Tech Talk

Silver Care Toothbrushes – soft is just fine!

Tech Talk by Candi Bezte, Norwex Science & Technical Advisor

There has been some concern lately regarding the recent information that the soft bristles on our Silver Care toothbrush are made of Tynex.
The primary reason the Norwex Toothbrush is so effective is because of the silver- plating on the toothbrush head and not because of the bristles. It is the silver that is the major benefit. Lab testing conducted by the manufacturer and by independent labs has conclusively shown time and again, that the head of the Silver Care toothbrush carries a much reduced bacterial load because of the silver-plating.

The difference in bacterial loads of the Silver Care brush and a regular brush is not too noteworthy after 3 hours, but between 3 – 6 hours, the microbial load on the Silver Care toothbrush drops dramatically – resulting in a much cleaner brush the next time it is used. This means that we can remove more of the bacteria from our mouths that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Because harder bristles are known to potentially damage tooth enamel and can be irritating/damaging for the gums, dentists and hygienists will always recommend a soft bristled brush. If people do choose the medium toothbrush, running it under hot water prior to use can help to soften the bristles somewhat.

Norwex Face Lifting Serum – What is IN it?

by Candi Bezte, Norwex Science & Technical Advisor

Given that our lifting serum works so well we have received queries regarding what is in it and how it works. All of the ingredients are listed on the container, so you know exactly what it contains (feel free to Google).

Some of the key ingredients are aloe, macadamia nut oil, hydrolyzed rhizobian gum and acacia senegal gum, extracts from a number of organically grown Swiss alpine plants (Masterwort, Marrubium, Edelweiss, and Artemisia), saccharide isomerate, olive oil, jojoba oil and xanthan gum. Together, these ingredients work to soften, hydrate, tone, restore the appearance of the skin, nourish the skin, help to retain moisture, improve elasticity, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and imperfections. The keys to the “lift” in this product are the rhizobian gum (or rhizobium gum), acacia senegal gum (also referred to as gum arabic), and xanthan gum.

What are these? Rhizobian gum is a mucopolysaccharide (a complex sugar) formed by fermentation of sugars by a Rhizobium sp. bacterial strain. Acacia senegal gum is a complex sugar; it is a sticky substance that comes from the acacia tree, and xanthan gum is another complex sugar formed by the fermentation of glucose or sucrose by the Xanthomonas campetris bacterium. Once again, we have friendly microbes to thank for the benefit that we derive from our products. The acacia senegal gum and rhizobian gum work together to reduce the appearance of fine lines. The xanthan gum also likely helps with this, as well as working to thicken the product... Solutions brought to you by Mother Nature herself. Apply the Lifting Serum gently to cleansed skin, followed by the day or night cream, and allow to absorb.

Tech Talk - November 2009

North Americans may finally be catching on!

by Candi Bezte, Norwex Science & Technical Advisor

We’ve all known about the amazing benefits of microfiber cleaning for a while – hospitals in Sweden and Finland have been using our products, or products very similar to ours for over a decade, yet, North Americans always seem to feel the need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to many environmental innovations.

This spring, the following article appeared in the Journal of Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society Journal (volume 29, Issue 3, author Shelagh Damas) “Fighting Costs and Bacteria with Mirofibre Cleaning”. The article discussed how in the past “couple” of years a number of hospital facilities have switched to microfiber cleaning methods with the following results:

The University of California Davis Medical Centre found a 60% decrease in lifetime cost savings for mops, a 95% reduction in chemical costs associated with mopping, and a 20% decrease in labour costs when they switched to a microfiber mopping system; Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC found significant savings in energy; The University of Massachusetts Sustainable Hospital Project noted decreased water, sewer, and chemical costs and found that the microfiber mops lasted 10 times longer than their traditional loop mops; and even more importantly, St. Jerome Hospital in Quebec was able to control their previously high levels of Clostridium difficile infection. Eight weeks after changing to microfiber cleaning methods, the number of infections dropped from 39 to 6, and over a year there was a 76% decrease in C. difficile infections in this facility.

The problem with C. difficile is that it forms resistant spores and so is difficult to kill – of course – Norwex knows that removing is always the way to go…and the microfiber was simply able to remove the spores from the surface, thereby dramatically reducing infection rates…like you needed another reason to buy Norwex?!

Hard water solutions using Norwex

Hard water can result in lime (calcium and magnesium) buildup over time. This may result in your Enviro Cloth feeling harder or perhaps almost seeming to repel water and does not wet easily. One solution is to soak your cloths in undiluted vinegar for a few minutes, wring out well, and then launder. If you add vinegar to the rinse cycle it may help reduce this problem in the future and will soften your other fabrics as well.

For deep cleaning toilet bowls use Norwex DeScaler: pour a bucket of water into the toilet to remove most of the water. Spray the built up area with DeScaler, let sit for about 2 minutes, then clean with the Sanira Brush.

For tough soap scum, hard water marks in your tub and any other difficult job, use Norwex Cleaning Paste and an Enviro Cloth - there’s nothing like it. A little goes a long way!

Because well water does not contain any chlorine, this may result in odour issues with any Norwex cloth(s). To remove, rinse in vinegar, then boil the cloth(s) in a pot on the stove for about 10 minutes to thoroughly remove/kill any bacteria or organisms that may be causing the odour.

July / August 2009 Tech Talk
by Candi Bezte, Norwex Science & Technical Advisor

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