The microbial world
MICROBIAL CLEANING - HOW DOES IT WORK?
Microbes handle biological decomposition in nature by producing enzymes and other substances that break down organic material. Imagine a compost pile, or the scent of leaves decomposing in the forest during autumn. Microorganisms were the first life on Earth when it formed 4-5 billion years ago. They are responsible for true cleaning because they break down everything we leave behind (including ourselves when we die). However, it's a matter of time - much of what we leave takes an extremely long time to decompose. You may have heard about microbes breaking down oil spills at sea and purifying water in treatment plants.
Cleaning - hydrolysis and bacterial culture
Much of what we aim to remove when cleaning, whether textiles or hard surfaces, is fat. The fermentation extract in the formula breaks down fat molecules into smaller parts (hydrolysis), making the residues easier to break down and absorb into a cloth. Organic residues from our lives, what we call dirt, can also be broken down by the bacterial culture in the products, and this process continues deep into the pores of materials even after we finish cleaning or tidying up. This contributes significantly to the fine result, even over time. However, the microbial formula cannot handle things like nail polish or graffiti, as you might understand after reading a bit about how it works.
Odor removal - in three steps
First, you notice the scent of perfume, an "instant reward" that doesn't clean and we can never just perfume away a bad smell. But it gives us a feeling of doing something delightful. That's how many of us work, anyway, but not everyone. (Is it possible to get the mists unscented, some wonder? Technically, yes, but the formula itself doesn't smell great, so we've chosen to hold off on that.)
Next, an enzyme in the formula acts as a kind of lid over the odor, providing an immediate effect.
Additionally, the bacterial culture begins to break down the source of the odor. However, this process takes longer and wouldn't alone give us the quick effect that humans expect. The bacterial culture provides the long-lasting effect.
Moreover, microorganisms play a crucial role in human health and our ecosystem. Therefore, we've developed cleaning products based on our respect for and understanding of the microbial worlds we live in. If you'd like to read more, there's additional information about us here on the site.