Safe-Home.com

Question abou the Restguard  King Sized Mattress Cover and the King allergy pillow covers.

Answer: Dust mites love the warmth and moisture your body provides while you are sleeping on a mattress with your head on a pillow. Their favorite food is dander (human skin flakes). The advantage of using Restguard covers is that dust mite populations cannot multiply in the mattress or pillows due to the polyurethane backing. Yet the cotton/poly terry surface is comfortable and cool to sleep on. Plus your pillow is made allergy proof if you prefer feathers or down to which many are allergic. You'll protect your pillow and bedding against stains as well.

And you can launder the covers as often as you choose since they have a 10 year warranty and are hot water safe for your washer and low dryer setting or line dry safe. You may need to wash them weekly if your allergies are severe. We wash ours every few weeks when we wash the blankets and comforter to get rid of dust mites and animal hair. (Yep, the cats and dog share the bed despite my allergies.)

I do suggest, from personal experience, that you put the pillow cases on with the non-zippered side first. It is easier. We put our Restguard mattress cover over a memory foam pad to protect it from the animals and us.  The memory foam pad units two extra long twins in a king frame: much easier to flip a twin than a king mattress over.

Thanks again for your question. Remember that mattress covers and encasements as well as pillow covers and encasements from RestGuard come in sizes from crib to California King.

Sincerely,

Barbara

Question about the Envirosept Electronic Furnace Filter Model 1625.

Answer:  I have two answers, one based upon personal experience here at our Safe Home Products' office and one based upon information from the manufacturer.

At our offices, we have numerous printers plus the dust and dirt that drifts in from the frequent comings and goings into our large warehouse. We tried a fiberglass filter initially and then replaced it with a 1625 Envirosept furnace panel. The amount of dust that collects on desks, monitors, etc. decreased significantly with the Envirosept. We do have to change the filters about every three weeks.  I, too, am allergic to dust plus pollen and more. The EnviroSept keeps the air clean so I'm not sneezing!

Second, the manufacturer, Aqua Air Technologies shares that there is no way to compare the EnviroSept to either the frictional electrostatic filters or the standard fiberglass ones that you throw away. Mike explains that the Envirosept is up to a thousand times more effective under normal operating conditions.  "In theory, the plastic/glass strands are supposed to develop a static electric charge as the air passes through the filter, much like when you comb your hair. However, you need very low humidity to create any type of low level static charge. This charge is quickly lost as soon as the filter collects any dust, which insulates the plastic/glass strands and prevents the generation of any static charge. It would appear that the only benefit these filters offer is that they are permanent. Further, you do have the dirty task of washing these filters every two-three months. In addition, these filters have been known to cause major air restriction problems after several years that may damage your heating/cooling system."

Our unit is 5 years old and we've experienced no problems. The Envirosept units come in many sizes. All the units we sell come with 14 filter pads, enough for most people for at least 1 year.  The power used is minimal and the cost cannot be beat! Changing the filters is easy. Just unplug the panel. Slip it out. Open the clips. Remove the dirty filters, replace into the one inch slot after fastening the clips and plug in. Wipe off the grids with a damp microfiber cloth if necessary and let dry before refilling and replacing.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely,

Barbara

Question about the GF convoluted foam mattress pads

Answer: Thank you for your interesting question. According to G F Health, the density of the 7-4000 mattress topper is given in Indentation Load Deflection (ILD). This pad is 34 ILD which the customer service rep says is firm.

A check on the internet indicates this density is considered a 2.6 visco foam density. Bariatric foam has a 45 ILD rating. To understand what this means, see below. Definitions: Density is based upon the weight of one cubic foot of foam. 2.6 thus means the weight of one cubic foot of this 4 inch foam. Indentation Load Deflection or ILD: the unit of measure to indicate degree of firmness.

One website says the ideal ILD reading for a cushion would be 25 to 50 lbs at 25% ILD reading (the weight an indenter must weigh to compress a 4 inch thick piece of foam to 3 inches) If fifty square inches of 4 inch foam is compressed to 3 inches, that is 25% ILD. If the foam is compressed to 1.4 inches, that is a 65% ILD. For seating comfort, the ideal ILD reading is 25 to 40 pounds at 25%, and 45 to 100 pounds at 65%.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the product Rest-Guard Twin 15 Inch High Mattress Cover

Answer: I do recommend this mattress cover. To make your life easier, I suggest you buy at least two covers. That way if he does have an accident during the night, you can change the bed then, if he wakes up, or the next morning and have the bed ready for his afternoon nap. These mattress covers are comfortable to sleep on, too. In the days when my sons were young, the only options were a plastic mattress cover which was either hot or cold unless you topped it with a mattress pad. I recall having quite a collection of mattress pads and sheets.

