for hard surface disinfection is the bedrock of many infection control programs that protect human health, EPA has now also developed evidence-based guidance for porous surfaces...

Dr. Gary Allread, one of our council members, shared a study he led, published in the November, 2022 peer-reviewed International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: “Comparisons of Trunk Motions and Low Back Injury Risk between Alternative Hotel Room Cleaning Methods” (open-access). Abstract: Hotel room cleaners frequently report job-related pain, with high rates of [...]

What is Evidence-based Cleaning for Health? It is research into and measurement of cleaning processes and results to enable higher-quality and healthier outcomes.

On September 30, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered the first ever product for use against bacteria and viruses in air in residential and commercial areas. It is a 14% dipropylene glycol aerosol product. Below is the approved master label / instructions for use. To kill Bacteria and Viruses in the Air (and Eliminate [...]