NewAir EL500AZ!

So my cats have gotten restless...and I've gotten tired of vacuuming the rug twice a week. Summer is approaching and my medium-haired boy, Link, is shedding hair as if he was a balding middle-aged man. Whenever I pet the fellas their dander causes my eyes to water...and since I've retrained them back into the traditional kitty litter box, the smell has been creeping on our furniture.

I finally cleaned the apartment during the weekend and I was ready to have guests over, but I was also concerned with the smell and the cleanliness. After scrubbing the stove twice, and making sure I had enough lemony fresh detergent in the sink. A friend recommended that I feed my cats a certain dry food to reduce the smell of their stools...and even if I used it I found that the pleasant fragrances went away once the cats...well...had to let nature take its course.

I blame it on the small space I have. My bathroom may fit maybe three people comfortably, but it reminds me of a bathroom in the cabin of a cruise ship (economic class, of course!). But being a recent college grad, I can't exactly afford anymore than I am spending on a home, or a bathroom.

So since my last few posts I've been contemplating (and saving up for) a filter that would not only eliminate odors, but provide a pleasant visit for guests who may be allergic to cats. I am not completely allergic, although I'd get the occasional sneeze or tear from "over-petting" my cats. When I visited the shelter, I had to constantly wipe my eyes and cover my sneezes. With such a high concentration of cats it was hard for me to really enjoy the company of these delightful animals. Now that cats are starting to shed for the summer, I find myself sneezing about again.

I purchased the EL500AZ on a recommendation, and because it was advertised as a "pet" filter. It was a bit bigger than what I had expected...and although I really love compact models I knew that most would not fit the job at hand. I left it on for one day while I was at work, and when I came back home I noticed a very big difference. I was able to lay on my couch and relax. Link pounced on my body and napped on me without a teary eye or a sneeze.

So far, I am quite happy with my EL500AZ. The design is a bit on the futuristic side, but being in a room where the living room and den are separated by only a window shutter, it seemed to have done the trick!

Can an Air Purifier Get Rid of My Cat Odor?

I have cats; Link and Zelda. Well...they were kittens when we adopted them. My boyfriend I went to the shelter over a year ago for some kitty love; Someone special to fill that void in our lives like children would - minus the diaper-changing and college tuition savings. We had to visit the shelter a couple of times, since it had 500 puppy-eyed cats (LOL oxymoron) and we wanted to pick two kittens out. My BF and I decided that we needed two cats because, well, we thought it would be nice to keep them company when we're not around.

My home is about 900 sq. feet and I didn't really think two cats would be problematic. At the time I thought, "Hey, they're young...we'll train them to do whatever we want!" But, I was wrong about that. Despite wanting them to be "well-behaved", they're still cats. They do cat-things like eat Meow Mix and lounge in the sunlight. And the biggest habit that I'm sure all of us would wish away: they use the litter box.

Anyhow...with a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment...the bathroom has to be shared with the cats and it was a bit obvious to our guests that there was a litter box by the toilet. I began to get really concerned about the smell...so I had this genius idea that we should potty train them.

At first I thought..."Yes! They're using it right!" but you really had to be vigilant. It took a lot of effort to constantly clean up after them but I was determined that the training would take no more than 6 months. Link seemed to respond really well to the training and had no problem doing his business (yes that picture is of him doing #2...hence his "meh" expression), but it was hard to go to the next level with Zelda making so many mistakes. How did we know that she messed up? We caught her urinating on the couch a few times...and cat urine's concentrated...so the smell's very pungent. After two to three months of constantly washing cushions and gallons of Febreze, we converted back to the traditional kitty litter box but it didn't solve the odor problem one bit.

Most would think, "Oh, just get an air freshener," and I had one plugged in for weeks straight. The bathroom isn't roomy and the odor would get into the towels. The plug-ins only covered the underlying smell; The kind of smell that'd cause you to say..."Hey...it smells like ocean breeze, but...something smells funny still...what is it?"

