Can Safflower help your Leather Furniture? Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is indigenous from central China eastward all the way to the coast of Africa. It is a highly branched thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds and was used by the early Spanish colonies along the Rio Grande as a substitute for saffron (Ref: Wiki). Vitamin E is one of the extracted oils from the Safflower seeds and has excellent moisturizing properties. Generally, Vitamin E oil is a widely accepted component in many expert leather cleaning formulas. (Vitamin E oil can also be extracted from other plant source like soybeans, wheat and almonds.) After testing, and with over two decades of experience, Logos Associates has successfully formulated our own cleaner and conditioner using vitamin E sourced from safflower. We have found this formula to marry very well with our complimentary additives to rejuvenate and extend the life of your quality leather furniture. In comparison with other vitamin E sources, we have concluded the safflower extracted version to reveal the best long term results. Logos Associates recommends treating your leather furniture at least twice a year for optimum results. Call Logos Associate 347-882-7404.

What Are Dust Mites? Dust mites are microscopic (about 1/3 of a millimeter), insect-like pests that generate some of the more common indoor substances—or allergens—that can trigger allergic reactions and asthma in some people. Thousands of dust mites can live in office task chairs, upholstered furniture, carpets or curtains in your office. They feed on the dead human skin cells found in dust. (The average person sheds 8 pounds of skin each year. According to WebMD, what you shed in a single day can likely feed one million dust mites.) The potentially harmful allergens dust mites can create, come from their fecal pellets and body fragments [ref: Healthline]. Dust mites are nearly everywhere; and that includes your office. Can Dust Mite Allergens Affect The Health Of Your Office? Dust Mites can be an indoor trigger for people with allergies and asthma. Ongoing exposure to dust mites in the office can impact the health of employees with asthma and those who are allergic or particularly sensitive to mites. A dust mite allergy can range from mild to severe. A mild case may cause an occasional runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. In severe cases, the condition is ongoing, or chronic, resulting in persistent sneezing, coughing congestion, or a severe asthma attack. [Ref: ALA] How Did My Office Get Dust Mites? Dust mites occur naturally and can appear in nearly all offices. Humidity can be a factor in determining whether an office has a concentration of dust mites. Per the ALA, dust mites do not drink water like we do; they absorb moisture from the air. In areas with low humidity, like deserts, dust mites cannot survive. Equally, high moist heat (read: steam) is also deleterious to the life of a dust mite. How Can Dust Mites Be Eliminated? Regular steam cleaning of your seating areas, along with wire brushing and shampooing, will help mitigate and suppress the dust mite population. According to the Mayo Clinic, temperatures as low as 130°F can kill dust mites but with boiling temperatures of 212°F (or greater dependent on applied and atmospheric pressure), there is little hope for any dust mite surviving. Logos Associates recommends a minimum of two specialty cleanings per year with a focus on task chairs, office furniture, conference rooms, curtains and carpets. Call Logos Associates: 347-882-7404.