Pollutant residues on sports textiles

EMS vests cleaning and material damage due to incorrect disinfectants

How to destroy your EMS equipment.

Material damage due to disinfectant residues from hygiene and disinfectant cleaners in the area of Ems training

 

The cleaning of the EMS vests is one of the daily tasks of every EMS studio. However, unwanted mistakes happen here every day. These can be detrimental for studio operators or customers in the short or long term.

Questionable disinfectants containing harmful substances of the active ingredient group “quaternary ammonium compounds” are not only suspected health and environment to damage . But they also attack the surface properties of the material to be disinfected! The material of your training equipment …

EMS west cleaning – why at all?

Especially in heavily frequented Ems Studios is a reliable one Hygiene prophylaxis indispensable. Disinfectants are part of everyday life to prevent smear infections and unpleasant smells. The development of an adequate hygiene strategy to reduce the germ load and ensure a positive user experience is in the foreground here because it forms one of the foundations of the long term Customer satisfaction .

The surface disinfection

Surface disinfection is the “inactivation” or killing of microorganisms on previously cleaned (potentially) contaminated ones Contact surfaces . The aim here is to ensure that, after the disinfection process, the surface to be disinfected no harm to health or product can occur more [1].
In order to achieve an optimal disinfection effect, the surface to be disinfected – in our case EMS suits & vests – must have a suitable material and, above all, an intact surface. Intact means in terms of the surface quality that so-called Roughness peaks of 10 μm – i.e. 0.001 mm (not visible to the naked eye) – already provide enough space for pathogens to not be detected during a surface disinfection [1]. Consequently it can affect damaged and roughened materials more bacteria settle than on undamaged.

The problem with the alcohol and residues

This is exactly where the problem with common disinfectants lies: Even with supposedly harmless ingredients such as alcohol , it can be assumed that without a corresponding post-treatment of the surface a Material damage entry. Alcohol as a disinfectant for surface disinfection ensures a typical “Drying out” of the surfaces . It is absorbed into the surfaces without leaving any residue (without any subsequent treatment). This means that damage to the area to be treated is inevitable. In the case of widespread alternative active ingredients, residual residues can even result from far more unpleasant and stronger side effects can be assumed [2].

 

Material damage from disinfectants

Chemical clubs

It could always be worse!

However, one group of active ingredients is particularly negative when cleaning and disinfecting EMS vests. She owns next to the suspicion material damaging Proven properties toxic properties for humans and the environment.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QAV for short) are among other things contained as an active ingredient in traditional, common disinfectants – mostly when it is not an alcohol-based product. The most common are:

  • Benzalkonium chloride

  • Didecyldimethylammonium chloride

  • Dimethylbenzylammonium chloride

  • Triclosan

The active ingredients mentioned are Chemicals that are toxic and highly irritating to humans , where even a low concentration can be enough Allergies and Skin irritation (Contact dermatitis) [2] [3]. In our Article about skin irritation from harmful substances You can find out more about conventional disinfectants.

Because they are used as the main or additional active ingredient in many household cleaners and common (professional and industrial) disinfectants, the active ingredients of the QAV get onto the surfaces of the contact surfaces to be disinfected. Investigations showed an increased concentration of the accumulation of quaternary ammonium compounds in crack and wear areas of plastic surfaces (polymers) [2].

A homemade problem: bought bulk goods.

If you take a look at the home studios or the common disinfectants, one thing quickly becomes clear:
It is obviously which is why disinfected contact surfaces in EMS micro studios wear out and a damaged surface remains. The regular use of these “ Chemical clubs “EMS vest cleaning can therefore have a direct impact on Material damage and Skin irritation to have. It also has a massive impact on the environment [2] [3].

 

Optimal cleaning of EMS vests with brezeasy®

Our brezeasy® products are s specially developed for the needs of Crossfit and EMS studios . A product line for all hygiene-relevant situations that you as a studio operator encounter in daily training!

Find out now how you can make a difference with material-friendly and modern hygiene – for you and your customers. Benefit from a sustainable partner model for business and more efficient costs as a B2B buyer .

 

 

Sources and further reading:

[1] “Questions and Answers” – Process Hygiene; Dipl.-Biol. Regina Zschaler, Prof. Dr. med. vet. Walther Heesche; Behr ‘s GmbH; Edition: 1st edition 2011 (August 31, 2011)

[2] Investigations by Dr. Herbert Feld (Managing Director of OFG-Analytik GmbH): “Problematic distribution of quaternary ammonium compounds in everyday products”; Published in Surfaces POLYSURFACES No. 05/2016
Resource link (accessed on July 5, 2019): https://www.polymedia.ch/OP/Articles/view/306

[3] Status of scientific services of the German Bundestag: “On the question of health risks from quaternary ammonium compounds” – Published 2019 Resource link (accessed on 05.07.2019): https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/592580/473fdcdad1d33001599e476fdea81898/WD-9-081-18-pdf-data.pdf

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