By SallySRuthers June 27, 2018
I love that i called them and they were able to answer all my questions. I really did not know where to start or what size I needed. They help me get a dumpster the same day and I was able to start my renovation project the next day. Hook N Haul was great and would highly recommend them. ...read more
By SallySRuthers June 27, 2018
I love that i called them and they were able to answer all my questions. I really did not know where to start or what size I needed. They help me get a dumpster the same day and I was able to start my renovation project the next day. Hook N Haul was great and would highly recommend them. ...read more
By Ruby Daniels July 13, 2016
My mother recently passed away and I needed to rent a dumpster in Austin Texas to sort through her things. One of the ladies in the office at VIP sent me a sympathy card and some flowers. How sweet! They truly do care. Thank you for helping me get through this struggle. God bless you. ...read more
Clorox Bleach Is Not Appropriate For Cleaning Up A Crime Scene For years, Clorox bleach has been used to perform a variety of different cleaning tasks around the home. One thing that we found rather startling, however, is that they recently added crime scene cleanup to the list of ways that their bleach can be used. As it turns out, bleach is not the best cleaning agent to use in this situation. We can say that with the utmost of authorities since our company provides some of the leading crime scene cleanup services throughout the country. Four Reasons Why Clorox Is Not Appropriate For Crime Scene Cleanup Bleach is effective at cleaning and disinfecting. It also is easy to obtain, inexpensive to purchase, and can be used in a variety of different ways. Although that all sounds great on the surface, bleach is actually extremely dangerous. Industrial-grade bleach is considered to be an environmental toxin. It has the ability to cause birth defects and can increase the risk of developing cancer. Even at lower concentrations like those that are sold for residential use, it can cause major problems. In fact, apart from drugs, bleach is the leading household product that causes people to contact poison control centers. Understanding The Dangers Of Bleach The Potential For Toxic Gases When mixed with ammonia, bleach can give off phosphene gas, a toxic gas that is better known as mustard gas. Ammonia is extremely common. Not only can it be found in cleaning products but also in urine. When ammonia and bleach are mixed together, the following compounds are created: Chlorine Gas (Cl2) Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) Hydrazine (N2H4) Chloramine/Phosgene (NH2Cl) Along with mustard gas, the hydrochloric acid that is created when bleach and ammonia are mixed can do major damage to the skin, organs, or eyes. This damage is not only irreversible but it can even result in death. Ammonia isn’t the only problem. Other acids that are contained in common cleaning products such as vinegar can also create toxic fumes when combined with bleach. Bleach Gives Off Fumes That Can Irritate The Respiratory Tract And The Eyes Bleach gives off intense vapors that can do real damage to your body if you use it in areas that are not properly ventilated. If you breathe in the fumes from bleach, you can wind up experiencing headaches, difficulty breathing, chest pain, neurological symptoms, and nosebleeds. People who suffer from asthma may also find that their symptoms worsen when bleach fumes are present. These problems often persist even after the cleanup process is finished. Bleach Can Irritate The Skin Bleach is highly corrosive. You can see this property in action if you happen to leave bleach on fabric for too long. It not only fades the color of the fabric but it can also eat away at the fibers, leaving behind holes. Imagine, then, what it can do to your skin. If you get bleach on your skin, it can cause itchiness and redness along with burning. If the bleach stays on your skin for too long, it can irreparably damage the tissue and can change the color of your skin. Interestingly, bleach can also damage nonporous surfaces, making them more difficult to clean. Once this damage occurs, cleaning these areas becomes much more difficult since the bleach has to remain on the surface for a longer period of time to eliminate germs. Bleach Doesn’t Kill Some Types Of Pathogens There is a common misconception that bleach kills every type of bacteria that is out there. In fact, however, some types of bacteria are not affected by exposure to bleach – especially if the bleach concentration is not high enough. Although it may work on some pathogens, others may escape unscathed. Interestingly, bleach can also become ineffective if it comes in contact with dirt before coming in contact with bacteria. In essence, it reacts with whatever it comes in contact with. That means that it could lose its ability to fight germs by the time it actually reaches the bacteria. This can be problematic on surfaces that have been affected by hard water or that are covered with a lot of dirt. To get the best results, these surfaces have to be thoroughly cleaned before using bleach on them to kill the bacteria. Bleach Is Challenging To Use For Cleaning Using bleach in a way that is both safe and effective is far more challenging than it may seem. All that you have to do is read the guidelines put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)to see just how involved the process is. When used incorrectly, bleach can be extremely dangerous. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives on the market that are far safer and that are every bit as effective. If you are dealing with crime scene cleanup, the best option is almost always to hire a company that specializes in biohazard cleanup. So call us now or contact Biohazard Cleanup USA today for immediate assistance! ...read more
By Biohazard Cleanup USA February 08, 2018
