Don't look now but it's coming!

The leaves will soon be changing from green to the colors of Autumn and, along with the changing landscape, comes the dreaded flu season.  So how can you avoid getting the flu? I'm glad you asked. Here are some tips to avoid contracting this terrible phenomenon:

1. Eat Healthy: Start by fueling your body with foods rich in vitamins and minerals and drink plenty of water. Colorful fruits and vegetables are jam packed with healthy nutrients our bodies need for healthy living.
2. Wash/Sanitize you hands!: Not only after using the restroom but wash/sanitize them after handling things that many others have handled as well. Such as: shopping cart handles, the ATM, door handles to public areas, etc. 
3. Avoid people who are sick: It may seem mean but the less contact you have with those who are ill, the less likely you are to catch it.
4. Don't touch your face: Keep you hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. 
5. Get your rest: Your body needs sleep to re-energize and fight any invading germs.
6. Exercise!: Yep, you read me right... get out there and exercise. Not only does Working out regularly helps build a strong immune system but getting a good sweat going helps your body release toxins through your sweat glands. 4
7. Last but not least, get your flu shot!

I hope these tips help keep you healthy this Fall!

Erica Jensen ~President, Clean Right Company (509) 534-3343

Sanitizer versus Disinfectant, is there a difference?

Hand sanitizers are everywhere nowadays from wipes for your shopping cart handle to bottles of hand sanitzers on every desk. But did you know that a sanitizer is not a disinfectant and does not kill viruses and fungi?

A sanitizer is a chemical that reduces the number of microorganisms to a safe level. It doesn't need to eliminate 100 percent of all organisms to be effective and, as stated above, does not kill viruses or fungi. So basically, a sanitzer just reduces the number of organisms on a surface and does not completely remove them.

A disinfectant, on the other hand, is a chemical that completely destroys all organisms listed on its label. The organisms it kills are disease-causing bacteria and pathogens, and it may or may not kill viruses and fungi, depending on the type of disinfectant used.

So to make a long, scientific story short - a sanitizer is fine for surfaces like blinds and cabinets, but you need a disinfectant for germier spots, like the kitchen sink and bathtub, which may harbor disease-causing bugs such as salmonella and e. coli. And if you are trying to not get the flu bug, using a sanitizer will not protect you.