The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

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Experts agree that frequent handwashing is one of the first lines of defense against many illnesses. But no matter how many times you wash your hands, there are always some sneaky little germs lurking around to hitch a ride on your skin. They loiter on shopping cart handles, linger on light switches, lurk about the phone and even hang around on the remote controls. That's why disinfectants and disinfecting cleaners can be a helpful option…
December 5, 2018
How Does Cleaning Affect Your Health?  Personal hygiene and regular housecleaning are essential to good health and cleaning products can help. Frequent handwashing is key to preventing the spread of microorganisms (also known as microbes or germs) that cause many common illnesses. And regular cleaning of surfaces in the home removes dirt and food particles on which germs can grow. In addition, cleaning and disinfecting products that contain an active antibacterial or antimicrobial ingredient…
December 5, 2018
To minimize your chances of getting the flu from sick co-workers, students or fellow commuters, make sure you practice proper handwashing habits. While you can't control every germ in your environment, there are actions you can take to help keep you and your family from getting sick. Be particularly vigilant during the fall and winter months, when colds and flu are at their peak. Here are some important steps: Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this…
December 6, 2018
The ingredients in your cleaning products fall into several different categories, added to provide different characteristics and cleaning functions. Each product formula is a careful balance of various ingredients that will work best for what you are trying to clean. For more information about the specific ingredients in a cleaning product, visit the manufacturer's website or look for the product in SmartLabel…
December 5, 2018
Brought to you in partnership with:  Experts agree that frequent hand washing is one of the first lines of defense against illness. Along with hand washing, ensuring surfaces that you come into contact are free of germs is another important line of defense against the spread of germs or pathogens (disease causing bacteria, viruses or fungi). High touch surfaces such as door knobs, switches, and shopping cart handles are some places where cleaning may not be enough to ensure that pathogens are…
February 16, 2021
If you or your child have allergies or asthma, you already know that many things can bring on, or "trigger," an asthma flare or episode. Some things that trigger asthma attacks are called allergens. Some people get symptoms from only one allergen -  like dust mites. For other people, more than one kind of allergen can trigger an episode. Tobacco smoke is an asthma trigger. Avoid smoking in a home where a person with asthma lives. The most common allergens are…
December 5, 2018
No matter the type of product you are using (soap or detergent), good cleaning takes a lot of energy. Three different kinds to be exact: Chemical energy, provided by the soap or detergent Mechanical energy, provided by a machine or by hand Thermal energy, provided by heating water Let’s look at how all these elements work together. Assume we have a great, big, oily, greasy stain on one of our favorite shirts. Water alone is not enough to remove the stain and get our shirt clean. That's…
December 6, 2018
Surfactants (yellow) cause water to lose surface tension, which is what keeps water separate from other materialsHave you ever seen a bead of water sitting on a surface? This is because water has a property called surface tension. This tension causes water to form a bead on the surface of things like glass or fabric. You can see surface tension at work by placing a drop of water onto a counter top. The drop will hold its shape and will not spread. In order to clean the dirt on our clothes, the…
December 5, 2018