Frequently Asked Questions
About Backtakleen
It is a good preventative program to improve indoor air quality and keep contact surfaces free from bacteria and germs. Our living environment is dirtier that we realize and over 60% of people fall sick due to airborne bacteria and viruses, and the rest due to touching contaminated surfaces.
After the treatment is complete all that is left is a clean and fresh environment which is 99.9% germ and bacteria free. The coating dries in a few minutes and is self-cleaning. The synergy of treatments does not leave behind any residue or sticky feeling.
After completion of our Bactakleen fumigation treatment, the room or car will have a slight pine tree scent. The Bactakleen ZnTiO2 coating has no scent at all. If fact, unpleasant odours such as from tobacco and food will disappear as the coating breaks down the contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the room including formaldehydes, sulphurs, ethylene and ammonias. The coating removes odours caused by organics and even offensive cleanser odours.
After the first complete treatment service, we recommend that home and office owners redo the Bactakleen anti-bacterial fumigation service every 3 months. For cars, fumigation process should be every month. As for high use or frequently abraded contact areas, we recommend yearly re-coating for maximum anti-microbial effectiveness. In humid environments such as Malaysia and Singapore, the rate of mould growth is rapid, therefore, generally it is recommended that Bactakleen treatment be carried out regularly to maintain an optimally clean environment well protected against bacteria and germs.
Bactakleen ZnTiO2 coating is indeed transparent. While virtually invisible on matte, textured, or light coloured surfaces, high gloss and very dark surfaces may show a slight iridescent effect or increase in sheen after the coating dries. The coating can be applied to stone, masonry, ceramics, metals, wood, painted surfaces, glass, and textiles. We do not recommend application on leather, silk, or organic based inks or paints, because the oxidation process may remove some pigments from these organic materials. We will always test a sample surface for unconventional surfaces to check its cosmetic effects. A very light coat is all that is necessary, and will help prevent streaking or drips.
Bactakleen is the world’s first 2-in-1 anti-bacterial treatment system. No other treatment provides this synergy. Most domestic products you find in the supermarket are just ‘spray and wipe’ applications that only kill bacteria and germs on the surface for the few minutes of which the chemical remains on the surface. However, the “nano scale” sized cleaning particles of our Bactakleen fumigation technology is 1/50th the size of an aerosol droplet and remain airborne for longer. Aerosols are also wet and can damage interior fabrics and surfaces. Foam treatments require a significant amount of labour and only work on areas it can reach within air-conditioning systems. Generally, sprays, aerosols and foams cannot provide long term protection or penetrate into the hard to reach places or where the sun does not shine.
You can continue with your usual cleaning routine, the ZnTiO2 forms a semi-permanent bond upon application, and becomes water-insoluble to provide anti-microbial efficacy even after repeated cleanings. It will not wear off unless the surface is abraded or sanded or etched with high solution bleach. Therefore, please avoid using abrasive industrial cleaning agents or bleaches on contact surfaces treated with the coating.
Bactakleen is non-toxic and environmentally-safe. It has no harmful effect on humans and pets. The ZnTiO2 coating does not penetrate the skin barrier. Our coating is only available in liquid (water-based) form and engineered to bond permanently to surfaces upon drying. It is even safe and effective for carpeting, clothing and bedding.
The fumigation takes an average of 15 minutes per car and about 20 minutes per standard size bedroom. For larger spaces it may take up to 25 minutes. For large conference rooms or living rooms, it may require double or triple fumigation to allow sufficient fumigation to take place. The coating process will take another 15-20 minutes. A full terrace house can be completed within 2 hours.
We just recommend the removal of loose items or items that are sensitive to a bit of moisture. Other than that, you do not need to remove any large furniture items. In fact, it is better to leave it in place as the anti-bacterial fumigation can then penetrate into the cushioning and bedding to kill the bacteria and germs breeding within them.
Allergy sufferers and people with breathing sensitivities will know right away. Most customers will notice a cleaner fresher room. For car owners, their steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake will no longer have a grubby, sticky feeling, and likewise, home owners, will feel that their door knobs and handles are cleaner. The Bactakleen treatment sticker will provide an indication of the date of service completion.
Bactakleen treatments have been proven to kill the following common bacteria and viruses that can cause serious illnesses:
- Esherichia coli
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Candida albicans (Yeast)
- Aspergillus niger (Mould)
- Pseudomonas aeroginosa
- S. Epidermis
- Bacillus
- Salmonella
- M2 virus(type of influenza virus)
These viruses are deactivated by the strong oxidative effect of Bactakleen ZnTiO2 coating. Importantly, the photo-reduction of the ZnTiO2 is an effective spore killer and also inactivates the lethal toxins from the spores (such as B. anthrax and C. difficile). Tests have shown additional suppression of the spores ability to survive in phagocytes. Even deadly prions, which cause Mad Cow Disease, have been shown to be deactivated by photocatalysis. Additionally, Bactakleen ZnTiO2 breaks down the cell byproducts, lipids and endotoxins after bacteria, virus and spore death.