So what next? Now that my couch smells like wonderful cat urine and the bathroom problem hasn't been solved, what other options do I have? I started researching information on air purifiers and found that carbon filters were pretty efficient at trapping odors.

Now, most people would go out to Walmart or something to find an air purifier, but their products usually aren't industrial grade. If you had your whole couch soaked in cat urine and your living space was condensed to a mere 900 ft...what could work? I borrowed my mother's ionized filter for awhile thinking that it'd do the job. It clearly helped with the danger and my cat-allergic friends were able to spend the night with no problems, but it didn't do anything for the smell. After I returned my mother's filter, I found out that ionized products can harm the environment and it doesn't feel all that great doing that.

I stayed in this limbo of washing cushions and spraying Frebreze every day. I was a bit too busy to keep it up and I was also looking for a new job. It started to become pretty frustrating and I wanted a solution, but didn't know much about investing in an air purifier. But thankfully, I was hired to an online company that researches and markets air purifiers. (Pure coincidence.)

At first, I was reluctant to shell out more than $100 for an air purifier. Most air purifiers from home retail stores cost around $100. But the biggest weakness to these cheaper models is that they're usually not dependable. I remember getting a wireless USB adapter from one of those stores and I had problems with the product after a week. My rule of thumb is: buy from the people who know it best...it'll save you the headache of having to replace/repair/exchange a poor product. I figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea to try out and invest in some high-quality products that I actually need at home.

So at the moment...I'm going to select an air purifier for my home, but I'm not sure on which one to get. I obviously want to have a bit of research done before I spend my money. I do know that there are a few specifications, though:

• something small and compact, not something the cats can tackle down
  
• has a washable filter or a cost-efficient filter
  
• under $300, lightweight (under 50 lbs.)
  
• has a design that compliments my home decor
  
• carbon filter (apparently these are the best for odors)
• relatively quiet (I already have computers, the cats' water filter, and machines buzzing around)
  

Breathe Better, Live Longer

It is no surprise that air pollution and life expectancy can be related. For ages we have heard the dangers of smoking cigarettes and second hand smoke, but anyone in an urban environment tell you the immediate difference in their mental and physical health by breathing unpolluted air. Now, a recent study conducted by both Brigham Young University and the Harvard School of Public Health have confirmed what many have suspect; there is a direct correlation between air quality and life length.

Using statics between 1980 and 2000 scientists have discovered that an extra 2.72 years of life can be attributed to air quality. Poor air quality worsens lung and hearts diseases causing a shorter lifespan. Statistics taken in the UK show an average reduced lifespan of 8 months due to air pollution, even with an increase in quality over the last 8 years. Scientists can project that by meeting stricter emission targets they can reduce this number by half. This study does not factor smoking, migration and wealth. By eliminating these issues this number is more honest, but also scarier as well.

So how exactly to do they measure pollution and the effects it has on residents then? Scientists measured tiny particles of dirt with a diameter of one-twentieth of the width of a human hair. These particles then travel deeply into the lungs with each breathe taken and have been linked with the worsening of asthma and heart disease. Cities that managed to show a significant increase in clean air yielded an average of ten more months in life expectancy. With every decrease of 10 micrograms of pollution one can expect an average of 10 months added to the lifespan of its residents. To help put the measurement in perspective cities like Pittsburgh and Buffalo have 14 micrograms per cubic meter.

So what are some solutions to this problem if you live in a highly polluted area? Use products that are energy efficient. Drive a vehicle with a cleaner engine and low emission rate. While you are doing your part, it is doubtful that you alone can reduce pollution outside. However, when you are in indoors, you are in control and can protect yourself with an efficient air purifier.



The Airgle 750

The Airgle 750 air purifier boasts superior filtration power and will help you breathe easier. This air purifier has the highest Clean Air Delivery rate of 159 air purifiers. It boasts a whopping 12 step filtration process that works to clean air better then other air purifiers. It has four pre-filters, 4 HEPA filters, 2 carbon filters and 2 high air flow filters with antimicrobial agents for the cleanest, healthiest air breathable. It is emits no ozone with so it will never negatively effect the air quality.

