Hypochlorous Acid Solution Generator | Toucan eco

Description

Make your own non toxic, hypochlorous acid disinfectant for home or business

• It’s safe on skin, non-toxic to humans & animals, food safe
• It’s powerful stuff, killing 99.999% of bacteria, viruses & fungus
• It will save you money on cleaning & disinfectant supplies
• Reduces your chemical and plastic use
• It’s certified for performance to BS EN 1276 and 13697.

Hypochlorous acid is certified to kill 99.999% of ALL microorganisms & viruses including enveloped corona viruses

Clean your home, office, place of work with hypochlorous & hypochlorite – a highly effective disinfectant cleaner from simple water, salt & electrolysis

Hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite are sanitising cleaning solutions that are safe to use on skin, children, animals, soft and hard surfaces including food preparation areas, dental, medical and optician’s clinics

How does the Toucan Eco make hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite?

Toucan Eco™ – III is a small kettle-like unit which generates a hypochlorous/ hypochlorite solution which is a hypo-allergenic, non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning and disinfecting solution with just table salt and tap water!

Using a method known as ECAS (electrochemically activated solution) which converts simple salt and water into a powerful antibacterial, anti-viral solution of 20% hypochlorous and 80% sodium hypochlorite which has been extensively tested against US and European standards and found to have a powerful anti viral / anti-bacterial efficacy of up to 99.999%

Toucan Eco – III is a small kettle-like unit able to generate 1 litre of ECAS solution for use on all surfaces in only 5 minutes – whenever you need it. The solution produced can replace most of your daily cleaning chemicals significantly reducing the amount of toxic / bleach based cleaners in your home or workplace. The only things it can’t replace are de-greaser & limescale remover.

Where can you use hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite sanitising cleaning solution?

This is a non-toxic, hypoallergenic disinfectant  that can be sprayed onto and left on surfaces to kill infectious bacteria and viruses with a long acting effect – regrowth is considerably inhibited.

It’s safe for personal hygiene in the same way as alcohol and antibacterial-based hand gels a- put some in a small spray bottle to disinfect your hands or items you will touch. You can also clean raw vegetables/fruit before rinsing in fresh tap water.

Pour the solution into a trigger-spray bottle to clean touch-points at home or work including toys, phones*, keyboards*, bathrooms, kitchens, work tops, toilets, sinks, mirrors, floors, windows, carpets, upholstery, car interiors, door handles, purses, handbags and much more with the solution.

How do you use the Toucan Eco cleaning solution?

Simply fill the jug with one litre of water, add 2 grams of ordinary salt using the supplied scoop, stir gently with the supplied spoon and press the ON button.  After 5 minutes the solution is ready to use.

Pour into a trigger-spray bottle to spray onto a microfibre cloth or directly onto the surface and wipe with the cloth.

(*be cautious not to introduce too much moisture, always switch off electrical items – spray a cloth lightly and wipe the surface, don’t spray water directly onto electrical items)

This hypochlorous and hypochlorite solution is certified to both EN 1276:2019 and 13607:2015 – can be used in food preparation areas

Toucan Eco lets you make your own multipurpose disinfectant cleaner from just water, salt and electricity that kills 99.999% of microorganisms.

It’s eco-friendly, effective and safe, and replaces most chemical cleaners and the single use plastic bottles they are supplied in.

The Science behind ECAS hypochlorous and hypochlorite  eco-friendly cleaning is based on the immune system

When the body comes under attack from invading bacteria and viruses our immune system responds by sending white blood cells called neutrophils straight to the infection.

Once activated, these cells produce the same hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is amongst the most potent and naturally occurring disinfectants.

Along with the solution’s low concentration and gentle pH, that’s why it’s non-toxic and non-allergenic, without any skin irritation or breathing difficulties.

What is a Toucan Eco hypochlorous and hypochlorite  generator ?

Toucan Eco lets you make your own multi-surface disinfectant cleaner from just water, salt and a little electricity that kills 99.999% of bacteria and viruses. It’s safe and environmentally-friendly and replaces most household chemical cleaners and single use plastic bottles they are supplied in.

Does the solution work?

