It’s no secret that industrial steam cleaners are a necessary component for cleaning a number of public places as well as facilities where food is handled. However, educational environments — as well as the students that inhabit them — are often neglected when it comes to keeping schools free of dust and debris that has been proven to interfere with allergies, asthma, sicknesses, and overall increased absenteeism.
Here are just a few facts regarding a recent study on allergens to determine whether your school’s students could benefit from the capabilities provided by industrial steam cleaning systems.
A study of 284 students ages four to 13 enrolled at 37 inner city schools in the northeastern United States showed that mouse allergens were among the most common types of allergens found in schools. There was found to be a shocking correlation between the levels of mouse allergens and the levels of absenteeism in the school’s students. According to the results, this type of allergen exposure was linked to increase asthma symptoms as well as decreased lung function.
As far as the other types of allergens examined (rat, cockroach, cat, dog, and dust mites), none were associated with the symptoms as severe as those caused by mouse allergens. Cat and dog allergens were typically present in schools to some degree, dust mite levels were generally low, and rat allergens were almost undetectable.
“These findings suggest that exposure reduction strategies in the school setting may effectively and efficiently benefit all children with asthma. Future school-based environmental intervention studies may be warranted,” wrote the author of the study, Wanda Phipatanakul, M.D., M.S., of Boston’s Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
But just what kinds of exposure reduction strategies are effective?
Steam kills 99% of common household germs and bacteria like E.Coli, salmonella, and staph, as well as dust mites and bed bugs. That’s why they’re often used in restaurants and bathrooms. But with this insightful information, you can make an informed decision about what’s best for your school’s students’ health. For more information about industrial steam cleaners and commercial dry steam cleaners, contact Falcon Prosolutions, Inc.