It is extremely easy to use, with its LCD control panel that lets you adjust the time and speed and alerts you when a filter needs to be replaced. The light sensor switches the unit to silent whenever the room gets dark. It is manufactured from durable materials and has easy glide heavy duty casters that let you easily move the unit from room to room. The Airgle 750 is a great way to keep you and your family healthy despite whatever the pollution level might be outside.

Children and Allergies: Some Useful Tips

Allergy season is upon us, and that means protecting you and your family from allergy related sickness. Children are of course, very susceptible to allergies and on any given day over 10,000 children miss school because of allergies. Forty percent of all kids suffer from a nasal allergy and millions more have food and skin allergies.

This is equally as hard on the child as it is the parent. Play dates can quickly be effected because of both outdoor and indoor allergies. Indoor allergies can range from dust mite fecal matter to pet dander. If you are hosting children, especially allergy sensitive children, over to your house it is important to be prepared with a variety of allergy precautions.

Always have anti-allergen fabric spray on hand. This spray can reduce allergens and is usually both fragrance and dye free so it is safe to use around children and animals. It has been developed to not irritate skin either. Be sure to wash fabric toys and blankets with an anti-allergen bleach as well because it can help destroy allergens that are found in fabric fibers and on hard surfaces.

Be sure to vacuum whatever room you plan on hosting the get together. Be sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to complete this task. This filter can eliminate 99.97% of dust, debris, dander and allergens down to 0.3 microns and comes recommended from a variety of health authorities.

Also, be sure to check out if the child has any allergic reactions in their diet. Food allergy and improper diet often speed up the effects of other allergies. Consult your child’s physician on planning a proper meal to help prevent and reduce the effects of allergens.

There are also some products on the market that offer superior sterilization over specific items, like toys, furniture and blankets.

Germ Guardian NS2000 Dry Heat Nursery Sanitizer



The Germ Guardian NS2000 Dry Heat Nursery Sanitizer is a perfect example of this. Toys are a prime location for germs, bacteria and other known allergens. This product allows you to sanitize toys, pacifiers, bottles among other infant instruments that they often come in contact with.

This tool can eliminate 99% of bacteria within 30 minutes making it both quick and effective. It uses dry heat to sanitize and kill bacteria without using any chemicals. Extremely easy and safe to use, the NS2000 shuts off automatically once the cleaning cycle is complete and will never shrink or fade colorful fabrics or melt plastic and rubber items. It has a proven success rate in killing germs that cause pneumonia, RSV, earlobes, diarrhea, colds, and flu and has been tested by third parties to help verify their results.



Germ Guardian LW18 UV-C Sanitizer Wand

For a more portable sanitizer you should look at the Germ Guardian LW18 UV-C Sanitizer Wand. All you have to do is run it over surfaces to kill 99 percent of bacteria and viruses. It also helps eliminates allergens like mold and dust mites as well as odors.

Utilizing UV-C light that is used in hospitals for superior sanitization, all you have to do is hold the wand over an object for 20 seconds at a distance of about 2 inches for quick and effective sterilization. The wand has a maximum of 8,000 hours of use and can be programmed from anywhere between 5-60 minute intervals. The LW18 UV-C Sanitizer Wand is the perfect tool for a quick bacteria and allergen sweep before a childes play date.

Indoor Air Can Be Worse Then Outdoor Air For Children who Sufferer From Asthma

For years, the conventional theory has been that if you are inside your should be free from common allergy and asthma triggers like pollen or pollution. Researchers are now discovering that depending on where you live, indoor pollution can be much worse then outdoor air pollution. Right now, they are trying to educate the public on proper pollution prevention techniques and have a large goal of trying to cut children who suffer from asthma down by 50% by 2012.

While parents have always known that polluted air can bring on asthma attacks, they didn't know how severe the damage that can occur within their homes can be. This is especially true with children who suffer from breathing problems and live within the inner city. Even in their house they are subjected to cigarette smoke, dust mites, mold and even smells that come from cooking with a variety of herbs and spices all of which can trigger an attack.

There is a direct correlation between the air that children breathe at home and the hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits in the U.S. every year. After this study, done by John Hopkins researchers, was released many health care professionals made it their point to educate the public about the dangers of indoor air pollution as an attempt to greatly reduce the amount of child asthma sufferers.

Right now, as many as one in five Baltimore children suffer from asthma, and is the most common disease among kids. The number is disproportionate as a large majority of these kids are inner-city youth. This number has increased greatly over the last twenty years. Unfortunately there is no set specific reason for this increase yet doctors are continuously looking for an answer.

While doctors have known for years that there are always hidden dangers in the air we breathe, this is the first study to directly connect indoor air with asthma. For years, many believed that the simple act of keeping your kids inside during bad pollution days, sweeping the floor and using plug in air fresheners was a good way to keep your family safe and asthma risks down. But unfortunately these misconceptions often do more harm then good. When you sweep you are only kicking up stagnant dust making it easier for inhalation. Air fresheners have been shown to have side effects on young children who have trouble breathing, and the simple act of keeping them inside could be very harmful if your house or apartment does not have proper ventilation.

When trying to keep your house clean, there is a good chance you are making things worse. Air borne insecticides used to prevent mice and cockroaches have a high history of inducing asthma attacks. Also chemicals found in older homes that come from old plaster and wood are beginning to surface as other sources for asthma attacks.

The problem researchers are finding in their Baltimore movement for better asthma prevention is that you begin to encroach on individual rights when trying to educate and change indoor air quality health. This is especially problematic when you discover that for every 10 microgram-per-cubic-meter increase in indoor coarse air particle pollution there was a 6 percent increase in the number of days of coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. This results in a 7 percent increase in limited speech and a 4 percent increase in the number of days rescue medication was needed. Perhaps, the biggest problem is that there is no set standard for levels of indoor air pollution set by the EPA like there is for the outdoors. This, results in more kids staying inside on "bad days" even if inside is worse.

The one thing all researchers recommend is an item with a HEPA filter. This could be on an air purifier or a vacuum cleaner. Either way, it is a very effectual way to eliminate airborne impurities.

What we recommend:



On that note, we recommend the Electrolux EL491A oxygen PlasmawWave HEPA air purifier, in white sleep mode features multiple levels of air filtration. It begins with a pre-filter that catches all the large pieces of debris so that the air purifier can do its job better. The carbon filter eliminates smells without using any harsh chemicals. The true HEPA filter is a great way to eliminate allergens and asthma triggers as it filters, 99.97% of dust, debris, dander and dirt all the way down to 0.3 microns.

The EL491a operates silently and is energy star certified to keep your energy bill low. There is a sleep mode to keep it running smoothly even when you wish to sleep. There are also odor sensors to automatically adjust performance to the level needed. It features five fan speeds and PlasmaWave technology for added power.

Allergy Tips and Tricks

Allergy Tips and Tricks

Let's face it, allergies can make life difficult. They affect your health making anything from work to day-to-day living extremely difficult to deal with. But thankfully there are ways to help curb the effects and severity of your allergies to make your life more manageable. Here are a couple of tips to help you make it through allergy season with little trouble:

Check the Pollen Count

If your allergies are acting up or you are worried about how bad they can be that day, check out the daily pollen count at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. If its really bad try exercising indoors or going out later in the day as allergies tend to have higher counts in the early to mid morning. Also expect pollen counts to be higher on warm, dry or windy days. Pollen counts are lower on wet and cloudy days as well.

Spend Time Next to the Ocean

Try timing vacations to be congruent with allergy season. Then vacation next to water like a lake or ocean. Allergens and pollen counts tend to be significantly lower next to areas near open water. That way you can enjoy your vacation and bypass a good part of your local allergy season.