The Rest-Guard covers are virtually identical to Protect-A-Bed covers. They are hot water washable and dryable on low or line dry. My grandkids find them quite comfortable since they are cotton and polyester and absorbent. They keep dust mites in the mattress, too. We also sell total mattress encasements in all sizes and heights.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the My Weigh and Seca Baby Scales

Answer: There are many baby scales from which to choose. Most are intended for medical professionals and include computer interfaces and special features.

I recommend these three electronic baby scales as being quite accurate and reasonably priced for at home use. Each one has a TARE function to zero out baby's clothing, an auto dampening function for accurate weight of a squirming baby and a removable weighing cradle. All have digital read-outs and operate on batteries. 

1. The My Weigh MBS-2010 has a 44 pound capacity and retails for about $179. Accuracy: +-0.5 oz.

2. The My Weigh MBS-55 has a 55 pound capacity and retails currently for $169.00 Accuracy: +- 0.1oz, 0.005lb or 0.002kg, 2.0g.

3. The Seca 354 Electronic Digital Baby Scale with Breast Milk Intake Function and 44 Lb./20 Kg. Capacity. Current MSRP: about $200. This portable baby scale offers BMIF (Breast Milk Intake Function). With the breast-milk-intake function, easily determine the exact amount of breast milk intake of a baby. 

The My Weigh scales are typically discounted more than the Seca. All three are quite accurate.

Thanks for your question.

Enjoy your baby!

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the Vetscope Petscope, and EarScopes.

Answer: Yes, you would need to buy either the Vetscope or the Petscope. The difference lies in the focal point of the instrument. The pet otoscope or vet otoscope has a focal length of 6.5 inches. That is the correct focal distance for dogs and cats. There is a detailed instruction sheet with each of the units. You can ask your veterinarian for help during your next pet check-up.

Floppy eared dogs are more prone to ear infections. To prevent ear infections and insect infestations, the recommendations are to  check your pet’s ears each week. I use an ear cleaning solution and cotton swabs to clean my dogs' ears. They don't like having the liquid squirted into their ears.  Vets recommend regular ear cleaning especially for breeds with drop-ears (beagles, bassets, cockerspaniels, spaniels, pointers, hounds & more).

It is all a trade-off among the breeds. I have had only Boston Terriers for the past 30 years. Their ears stand up (usually) but they surely do snore. Only one ear infection in all that time. I have learned to use an ear drying solution after they get their showers or play in the wading pool.

Thanks for you question. Enjoy your dog!

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the king bedbug mattress and box spring protectors

Answer: I recommend you cover both the mattress and box spring with individual Rest-Guard Deluxe King Bed total encasements that are 20 inches high. Also use Rest-Guard total encasement pillow covers on all your pillows in the bedroom and then cover your mattress with a fitted Rest-Guard waterproof mattress cover.

Any bed bugs you seal up in the Rest-Guard "Fully-enclosed" mattress covers will be trapped inside and will not be able to escape and will eventually die, the reason is because the inside of our covers are specially designed with a waterproof polyurethane backing on all six sides and have a re-enforced zipper liner which have smaller teeth, this prevents bedbugs and their eggs from escaping through the zipper teeth, which means you will not have to dis-guard your bed bug infested mattress or Box spring. Our manufacturer Rest-Guard recommends keeping the mattress covers intact for at least 12 months (bed bugs can live a very long time without feeding). The bed bugs and eggs inside will die, and the mattress is protected from further infestation.

Below are some notes from their website:

** Note: For cleaning & hygienic reasons, we suggest purchasing the Rest-Guard Fitted sheet Mattress protector, and place this cover over the fully-enclosed cover, simply remove the fitted sheet protector cover every 2-3 weeks and machine wash & dry as mentioned above and replace for continued protection.

** Note: Mattress covers can only trap bed bugs that are hiding on your mattress. You should also fully enclose your box spring as well to complete your bedding protection for both bed bugs and allergens. However, these covers will not protect you from other bed bugs hiding in your bedroom. For complete elimination of bed bugs from your bedroom and your home, you will need to contact a pest extermination specialist who understands how to rid your home of bed bugs.