All of the above have been laboratory tested by independent international standard laboratories.
Our nanoparticle coating has a surface area of about 300m2 per gram, about the same as activated charcoal. The difference is that activated charcoal and other odour adsorbing substances lose their effectiveness once they are fully absorbed. ZnTiO2, as a photocatalyst, does not lose its effectiveness over time because it continues to disinfect by decomposing the substances which create the odour.
The nanoscale crystals create a conformal oxide barrier on metals, both cleaning the surface of impurities and sealing the metal from environmental corrosives.
About microbes, bacteria and VOCs
Microbes are tiny organisms that cannot be seen without a microscope and include viruses, fungi, and some parasites as well as bacteria. The vast majority of bacteria do not cause disease, and many bacteria are actually helpful and even necessary to good health. Millions of bacteria normally live on the skin and in the intestines and can also be found on the genitalia. Bacterial diseases result when the harmful bacteria get into an area of the body that is normally sterile, such as the bladder, or when they crowd out the helpful bacteria in places such as the intestines.
A bacterial disease is any type of illness or disease caused by bacteria, a type of microbe. Harmful bacteria are called pathogenic and include Neisseria meningitidis, which can cause meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause a variety of infections. Other common pathogenic bacteria include Helicobacter pylori, which can cause gastric ulcers, and Escherichia coli and Salmonella, which can both cause food poisoning.
Pathogenic bacteria can enter the body through a variety of means, including inhalation into the nose and lungs, ingestion in food or through sexual contact. Once bacteria enter a body, a healthy immune system will recognize the bacteria as foreign invaders and try to kill or stop the bacteria from reproducing. However, even in a healthy person with a healthy immune system, the body is not always able to stop the bacteria from multiplying and spreading. As the harmful bacteria reproduce, many emit toxins which damage the cells of the body, resulting in symptoms of a bacterial disease.
Symptoms of bacterial diseases vary depending on the type of bacterial infection and the area of the body that is infected. Classic symptoms include fever and chills. Bacterial infections can lead to serious, even life-threatening complications, such as sepsis, kidney failure, toxic shock syndrome, and death. People at risk for bacterial diseases and its complications include those who have had a significant exposure to a pathogenic bacteria, such as Neisseria meningitidis, or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other risk factors include having a compromised immune system due to such diseases as HIV/AIDS or combined immunodeficiencies. People who take certain medications, such as corticosteroids, which suppress the body’s natural immune response, are also at risk for contracting bacterial diseases. Other risk factors include malnutrition, high stress levels, having a genetic predisposition to bacterial infection, and being very young or very old. It is possible that a diagnosis of bacterial diseases can be missed or delayed because some non-specific symptoms, such as fever, headache, colds, nausea and vomiting, are similar to symptoms of other diseases such as colitis, influenza and other viral infections.
The first step in treating bacterial diseases is preventing its occurrence and spread. Vaccines are available to prevent some bacterial diseases, such as meningitis, pneumonia, tetanus, and rabies. Prevention of the spread of harmful bacteria that cause bacterial diseases also includes frequent hand washing and covering the mouth and nose with a tissue during sneezing, and most importantly, keeping your environment clean and sanitised.
A VOC (volatile organic compounds) is an organic chemical compound with significant vapour pressures that can affect the environment and human health. It is emitted by many products such as paints and lacquers, paint strippers, carpet, flooring, plywood, particleboard, adhesives, cabinets, countertops, insulation, panelling and other building products. VOCs are known to have short-term and long-term adverse health effects, including nausea, vomiting, nose bleeds, eye irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, fatigue, dizziness, allergic skin reaction and dyspnea (shortness of breath). Several recent studies also suggest that domestic exposure to formaldehyde (a commonly occurring VOC) significantly increases the risk of asthma in young children.
Bactakleen can practically destroy any VOC, as they are all carbon-based and decomposed by the strong oxidative action of ZnTiO2. This includes the noxious and the toxic, such as ammonia, acetone, chloroform, formaldehyde, benzene, propane, and the byproduct of car exhausts, NOX (nitrous oxides). Others chemical contaminants destroyed are irritants such as the cause of smoke odour (acetaldehyde), chlorine gas, human and pet odours, fumes from cleaning chemicals and, as demonstrated by our independent lab results, the offending compound in Chinese drywall, hydrogen sulfide.