Eat Healthy

Believe it or not, your diet does impact your susceptibility to allergies. Research has shown that food high in antioxidants and omega 3s, like fish help individuals with asthma breathe easier.

Stay Clean

Shower and wash your hair every night before going to bed. Change your pillow case and sheets often. Remember to frequently wash your clothes and pajamas. Try to stay clean as possible as allergens and molds have a tendency to build up significantly. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean you are not breathing them.

Keep Your Eyes Clear

Keep your eyes as clean as possible, and try to avoid rubbing them to prevent pushing allergens in further. Try rinsing your eyes in the shower with a baby tear-free baby shampoo to remove any other allergies that might have built up over time. If you have vision problems contact your doctor to see what sort of solution can work best for you


Avoid Cross-Reactions
Eating certain foods, especially produce can cause additional allergic reactions especially if you have seasonal tree allergies. This is because of an adverse reaction between proteins found with fruits and pollens. You can tell if this is occurring because you may have tingly mouth or itchy throat. Foods like melons or tomatoes have a tendency to cross react with grass pollens so be aware of what you are eating.

Breathe 'Fresh' Air

Whether you are in the car or your house, remember to keep your windows closed and to set the air conditioner to re-circulate to help remove pollen. Also remember to clean the filters regularly, especially allergy or pollen season. Also look into purchasing an air purification unit for better allergy prevention and protection.



For an effective air purifier, look into the Surround Air Intelli-Pro Air Purifier. Seven comprehensive stages of air purification manage to thoroughly clean your air allowing asthma and allergy sufferers to breathe easy. It can cover up to 650 square feet effectively and has advanced sensor technology that is constantly measuring the pollutant level, letting you know how clean the air actually is. Its filtration methods include a pre-filter, HEPA filter, Ti02 filter, UV light ionizer and carbon filter. While it is always a good idea to check out other models, be sure to get an air purifier with a HEPA filter as those have been proven to be a great asset to asthma sufferers.

February is National Care About Your Indoor Air Month

This February marks the second annual "National Care About Your Indoor Air" month. The National Parent Teacher Organization and the Healthy House Institute have partnered together to bring about a better understanding of the importance of indoor air quality. The purpose is to help educate consumers about common misconceptions and the importance of having clean and pure air within schools, offices and homes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that indoor air pollution can be between two and five times higher in levels of pollution then outside. In fact, some cases have shown that pollution is almost 100 times higher than outside air. This is such a concern that the EPA ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five risks to public health, especially sine one half of the nations schools have problems linked to indoor air quality.

This month is important because it hopes to clear up some prevalent wrong ideas about indoor air quality. Most consumers believe that a clean home creates clean air, but this is simply not true as airborne particulates like dust, smoke and pet dander have a tendency to fester even in the cleanest of homes. This is because these allergens and impurities are invisible to the naked eye, and by sealing the home to conserve energy they destroy any chance of natural circulation making these pollutants a bigger problem.

Other types of purification (water, hand sanitizer) is big among most households, yet many are not doing anything about the air. Purified water and hand sanitizers do nothing to help the air quality that you are breathing. Air purifiers with HEPA technology are the best way to help eliminate up to 99.97% of these impurities. Some air purifiers even eliminate bacteria and viruses from the air itself. Air purifiers also help circulate the air, thereby reducing airborne allergens and stale air.

Consumers should purchase an air purifier for rooms where they spend the most time, to get the best results. While poor air quality tends to effect children, the elderly, the chronically ill and those affected by asthma and allergies get affected the worse, even healthy adults are not immune to the effects of polluted air. Anyone can quickly succumb to irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat or develop headaches, dizziness and fatigue from breathing poor or contaminated air.

The Healthy House Institute has plenty of online resources to help you create a better, safer indoor environment that is defiantly worth checking out. Trusted online stores also have plenty of options and information to help you make an informed decision as to what air purifier you should purchase. Celebrate "National Care About Your Indoor Air" month by looking into air purifiers for you and your family.