fact-based management Transitional T There are three related categories in the chemical-free construct: 1. Transitional chemical-free technologies 2. Enabled chemical-free technologies 3. Fully toxic-free, chemical-free technologies. In the end, all achieve a common result in that there is no harmful chemical residual. What follows is a discussion of some tran-sitional chemical-free technologies. ■ Steam vapor Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit — 100 degrees Celsius for anyone outside of the U.S. — and heating water to well above that temperature changes its physical proper-ties, generating highly active steam that can sanitize virtually any non-electrical surface. The process works by actually forcing the dirt, grime, grease and dust to plump up with water. Many conventional chemical products leave some level of residue; but, since steam is essentially water, the only molecules left over on the surface after the cleaning pro-cess are basic hydrogen and oxygen. As it uses only water, the steam vapor sys-tem has no requirement for a material safety data sheet (MSDS). ■ Electrolyzed water Through electrolysis, electrolyzed water — also called electrolyzed oxidizing water — is created in a specifically engineered electroly-sis machine or wall-mounted unit. Electrolyzed water is formed by adding a very small amount of table salt — nor-mally around 0.1 percent — to pure water and “charging” it by conducting a low-voltage elec-trical current across an anode and cathode. The physical properties of water are enhanced because each water molecule takes on either a positive or a negative charge, becoming ionized. The cathode produces high-pH, alkaline water; the anode produces low-pH, acidic water. This powerful solution breaks up grime, dust, grease and dirt into microscopic par-ticles that can then be readily wiped, swept or scoured away by the brushes, pads or cloths of the cleaning machine or a towel. The alkaline and acidic byproducts of the water electrolysis process challenge all forms of germs, including bacteria, viruses, spores, mold and fungi to a degree that can be considerably greater than the effective-ness rating of various expensive and toxic cleaning chemicals. ■ Engineered water Engineered water, which functions through the production of hypochlorous acid, is formed by running an electrical charge through a salt solution, transforming plain tap water into a powerful sanitizing agent. Engineered water can be utilized on any surface that would normally be cleaned with common chemical cleaning products. One of the great advantages of engineered water devices is that they can be used in virtually every area of a building, including food preparation and serving areas and restrooms. A clear benefit of this process is that engi-neered water does not need extensive dwell time; it works on contact. ■ Liquid ozone The concentrated oxygen is ionized by the application of approximately 5,000 volts of electricity, which breaks up the bonds between the oxygen molecules to force them to transform into ozone, a molecule of con-ventional atmospheric oxygen with an addi-tional atom of oxygen. This ozone is then forcefully infused into plain tap water, creating an extremely effec-By: Vince Elliott Chemical-free Technologies Part one of a three-part series exploring the idea of a least harmful cleaning model. tive oxidizing cleaning solution that is com-pletely safe. It is one of the most effective disinfectants available, with an efficacy that can read-ily exceed even extremely toxic disinfectant chemicals. In tests to measure pure disinfection quali-ties, ozone has proven to be as much as 10 times as effective in sterilizing surfaces as common household bleach. Yet, liquid ozone has been given a safety rating of 50, the highest possible score. Effective on virtually any surface, liquid ozone has even been proven effective as a carpet stain remover, as it can easily break down fatty acids, oils and dyes. ■ Hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is the product of mix-ing ultraviolet light and oxygen in a process known as photohydroionization. It is basically the same chemical as water, but with an extra oxygen atom. Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria, mold, mildew and fungus, making it a versatile cleaning tool. Due to the molecular structure of hydro-gen peroxide, when its neutralization pro-cess is complete, there is nothing left but pure water vapor. In fact, it is said that hydrogen peroxide can replace chlorine bleach, ammonia and other harmful chemicals, as it is great as an antibac-terial and antifungal substance. Check back next month when we will explore the enabled chemical-free technolo-gies. CM Vincent F. Elliott is the founder, president and CEO of Elliott Affiliates, Ltd. of Hunt Valley, MD, www.ealtd.com. He is widely recognized as the leading authority in the design and utilization of best practice performance-driven techniques for janitorial outsourcing and ongoing management. 50 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • October 2012
CMM – Archives Oct 2012: 50
