A Passive House in a COVID World

Part III Cleaning

My family and I continue to be grateful that we live in a house that is not only energy efficient but is healthy.

As I mentioned in previous posts, our house is designed with passive house principles which have provided a very healthy indoor air environment.  Our house receives fresh air 24/7 and our incoming air filter has a MERV 13 rating which filters out small particles including bacteria, saliva, and some viruses.  We also have humidity controls in place which keep the humidity below 50% to avoid dust mites. 

To maintain our healthy interiors, we wanted to ensure that the products we used to clean the house and the cleaning methods adhered to the same standards we used in designing the house. Fortunately, our contractor introduced us to Toni Palmisano, whose company Green Clean of Connecticut (www.greencleanct.com) uses non-toxic cleaning materials and methods for cleaning.  An avid researcher, Toni is totally conversant with COVID-19 cleaning protocols recommended by the CDC  (Center for Disease Control) and the WHO (World Health Organization).  She uses products approved by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for use against COVID-19.  Working with Toni helped me change my own preconceptions about cleaning products and protocols. 

For years I chose cleaning products that smelled like bleach, or in the case of laundry detergent, smelled fresh, and were on sale at Walgreens and supermarkets.  The caption “anti-microbial” was also a draw.  If a label said “anti-microbial” and was on sale, into the shopping cart it went.  The chemicals used in products with labels saying “anti-microbial” and listing “fragrance” in the list of ingredients called out in the ingredients products with fragrance and labels saying “ant-microbial actually contain chemicals that are unsafe.  Two of the chemicals are listed below.   

Quats (quaternary ammonium compounds)

If a product on the shelves says “anti-microbial” it usually has Quats, a group of chemical compounds found in products like Clorox wipes.  These products do kill all kinds of microbes such as E Coli but are lung irritants and contribute to asthma and other breathing problems.   They are never recommended to be used for cleaning cutting boards and countertops because the chemicals in quats will contaminate food. 

Phthalates

If a product lists “fragrance” on its list of ingredients it contains phthalates, a group of chemicals found in many household products.  Dishwashing liquid, detergent, air fresheners contain phthalates as do many things you may have in your home.  Phthalates are ubiquitous (plastic wrap, peanut butter jars, squeeze bottles, personal care products such as shampoos) and are still be studied for toxic effects but so far have been linked to thyroid function and obesity.  The effects on pre-natal exposure involve impaired social cognition and awareness. 

Toni introduced me to a group of cleaning products called Clean Well which are plant derived, EPA approved, and just as effective in eliminating COVID-19 and other microbes.  I confess I have a problem with odorless cleaners, and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened one of the Clean Well products.  Clean Well products have an herbal scent due to a plant-based ingredient called Thymol which is derived from the oil of various herbs including basil and thyme.  Other companies Toni recommends are Biokleen and Force of Nature. 

Cleaning methods are just as important as cleaning products and I was further educated by her protocol.  The goal of good cleaning is to eliminate dust and microbes. 

Toni uses coconut infused cloth wipes to kill COVID. Coconut oil is a natural anti-viral.

For countertops, it is critical that you kill microbes on the surface, and this too involves a two-step process.

Step One:  clean surfaces with an all-purpose green cleaner (Biokeen’s AP cleaner for instance) with a coconut oil-infused microfiber cloth (coconut oil is very effective in killing the COVID-l9 virus).

Step Two:   thoroughly cleaning counter surfaces before using a disinfectant will ensure that germs are killed.  Disinfectants need to be left on the surface in order to kill the microbes they are targeting.  Different disinfectants have different time recommendations.  Toni, for instance, uses a disinfectant on our stone countertops from the company “Force of Nature” which recommends the disinfectant be on the counter for ten minutes. 

I am very grateful to have met Toni and I am happy that more non-toxic cleaners are being introduced into the market.  In my next post, I will talk about cleaning different materials, such as stone and wood, as well as discuss how to design new spaces with materials that are more disease resistant.