Hope this helps. All is saved, not lost.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the Medline Alcohol Free Hand Sanitizers

Answer:  I recommend that you first consider what your needs really are.

The non-alcohol based hand sanitizers contain benzalkonium chloride, a synthetic germicide. HandClens®  Alcohol-Free Instant Hand Sanitizer is usually sold only to facilities like psychiatric wards, prisons, alcohol treatment centers, schools, etc. . The concerns about alcohol based sanitizers are that persons may use them to become intoxicated or that the alcohol could be a fire hazard. (National Fire Protection association (NFPA) concern). These are  as effective as the alcohol based but more expensive.  The HandClens brand in both foam and gel surpass the minimum FDA standards for an antiseptic hand sanitizer. Dispensed as foam, Handclens lasts longer than other products of similar sizes and is safe to use in any environment. It doesn't dry hands and it has a pleasant fragrance.Contains Benzalkonium Chloride as the active ingredient and moisturizers to help protect the skin.

The alcohol based sanitizers must have a minimum of 62% alcohol to be effective. It is also important with all hand sanitizers that you keep your hands wet for at least 15 seconds. Among the more powerful hand sanitizers we sell is the Sterillium Comfort Gel Sanitizers Although intended more for hospital settings, this is the best sanitizer we know for restaurants, schools, etc. where large numbers of people gather. The other sanitizers we sell include Epi-Clenz Instant Hand Sanitizer has 70% alcohol in a gel sanitizer, Epi-Clenz Plus is a lotion type alcohol based hand sanitizer (62% alcohol) that is unscented and has oils gentle to hands, Epi-Clenz Breesia Scent and about 6 other sizes and scents in foam and in gel.

So, unless you have compelling reasons to avoid alcohol based products, I recommend you get a dispenser for your restaurant and purchase bags of one of the alcohol based sanitizers with a minimum of 62% alcohol.

Thanks for your question. Stay well.

Sincerely, Barbara

In this askBarbara.tv video, Barbara discusses and demonstrates the nausea and motion sickness Relief Band, an active nerve stimulation medical device that stops nausea and prevents motion sickness. Unlike the pressure button sea band devices, the Reliefband uses a modulating electrical pulse to stimulate an acupuncture/acupressure point on the wrist's underside. Powered by replaceable batteries, the Reliefband prevents nausea quickly. This is the only FDA cleared, Over-The-Counter (OTC) medical device for motion sickness and nausea.

Question about the ReliefBand Motion Sickness Device 2 Free Batteries.

Answer: This is like comparing apples and oranges: both are fruit and then the differences begin.

1. ReliefBand is a patented electronic medical device supported by clinically proven studies. (Studies available upon request) The pressure band is an elastic band with a knob on the underside.
2. Variable pulsating stimulation stops the body from compensating or adjusting to the nerve stimulation. The body soon ignores the pressure band's passiave pressure.
3. The mild buzzing in the palm and middle fingers caused by the electronic ReliefBand lets you know the unit is correctly positioned on the proper nerve stimulation point. There is no way to know with a pressure band that the unit is properly placed.
4. The Reliefband has 5 levels of stimulation available. The pressure point has one level of passive stimulation.
5. Reliefband is FDA cleared (1999 for OTC motion sickness and 2003 for morning sickness relief) and CE cleared over the counter. There were multiple clinical indications both RX and OTC. In randomized clinical trials the ReliefBand was proven more effective than both placebo and other non-electronic acupressure type devices. Prior to 1999, the ReliefBand was available only via prescription for nausea and vomiting dues to pregnancy, chemotherapy and post-operative nausea.  No such indications for the sea bands.
6. The Relieband uses two CR2025 button batteries and conductivity gel. The sea band pressure bands use no batteries.
7. Reliefbands are adjustable to very small wrists as there are holes for the adjustable wristband every 1/4 inch.  There are adult and child size pressure bands with the knobs
8. Reliefbands sell for under $150, are water resistant and have replaceable batteries. Sea bands sell for about $15 and are not electronic.

ReliefBands typically last for many years. Batteries last for about 144 continuous hours of use on the 3 setting. Batteries are readily available at Safe Home Products and elsewhere. Conductivity gel is also available many places as well as Safe Home Products.

All motion sickness is caused by similar conditions in the body so the ReliefBand works for virtually all motion related nausea and vomiting.

Customers have used these when piloting airplanes, riding roller coasters, dealing with nausea from new glasses, chemotherapy nausea, sea sickness, mountain sickness, flu nausea, sea sickness and more.

Thanks for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara