The amount of waste generated by the average person has tripled since 1960 in America, which has the highest amount of waste generated per person of any country, at an average of 4.6 pounds per day. In fact, only around 1/10 of solid garbage in the United States is recycled each year. Believe it or not, this statistic has improved over years past, but we still have a long way to go.

Recycling helps alleviate this issue the most, of course, but there are other things that can be done to keep solid objects out of landfills. One of these has to do with what to do with items after a fire or flood. In the past, insurance companies and homeowners would try to restore sentimental items from a fire or flood-damaged home, but would choose to toss the remainder of soot- and mold-covered items in the garbage, meaning that after a major event such as the California wildfires or the floods following a hurricane like Harvey, you would likely see a huge influx of household items entering local landfills. In fact, that’s exactly what happened after Hurricane Harvey.

It’s clear to see that this trend is insupportable in the long run. So, what’s the answer?

Refurbish, not throw away

When household items get damaged in a fire or flooding, it can seem like there is no recourse but to toss them out into the nearest dumpster. Soot or mold damage can seem intractable and impossible to remove. But there is a way to choose to refurbish these items instead of throwing them away. Refurbishing is a choice that keeps items out of landfills and saves both money and time. Cleaning and restoring items by hand might take many hours of hard work, with less than satisfactory results in many cases. Yet there is another way that involves a cutting-edge cleaning technology: ultrasonic cleaning.

Ultrasonic cleaning to the rescue

Ultrasonic cleaning uses the power of high-frequency sound to clean objects. When these sound waves pass through a liquid medium and strike against an object immersed in that liquid, they produce millions of microscopic bubbles. These bubbles collapse almost as soon as they’re formed through a physical phenomenon known as cavitation, releasing tiny but intense jets of energy when they do. These energy bursts dislodge grime and contaminants from every surface of an object, and in combination with a detergent solution, form a powerful cleaning force unlike any other. Not only is ultrasonic cleaning thorough and powerful, but also gentle, which means it can often even clean Grandma’s china without damaging it.

The bottom line: ultrasonic cleaning allows restoration companies to work in tandem with homeowners and insurance companies to clean damaged items after a disaster, restoring them to the condition they were in before the disaster, and sometimes even better. Ultrasonic cleaning creates a win-win scenario for everyone—the homeowner gets their original items back and don’t have to spend time replacing them, the insurance company doesn’t have to write a bigger check to replace all damaged items, and the rest of us will be thankful that the many items will not have to go to landfills, helping keep the earth greener than it was before.

Want to know more about how ultrasonic cleaners can assist you with refurbishing damaged items rather than throwing them away? Call one of our ultrasonic experts at Omegasonics at 888-989-5560 or email us at Omegasonics@Omegasonics.com. You can also get in touch with us by filling out our online contact form.

So, what is ultrasonic cleaning?

First off, what is ultrasonic cleaning and how does it work? Ultrasonic cleaning is made possible by the physical action of high-frequency sound waves traveling through a liquid. These waves, produced by a piezoelectric transducer hooked up to a diaphragm, move through the liquid and produce millions of microscopic bubbles when they strike the surface of an object. This effect is called cavitation. Bubbles created through cavitation are “filled” with space, so there’s nothing to keep them open. So, they collapse almost as fast as they are created, releasing tremendous bursts of vacuum energy in the form of heat and pressure. These jets of energy strike against the object to be cleaned, dislodging contaminants such as rust and grime. The result: fast and effective cleaning.

So, what can an ultrasonic cleaner clean?

It’s probably easier to consider what an ultrasonic cleaner can’t clean. After all, ultrasonic cleaning is used across a wide range of industries to clean a huge variety of materials. Ultrasonic cleaning is used to clean everything from medical implants to aerospace parts to carburetors to handguns. It shows its versatility when cleaning household items damaged by flood or smoke damage, for example. Even though ultrasonic cleaning can be used on the toughest industrial parts, it can also clean equally well grandmother’s best china set after a fire has blackened it.

There are only two main categories of items which can’t be cleaned by ultrasonic cleaning: items which shouldn’t be submerged in water because the liquid will damage them and items which can’t be easily dried. That’s it.

So that means everything from Grandma’s china to snowmobile carburetors can be cleaned with ultrasonic cleaners. Even electronic circuit boards can be cleaned. If they’re not connected to electricity at the time, and they’re properly dried out later on, it’s perfectly safe, and they won’t be harmed.

And when an ultrasonic cleaner is combined with a forced air drying cabinet, then you’ve got a potential cleaning assembly line operation going.

Bottom line: if it’s a surface contaminant, it can probably be removed from the object with the combination of ultrasonic waves and a detergent specially formulated for that type of grime.

The list of contaminants that ultrasonic cleaning can’t remove is about as short as the list of objects it can’t clean. Ultrasonic cleaning can remove just about any type of dirt, rust, oil, grime, carbon and more.

So, if you’re looking to clean any type of industrial or commercial part, especially if it’s something that involves a lot of elbow grease and time,  consider investing in an ultrasonic cleaner.

But don’t just take our word for it here. Got a question about what ultrasonic cleaners can clean and want to talk to someone about it? Call one of our ultrasonic experts at Omegasonics at 888-989-5560 or email us at Omegasonics@Omegasonics.com. You can also get in touch with us by filling out our online contact form.

Myth Buster: Electronics and Water CAN Mix!

That statement can be true, as long as your electronics are not plugged in. Unplugged electronics can be placed in water. The trick is in the ultrasonic drying. If electronics are cleaned with water, then contact points can be contaminated with any dirt and debris that is knocked loose. In order to prevent dirt from drying in place, use of chemicals during the drying process will eliminate that dirt.

You may have heard that if you use deionized water instead of tap water, your electronics will be safe. Just like with regular water, the minute you start using deionized water to do your cleaning it becomes full of dirt, dust and the contaminates you are trying to clean electronics.

The proper process after the electronics are removed from the water is what is important. There are a few chemicals that can be used in order to eliminate deposits after washing.

After removing the electronics from the water, any contact points must be cleaned with a chemical cleaner. This cleaner must function as a water displacer as well as a lubricant. This will prevent contamination of critical contact points that can cause issues with the electronics.

Do Not Worry About Those Solder Joints

It might seem that the vibration that is used in ultrasonics might damage the very delicate solder joints that are present in electronics. Fortunately, that is not how ultrasonics clean.

Ultrasonic cleaners work by creating small bubbles that appear and collapse over and over again. This process is called cavitation. Since the bubbles are what are doing the cleaning, the solder joints are safe.

A chemical used during soldering, called flux, is cleaned off of motherboards by ultrasonics at their manufacturers.

Watch Your Frequency

The one thing that you must be very careful with is the frequency. Generally, frequencies between 27 and 40 KHZ are appropriate to clean electronics. If the frequency is set too high, damage might occur.

If you are unsure what frequency you are using, or there may be some error in your ultrasonic cleaner’s settings, do not use your cleaner to clean electronics until those problems are resolved.

Experimentation to Clean Electronics May Be Necessary

Due to the wide and varied geometry of electronics, there is no one universal setting suitable for everything. You may have to experiment a bit in order to find the right mix of solution, temperature and frequency to clean electronics correctly.

Contact Omegasonics today for ultrasonic cleaning solutions and ultrasonic cleaners for all of your electronics cleaning needs!

You can also lose more than just your home; smoke and water damage can lead to warping, mold and rust which can cost you your precious heirlooms and items of both monetary and sentimental value.

For victims of a flood or fire, disaster restoration needs to happen immediately.

Water and smoke issues need to be handled as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage to important personal property items.

Today’s video sees Frank giving advice on old-fashioned ways to clean up and recover from these disasters, as well as how an ultrasonic cleaning system can be used in disaster restoration to help you get back some of those lost possessions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ5G2LyUZg0

Drain Standing Water

Drain any standing water left from the incident immediately. Empty anything that is holding water be it a shoe, your pet’s food bowls, or appliances. Standing water is a breeding ground for bacteria and mold, and you want to remove this issue first and foremost. Remove as much remaining water as possible with towels.

Dealing with Fabrics

Remove waterlogged fabrics immediately and hang them to dry. Don’t wash your bedding or clothes—instead turn them over to a disaster restoration company. They could already be infected with mold, bacteria, or damage from smoke and soot. A qualified restoration company can disinfect, clean and sterilize your fabrics properly without cross contaminating your other clothing.

Cleaning Up

Spray down items that have hard surfaces with degreasers and wipe them down, but be sure you use compatible chemicals so that you do not damage delicate equipment as LCD screens or pottery glaze.

To recover furniture, lift each leg and wipe it down, and then sop up any water that may have collected underneath. Finally, cover the furniture with plastic until the home airs out and is once again dry.

Open all drawers and doors to promote air circulation. Air circulation helps to remove mildew and smoke odor in the home.

Document Recovery

Important documents can be the worst loss you suffer. To recover these as best you can, carefully dry books, documents and papers with paper towels and lay them out to dry. Keep paper products out of direct sunlight and use a dehumidifier to draw moisture out. Know that paper can dry with wrinkles unless processed with a document vacuum processing system available at only a few specialized restoration companies.

Ultrasonic Recovery

Don’t throw anything away! Modern ultrasonic cleaning can be used to recover almost any household item, even ones previously considered unsalvageable. It can remove the smell of smoke and soot, and can clean just about anything to help you recover those important family heirlooms.

Even teddy bears and computers can be recovered using these cleaning systems. Remember, each thing you save is something you do not have to replace—contacting a restoration service that uses modern ultrasonic cleaners can save you a significant amount of money and get back things you feared lost.

Standing water will continue to cause damage in the form of decay, warping, and rust, not to mention the longer-term effects of mold and mildew growth on your family’s health.

Getting the water out of your belongings quickly is the key to salvaging them after a catastrophic event like a fire or flood, and knowing how to handle soot and smoke-damaged articles is equally important. Here are some suggestions you can use to save your belongings in the short term if you are ever faced with such an event, and save them forever by using ultrasonic cleaning technology:

• Drain standing water immediately. Anything that can hold water should be turned over and emptied as soon as possible, including bowls, appliances, electronics, and furnishings.
• Remove waterlogged area rugs, blankets, clothes, tablecloths, and pillows and hang them up in a dry location.
• If you have power, get the air conditioning or heater running, floor and ceiling fans started, and a dehumidifier going.
• Use towels to soak up as much water as you can from furniture, flooring, and carpets. Wring the towels out, and repeat the process as many times as needed.
• Clothes covered with soot and smoke should not be washed, but should be turned over to a qualified restoration company specializing in soft contents cleaning. Soot does not dissolve in water, and will leave fabrics a greasy mess. Hard-surfaced objects, however, like bowls, appliances, and furnishings, can be sprayed with a degreaser and wiped down, but make sure the chemicals are compatible with the surface finishes. Some will melt plastics and paints. Don’t eat from kitchen utensils that have been cleaned in this way until they have been washed in warm soapy water with diluted bleach added.
• Important documents, papers, books, and pictures should be blotted with a paper towel and laid out on a flat surface to air dry. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
• If you have wooden furniture (or furniture with wooden legs) setting on wet carpet, lift each leg, wipe off any surface water, and then place a plastic sandwich baggie under and around it before setting it back down. This will keep additional water from being absorbed into the wood.
• Open as many drawers and doors as possible to promote air circulation and ventilation. This includes all interior doors, exterior doors where possible, and drawers and doors in furniture.

Notice that the words “throw it out” are not included anywhere on this list. That’s because modern ultrasonic cleaning technology makes it possible to save many of the items that previously would have been unsalvageable. Yes, there will still be things that must be discarded, but professional restoration companies equipped with ultrasonic cleaners can help you recover items as diverse as stuffed animals, computers, appliances, and mini blinds. The key is to get the standing water away from your items quickly, and then call a restoration company in short order to help you keep your possessions.

Ultrasonic cleaning is gentle, safe, and incredibly effective. The process can remove the soot and smoky smells left behind after a fire, remove mold and mildew, and safely clean your delicate, irreplaceable family heirlooms. Restoration companies can come right to your door to begin the salvage process and return your items to you, or send them off to a restoration center for special care (like large appliances and electronics). Everything you can save is something you don’t have to go out and buy again, so they can help you keep a substantial amount of money in your pocket.

Following the tips listed here can get you started on the path to saving your personal belongings, household goods, and family keepsakes. Once you’ve taken these steps, however, it’s important to contact a professional restoration company and get them working to return your items to pre-loss condition using ultrasonic cleaning technology.

Omegasonics has made it possible for contents restoration companies to save a lot of money by creating the world’s first all-in-one ultrasonic assembly line cleaning unit.

The official name of the unit is the Omegasonics Restoration Pro RP3 System, but we’ve nicknamed it “Rolling Thunder” because it provides companies with all the power and performance of a full system, yet its size and mobility makes it perfect for on-site cleaning. The RP3 is designed to dramatically increase process efficiency and eliminate 80 percent of traditional, manual contents cleaning that is done by hand. The cleaning unit has a high-frequency speaker at the bottom of the second stage that creates sound waves. These ultrasonic sound waves create millions of bubbles and as each bubble hits a surface, it implodes, ripping the dirt off of the surface.

Rolling Thunder is perfect for:

• Large restoration companies that already have a full ultrasonic assembly line cleaning system and could use the additional operational flexibility it affords;
• Companies that have multiple locations and a central processing plant, since the unit is designed to be used in a satellite location to cut down on shipping expenses; and;
• Smaller businesses that have limited space, but would like to add disaster restoration to the list of services on their business profile.

If you’d like more information about the RP3 feel free to call us at (888) 726-3130  or visit the Rolling Thunder web page here.

So Eileen Zark brought over her crew and five palates from a job she was already doing. We gave them about 30 minutes of training, then we stood back to watch the fun…

The contents pros did just what we showed them and they cut through the job like a hot knife through butter. “Amazing…” she said. The workers were having a blast and she confided that she had been doing contents work for about 8 years — the last 4 of which were really wearing her down…but this was totally different! Hey — who wouldn’t be bummed out by cleaning things with Q-tips, toothbrushes and rags?

So how did Eileen and her crew do?

Well, they used to clean about a box per person, per hour. Xactimate pays around $30 to $40 per box. And we asked, “Eileen, about how many boxes did you get done in an hour with Omegasonics Restoration Pro®?”

She said, “About 20 to 25 boxes…,” Depending on where you are in the country, and judging by the Xactimate numbers, you already know that makes it as much as $1000 in just one hour! Imagine what she could do in a day (actually she did all five palates in just 2 days)!