Mattress Cleaning? When was the Last Time You Cleaned Your Mattress? Clean a mattress…what the heck are you talkin’ about? Mattress cleaning is a newly developing and untapped business opportunity. Mattress cleaning is an absolute necessity, proven and evidenced over the last decade by the steadily decreasing $billions spent by Europeans annually, on respiratory and allergy medications. Nearly 4,000 mattress cleaning businesses have sprouted up throughout Europe in the past twelve years and continue to sprout up there and in other places such as Australia, the Far East, and the Pacific Rim. Now, North America has become virgin territory for the up and coming, mattress cleaning professional.Actually, Mattress Cleaning is Far, Far, from being a New PracticeFor thousands of years, mattress cleaning had been a routine task typically done each spring and if the weather permitted, again in the fall. Mattresses were toted outdoors, propped up against a pine tree, and then had the crap (literally) beaten out them with big tree limbs. Certainly, I suppose around the 1900′s, the use of tree limbs may have been replaced with baseball bats, 2×4′s, hockey sticks, tennis rackets, 9-irons, or whatever else might have been handy and still including the ever present tree limb.Grandma and Grandpa knew decades ago, what the Europeans have recently learned. I now know what grandma and grandpa knew. I can recall back in the ’60′s, that if I wanted to go out on the lake and fish for bluegills, I had to first tote all the mattresses outdoors, prop them up and beat them mercilessly. This laborious and mundane chore slowly evaporated to the point that we have completely forgotten about it. During the ’60′s and beyond, the U.S. population became more and more mobile. Grandparents moved to Florida or Arizona, or maybe stayed behind while their children and grandchildren moved away, thus, this miserable, dusty task, which had no apparent visual change…died.The Connection between Poor Indoor Air Quality and Unhygienic MattressesIndoor air pollution has been pinpointed as the reason for increasing respiratory illnesses, year after year, since 1980. Construction methods implemented in the ’70′s due to the energy crisis, called for improved insulation and more “air-tight” buildings. The negative effect, unknown until recently, is that the decrease in natural ventilation has allowed for an increase in poor indoor air quality, allowed dust mites to thrive, and allowed harmful allergens to accumulate. Within household dust, 80%-90% of the allergenic composition is directly produced by dust mites. Every home in the U.S. has dust mites and over 50% of the homes are infested with dust mites.The dust mite allergen (DMA) called “guanine” found in fecal matter of dust mites, is a very potent digestive enzyme that breaks down and destroys living tissue. An average-sized mattress harbors 2,000,000 dust mites excreting 20 to 30 fecal pellets each day. Due to its light weight, the guanine allergen easily becomes airborne and is so small in size that it is easily inhaled, destroying healthy lung cells. It affects everyone to varying degrees, but has very serious consequences for infants to age five, the elderly, and persons with chronic illnesses. Very unfortunately, this group of people is also the same group that spends 95% of their life indoors. The percentage of new cases of asthma and asthma deaths, have outpaced the population growth across the U.S. and is now at nearly epidemic proportions. The number of persons suffering from allergies has increased likewise.Dust Mites, Government, Health Associations, News Media, and TV HostsThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has replaced their previous #1 concern, outdoor air quality, with indoor air quality. U.S. health organizations, across the board, have partnered with the EPA to educate the American public of this latest major concern. National, as well as local, news media have aired many television reports and have at their disposal, public service announcements (PSA’s) created by the EPA, ready for broadcasting. (see the EPA’s, new in 2007, website: http://www.noattacks.org ). All major news networks such as FoxNews, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and Headline News, have featured prominent personalities such as CNN’s, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, FoxNews’ Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld, NBC’s Matt Lauer and Katie Couric (formerly of NBC) and most recently, on March 21st, 2007, ABC’s “Good Morning America” aired a segment reporting on this alarming issue. Featured on GMA, were two university professors and the CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.Every Day, Major Corporations Promote the Need to Remove Dust MitesIf you still feel the above exposure does not warrant the need to start your own “Home Indoor Allergen Control” business, focusing mainly on the removal of dust mites and DMA’s, then consider this fact. Dozens of big businesses such as; Tempur-Pedic, Trane, Fil-Trete, SC Johnson & Son, Oreck, Bissell, Dyson, and Sharper Image, are all “jumping on the bandwagon” and spending millions of dollars advertising on television, radio, and in the print media. It’s no wonder why, because the potential size of the targeted market is not just huge, it’s magnanimous!Over 20% of the U.S. population suffers from asthma, 50% suffer from allergies and everyone is impacted by the harmful ill-health effects of guanine. Now throw into the mix the “health and wellness” movement that continues to build momentum and retiring baby-boomers with disposable income. That’s big money to be made! Major corporations want their share of the “pie” and are aggressively marketing their products as the “end all/cure all” solution to the problem of indoor air pollution and dust mites. By doing so, this huge spending spree is also educating the public, marketing, and advertising the NEED for YOUR new business opportunity! Are you still not motivated, are your eyes not open to the possibilities, do you need MORE convincing? Okay, no problem, I got more, read the next paragraph for the “kick in the butt” that you need (and maybe, deserve).How Can A Mattress Cleaning Business Compete with Big Corporations?Four words, “their products don’t work!” Every one of the products being aggressively marketed as the “end all/cure all” is a passive, or a static, product that does not “attack” the sources of indoor contaminants. They are “defensive” products that do not take an “offensive” approach. Each one, either in use by itself or in combined use with the other products, still don’t provide the necessary results or provide the necessary relief needed by millions of people.Only a proactive, dynamic offense that attacks, removes, or reduces the contaminant sources to an acceptable level, can achieve positive results. Professional mattress cleaning technicians provide the needed results by using technologically advanced, high-performance HEPA-rated vacuum cleaners designed for servicing “cleanrooms” in the hi-tech field, special UVC light wands with Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) capabilities, and odorless, all natural, non-toxic, non-flammable enzyme cleaners. The trained eyes of professional mattress cleaners are also needed to identify the horrifying, blood-sucking bedbugs, which were once nearly eradicated but are now making a come-back.Research the “Mattress Cleaning Business” to See if It’s for YouEnter “dust mites” and “mattress cleaning equipment” or “mattress cleaning business” into the search engine of your choice. Some companies charge $5,000, $9,000 or even $23,000. Do not pay over $2,500. Combine the efforts of U.S. government and the desire of health organizations’ to educate the public, the “Health and Wellness” movement, the ever increasing indoor pollution effects on our health, free national media exposure, corporations advertising the need for the service, the publics awareness of the need for “green” or “environmentally friendly” services, this may very well be…the business opportunity for YOU!
