Clean and Disinfect with Tap Water: The Activeion Hom
As part of the Healthy Child Ambassador program, I received an amazing green cleaning tool to review: the Activeion Hom. Using just tap water and a tiny amount of electricity, the Activeion cleans and disinfects just about any surface in your home, with no toxic chemicals, no smells, and no worries about soap residue.
So how does it work? Perhaps Bill Nye, the Science Guy, can explain it better than I:
It’s so simple it’s funny: Charge the Activeion with the included charger, fill the reservoir with tap water (not filtered water, just plain tap water), spray on the surface you want to clean, and wipe off. To disinfect, kill 99.9% of bacteria and 100% of the H1N1 virus with a 6 second continuous spray.
“There are two key scientific concepts driving the technology in the Activeion products: electrolysis and electroporation. The science of electrolysis is over 100 years old, and the science of electroporation has been around for decades. Before Activeion, products incorporating these technologies cost thousands of dollars or were only available in specialized laboratory equipment. Activeion is the first to combine the science of electrolysis and electroporation into a small, handheld appliance available to everyone. The result is a device that cleans-up dirt and kills harmful germs with tap water and needs no chemical-related health warning label.”
We used the Activeion Hom in our bathroom, on our tables, and in our kitchen, and it got surfaces as clean as if we used soap. We don’t use any disinfectant or any soap stronger than Dr. Bronners Sal Suds in our house, and we’re not germaphobes, but it’s good to know that with just water and a little electricity, people can ensure that the surfaces in their homes are disinfected.
Here’s a shot of E.coli before and after 2 seconds of exposure to the activated water from the Activeion:
Yes, the initial cost of the Activeion Hom might seem high ($170.00), but if you don’t need to buy soap or disinfectants any more, and you know that your family won’t be exposed to toxic chemicals or their residues anymore, then it seems a small price to pay for that peace of mind.
This seemed really awesome and I wanted to believe its claims, especially the idea of being able to disinfect without chemicals. However a little bit of research turned up Stephen Lower’s debunking of their so called science. Lower is a retired Professor of Physical Chemistry from Simon Fraser University, so while his HTML skills may look a little amateur, he has enough letters after his name to convince me that he knows what he’s talking about. And what he’s essentially saying is that it’s mostly snake-oil. The “ionization” process the water undergoes creates a very very dilute bleach, so claims of being totally “chemical free” are actually bogus, it’s just that the bleach is so diluted that it’s pretty benign. He also explains where the reference to “technology for years in used in hospitals” fits into their equation — they use similar technologies to create their own bleach, but in much larger quantities.
So I think I’ll be sticking to my old tap-water cleaning routine for now. I think it probably works just as well, but doesn’t cost me $170 (plus electricity!) to use.
Wow, this is a pretty nifty technology. I’m proud to blog for a brand that uses natural ingredients to clean stuff, but this electrolysis device is mighty interesting indeed.
Great reviews on Amazon too 🙂 thanks for sharing
Wow, I was amazed this really fantastic. Using natural ingredients is great idea most especially for the business minded people. Keep up the good work. Thanks for this information.
A well rounded article. Touches upon all points. Well written + highly informative. Kudos.