Fire Safety During the Fall The rising and falling temperatures of the recent winter seasons has been more than many can bare, and now many are looking to for the warm glows and comfort of fireplaces and candles. There is something nostalgic and cozy about the flicker of a flame inside the home and the warmth it provides. Of course, there are also some hazards to this heating option. SERVICE YOUR FURNACE – Before you employ your furnace to its task, be sure it is in tip-top conditions for service and more. This can be done professionally and will only run you about $100 for the full inspection that keeps your home safe from hazards and surprise failures in the dead of a winter night. Even more importantly, it can save you from a slow and silent death from carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure all exterior vents and exhausts are clear and clean before the winter season. USE FIREPLACES SAFELY – You may have a wood burning fireplace or a gas heater in your home, but either way a regular maintenance and cleaning is essential for safety. Never leave a fire unattended and never allow a child to play unattended by an open flame or even a simple heater. Make sure the fires you have started are all cold out before you go to sleep at night. Be sure that throw rugs and other furnishings near a fireplace are all made of non-flammable materials. STAY SAFE WITH SPACE HEATERS – Instead of an open flame, many families rely on the convenience of a space heater as a heating source for the home. Remember the importance of following the manufacturer’s operating instructions when using these heat sources for domestic use. If your heater requires ventilation be sure there is an open window or vent in the room it is operating. Three feet’s distance is the safest proximity anything should be to the space heater. USE CAUTION WITH CANDLES – The beauty of a candlelit room is matched only by its propensity for doom and destruction. There have been innumerable cases of home fires starting from improper use of candles and their wax. Keep candles away from children and never leave them burning after you have fallen asleep. CHANGE THE CLOCK, CHANGE THE BATTERIES – this is the best time to prepare for the next year, in addition to changing the smoke alarm batteries and making sure all the clocks are set to their correct time. Be sure to test all the alarms with their new batteries installed. Finally, it would also be the best time to begin thinking about your fire extinguishers and replacing those that have expired. For more fire safety tips or even trauma scene cleanup, visit our blog. Please call us now or contact Biohazard Cleanup USA today if you need immediate assistance! ...read more
By Biohazard Cleanup USA February 08, 2018
Need New Reading Material? Check Out These Bio Thrillers! Add To Your Book Collection Do thrillers keep you on edge when you are reading? Do you find them hard to put down? Techno-thrillers are all the rage right now, and bio thrillers fall into this category. These are stories that center on pathogens or plagues. There are no zombies, however. Are you interested in reading about a superflu ravaging the country? Or, do you want to read a novel about ecoterrorists trying to take over the world? Does the idea of a biohazard cleanup send little shivers of terror down your spine? If that sounds good to you, bio thrillers are should definitely be on your reading list. Genre Bio thrillers fall into many different categories. Some are mysteries and some are downright scary. They are great to read when you want to immerse yourself into a fictional world and set aside your normal responsibilities for a short period of time. The following five bio thrillers are all novels that you should consider reading next. 1. Stephen King’s The Stand Stephen King is often regarded as the founder of bio thrillers, so it makes sense that he tops the list here. The Stand centers around the devastating effects of a superflu. If you haven’t read this book yet, it is the time that you rectified that. The novel is so highly regarded that several movies are based on it, and it was even made into a comic book. Those that haven’t read it are normally familiar with it. 2. Anderson and Beason’s Ill Wind Written by Kevin J. Anderson and Doug Beason, Ill Wind is a disaster novel about a bacteria. In the story, a company tries to mitigate the disastrous effects of an oil spill by putting out a bacteria that eats oil. However, what the company doesn’t know is that an ecoterrorist has altered the bacteria so that it eats both oil and everything that has oil in it. There are a few other books out there that revolve around this same theme, including Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and Petrophage by Amy Rogers. 3. Dave Edlund’s Deadly Savage Think about what would happen if someone turned the smallpox disease into a weapon. Smallpox isn’t on most people’s radar anymore, but alarm bells were raised when a few samples were discovered at a lab in Maryland. The lab was close to D.C. and it was unsecured. In this novel, a man named Peter Savage is trying to keep smallpox from getting back out into society and devastating the world. Because smallpox isn’t a threat anymore, humans don’t receive the vaccination these days. 4. Robin Cook’s Outbreak Outbreak was made into a television movie years ago; it focuses on an Ebola outbreak that happens in America. At the time that it was written, there was no vaccine for Ebola, so the idea of an outbreak was terrifying. It’s still scary, and there’s a great female protagonist to boot. No one wants to think about the way that Ebola ravages the body, so this book still has a lot of relevance in today’s world. 5. Ian Stuart’s The Satan Bug This book was written more than fifty years ago, but it is still a page-turner. The premise revolves around a theft; someone takes botulism and poliovirus from a lab, both devastating diseases that could wipe out the human race. The book is by a British author, so it may be a little different than what you’ve read in the past. The ending, in particular, is really interesting and many people don’t see it coming. Like many of the other books on this list, a movie from the 60s was based on the novel. There are a lot of bio thrillers to choose from. Some revolve around diseases and others revolve around toxins. For example, Zodiac by Neal Stephenson is a popular choice. However, if you are just getting into this genre, the five books above are a great place to begin. You’ll never think about smallpox in the same way again. For more information on biohazard cleanup contact or call Biohazard Cleanup USA today! ...read more
By Biohazard Cleanup USA February 08, 2018
When a customer visits a restaurant, they expect that the dishes, glasses and silverware are all clean and sanitary. There is more to sanitizing a dish than wiping it with a rag; proper sanitization is a task that must be completed with care. ...read more
If you have solid waste to dispose of, it is important that you dispose of it properly. Most cities have a landfill where you can take solid waste. If the solid waste is a bio hazardous chemical, you will have to dispose it of a little differently. Most towns will have a dump that you can dump your ow... ...read more