Discover Mattress Cleaning Business Opportunity, Start NOW, Benefit $Millions in Free TV Advertising
Nutrition and the Guidelines You Should Follow
What makes a healthy diet? What are the building blocks of the best diet plan for you and your family? Can you really pick out any diet plan from the supermarket checkout lane magazines and lose weight but still stay healthy? Why are the foods that we love best often the worst for us? It is not an easy thing to talk about nutrition because there are so many myths and so much confusion surrounding it.And to add to all of this confusion, you may find yourself stuck trying to figure out who to believe or which of the “truths” are true for today. New studies may come along and show that something we have believed to be true or false all along is the opposite. Think of all the controversy that has surrounded fats for instance, or coffee, red wine, and other favorites. It may be next to impossible to keep up with every single fact about good nutrition mainly because there are so many of them and so many changes that come along it seems every day.Where Do You Get Your Nutrition Information?Where you get your information may be as valuable as what you find out. If you rely on getting all of the information that you need for your nutrition from the rag mags and other shaky sources, you are liable to be given information that is made up on the spot. If you are reading information about a fad diet for instance, you may find that you are not getting valuable or valid nutrition information but misinformation that has been skewed to prove their case and maybe to sell their products. Anyone can write a book, and they can make it look medical and factual, but if it is not backed up by legitimate studies, then you are simply reading the words that people want you to read- whether they are true or not.You should get your nutrition information from legitimate, up-to-the-minute sources such as your doctor, a dietitian, or a nutritionist. You may also read the news from legitimate and trusted sources – those magazines that are not just trying to push products but actually providing valid news and scientific facts.You can also get nutrition information online, however you should be careful about the sources that you are using. If you are simply pulling up information randomly, you may get confused. You may also stumble into sites that are only interested in selling products.What Makes Solid Nutrition?The first thing you should know is that there is no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to nutrition, although all humans need the same basic nutrients in their diet. They all need different amounts of these foods however. The number of calories that a person needs to take in each day determines how much protein, carbohydrates, and fats he or she needs to have. The number of calories varies by the height and weight of the person. The more you weigh, the more calories that you will need simply to maintain your current weight. If you are trying to lose weight, you need to reduce the number of calories that you take in, but not drastically. If you are not eating enough calories each day, you will shut down your metabolism and will not lose weight at all.In addition, if you are dramatically reducing your calories, it is a safe bet that your nutrition will suffer in the meantime. You have to make sure that you are getting the right vitamins and minerals as well as the right number of the macronutrients.Why is Nutrition so Important to the Body?The body uses food to heal itself, to protect against illness and injury, and to perform the everyday, normal activities. Every single action in the body, from the smallest to the most complicated, runs on the energy we derive from the foods that we eat. If we are only eating junk foods, then we will only have poor nutrition. If we are only eating bad foods, our body will become sluggish and we will gain weight, get sick, and be unable to move around like we should. The longer our diets continue to be made up of bad foods and the longer we continue to deprive ourselves of good nutrition, the more likely we are to become sick in addition to gaining weight.To keep the body strong and healthy, we need good nutrition. We need foods that keep up the energy level that we need to move around.Protein Supplements and other Ways to Get Proper NutritionIt may be difficult to get all of the protein or other nutrients that you need to meet your nutrition goals. You may be struggling to lose weight thinking that you can achieve this goal by eating way less than you really need. The problem, however, is that you are not only failing to meet your calorie goals for the day, you are probably killing your metabolism and failing your nutrition in the meantime. Having a protein supplement in place of a small meal or as a between meal snack can help you get the nutrition you need without having to add a huge number of calories to your diet.
What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime
What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.
As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.
That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.
Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.
Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.
Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.
Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.
That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.
Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.
Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.
My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.
Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.
And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.
All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:
• Farm eggs
• Fresh vegetables
• Cow’s milk
• Freshly baked bread
• Coal for our open fires
Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.
Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.
Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.
Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.
My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.
The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.
Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.
Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.
People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.
In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.
Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.
• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.
• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.
• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.
On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.
Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.
We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.
Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.
My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.