We know the old saying that love is in the air. That amounts to a very good thing. But what happens when it's ozone in the air? We bring up this question because when you use ozone to clean laundry (as they do in industry), there's a higher concentration of ozone in the air around the washing machine during and for a short time after the wash. Is this a problem?
We hear about "ozone action days" -- when pollution is high and heat / light are present, this combination can form high levels of ozone in the air we breathe. Conventional thought tells us that this can irritate our lung tissues, and some people are very sensitive to this. So we have maximum levels and exposure times.
Alternative views on health suggest that breathing low levels of ozone may be beneficial, because ozone offers a loose oxygen atom that can attach to and disable molds, viruses, and bacteria in the lungs. (Just as we know it does when used in laundry.) Even if this is the case, we acknowledge that too much ozone can still be disruptive if it causes too much detoxification at one time.
(In Europe, many doctors inject ozone into the bloodstream to kill off pathogens rather than having people breathe it because of the possible irritation.)
We prefer that people research and draw their own conclusions on whether ozone could be useful at moderate levels. Personally, we like it at a level just below the point of smelling it -- it seems to keep the air fresh, and we think relatively "disinfected." Many hospitals use it to decontaminate operating rooms between procedures.
Within either view, though, we simply recommend that you limit your exposure to ozone in the air. If you're especially sensitive to it, then start your load of ozone laundry and step away from the room until the smell dissipates. If the ozone doesn't bother you, just use common sense caution and don't spend too much time in the laundry room when the ozone smell is strong. This way, you know you're staying safe while your laundry is getting a better wash for less money and without the usual chemical soaps!
We hear about "ozone action days" -- when pollution is high and heat / light are present, this combination can form high levels of ozone in the air we breathe. Conventional thought tells us that this can irritate our lung tissues, and some people are very sensitive to this. So we have maximum levels and exposure times.
Alternative views on health suggest that breathing low levels of ozone may be beneficial, because ozone offers a loose oxygen atom that can attach to and disable molds, viruses, and bacteria in the lungs. (Just as we know it does when used in laundry.) Even if this is the case, we acknowledge that too much ozone can still be disruptive if it causes too much detoxification at one time.
(In Europe, many doctors inject ozone into the bloodstream to kill off pathogens rather than having people breathe it because of the possible irritation.)
We prefer that people research and draw their own conclusions on whether ozone could be useful at moderate levels. Personally, we like it at a level just below the point of smelling it -- it seems to keep the air fresh, and we think relatively "disinfected." Many hospitals use it to decontaminate operating rooms between procedures.
Within either view, though, we simply recommend that you limit your exposure to ozone in the air. If you're especially sensitive to it, then start your load of ozone laundry and step away from the room until the smell dissipates. If the ozone doesn't bother you, just use common sense caution and don't spend too much time in the laundry room when the ozone smell is strong. This way, you know you're staying safe while your laundry is getting a better wash for less money and without the usual chemical soaps!
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