Superclean: how to find the balance between “good” clean and “bad” clean.
What’s the point of anti-microbial materials.
Have you missed a step in the clean home routine?
Post pandemic the world went a bit Clean-Crazy. Everything was suddenly anti-viral anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
While this was probably just an over reaction to our fear of the unknown and the shocking realities of covid, there might have been some method in our madness.
While things like disinfectant cleaners, sprays, hand sanitizers and even shoe sanitizers or covers became common place, one thing we all seemed to ignore was our soft furnishings and linens.
This industry has recently caught on and you can’t ignore the apparent value thereof.
Think about it – as much as we were told not to touch our faces and use our masks, we still slept on our normal pillowcase and pillows each night and used our same old towels. While this isn’t necessarily bad and we’re not dirt-shaming you, there are now options available to ensure an extra anti-microbial barrier between us and the wild west of pathogens that’s out there.
Wrap yourself in clean comfort.
Our favourite “clean” fabric product is definitely anti-microbial bedding.
What exactly is anti-microbial material?
The term ‘antimicrobial’ is defined as: “destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, especially pathogenic microorganisms.”
But – What is a microorganism?
In short, it is anything we would call “nasty”. From viruses, protozoans, bacteria, fungi, parasites and mould or mildew – Things you wouldn’t want on your pillow basically.
Using anti-microbial fabric isn’t a new thing.
Anti-microbial fabric has been used in anything from hospital gowns to hotel towels, outdoor gear and active wear. In fact, using some form of anti-microbial agent on fabric greatly improves the lifespan and durability of that product because it keeps it free from degenerating “nasties” like mould and mildew.
Anti-microbial pillows
This is a great way to fight allergies and keep your airways happy. Although many pillows do promise some form of “germ-defence” it’s not to say that they deliver on this promise. Our favourite anti-microbial pillow is the eSleep Bamboo Pillow. It is described as being “Aggressively anti-bacterial” and this sounds exactly like the kind of pillow we need to guard against nighttime nasties.
Anti-microbial bedding.
No longer just for hotels and hospitals, home-sleeping can now also benefit from this extra level of protection. While materials made from bamboo are some of the best naturally anti-microbial options, the range of bedding available (anything from sheets to pillowcases and duvet covers) has grown a lot in the past few years and we are sure you’ll be able to find your fix. Ethical Bedding gives great guidance in this regard.
Anti-microbial towels
Here you are spoilt for choice. The anti-microbial towel industry is well established, and whether its silver (well known for its germ-defence capabilities), bamboo (aggressively antibacterial) or some other form of anti-microbial agent that’s used to keep these towels fresh and cleaner, it is really just a matter of preference. We found the Japanese company Mizu, and we love their scientific approach to anti-microbial living. Their towels and sheets are at the high end of the budget range, but if you can afford them, go for it. If you are looking for a more affordable and local option, you can look at what Silverguard or Woolworths have to offer.
Anti-microbial coatings for other things.
Not content with simply sleeping clean? These products can be used to give your other soft furnishings a germ-defence coating, even after they have been manufactured.