Yes, it does. It’s a proven and effective disinfectant and cleaning solution with a very high kill rate of 99.999%, fast contact time and minimal regrowth. The solution is also a mild surfactant, providing clean, smear-free surfaces.

What makes it different from chemical cleaners?

It’s powerful stuff and tests have proven the activated solution  is more effective than commercial disinfectants that contain lots of toxic, irritating chemicals.

It’s truly eco-friendly – reducing the amount of toxic chemicals  used to clean our homes, businesses and workplaces

Toucan-Eco cleaning solution is completely safe as it’s based on the same infection fighting substances used in your immune system – which makes it non-toxic and non-allergenic.

Why should I use Toucan Eco ECAS non-toxic sanitiser spray to clean with?

It kills germs – bacteria, viruses, micro-organisms, it’s a powerful antimicrobial, sanitising cleaner which smells natural,  is eco-friendly and non-toxic too. You can’t say that about many other chemical cleaners!

• Reduces your chemical and plastic use
• It’s safe
• It’s powerful stuff, killing 99.999% of bacteria.
• It will save you money.
• It’s certified for performance to BS EN 1276 and 13697.

Does it replace all chemical cleaners?

The solution created by Toucan Eco is an effective disinfectant and a mild cleaner, so replaces general disinfectant, all-purpose cleaners, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, glass and metal cleaners, and deodorisers. It doesn’t replace strong degreasers and descalers, although it is effective if used on a daily basis.

Is hypochlorous as effective as bleach or disinfectants?

Yes. Tests prove the antibacterial properties are as or more effective than synthetic chemicals, while the cleaning agent is gentler.

Why is eco-friendly cleaning so important now?

There are huge amounts of waste plastic bottles and packaging in our oceans and landfill as well as long term prospects of extra cleaning at home, in our work place and businesses due to the coronavirus / Covid-19 pandemic means we are all using a LOT of cleaning materials.

Long-term exposure to cleaning chemicals can have a serious impact on your health with toxic build up at home and work contributing to health issues such as respiratory problems, allergies, skin irritation, contact dermatitis, headaches and worse………

We also need to think differently about how we can reduce our impact on the planet.

And Toucan Eco is a new, greener way to clean your home and workplaces that helps one chemical cleaner and plastic bottle at a time.

Is it going to save money?

Absolutely. Once the device has been paid for the cost of producing the solution is minimal – the majority of the cost is the salt and with a 1kg bag costs less than a £1 and makes 1,000 litres of cleaning solution

Is hypochlorous solution certified as a cleaner / disinfectant?

The activated solution is certified under BS EN1276 and EN13697 chemical disinfectant and antiseptics as being safe to use as a general disinfectant.

It is also safe for use in food preparation and high-risk areas. In addition, certification under EN13727 (ESBL) and the VAH scheme (medical grade biocides) demonstrate efficacy in risk areas. Toucan Eco is listed under Article 95 of the EU Biocides regulations.

You can use ECAS to clean high risk areas such as food preparation areas, cleaning and disinfecting dental clinics, medical and medical aesthetic clinics, beauty salon cleaning, nail salon cleaning, veterinary surgeries, doggy-day care centres, cafes, restaurants, hotel, bed and breakfast B&B’s, AirBnBs, taxi and Uber car interior cleaning

What is the history behind the science of hypochlorous ?

It’s based on a science that’s been around since 1834. That’s when Michael Faraday published findings on the principles of electrolysis observing that an electric current passed through a substance produced chemical changes.

Russian scientist, Professor Vitold Bakhir added salt to this process to create a brand-new, powerful disinfectant solution. The original concept was to develop a technology that could combat the effects of biological warfare by generating safe and effective biocides, quickly and easily on-site for use on humans, animals, equipment, crops and water supplies.

Where is hypochlorous solution used?

This technology is trusted by a huge range of industries around the world.

It protects the marine environment, disinfects drinking water, combats Legionella in buildings and air conditioning systems and is used to safely disinfect and clean in everything from breweries, fish processing to carpet cleaning, salad packing to flower cultivation and dairy farming.

Hypochlorous made by ECAS is used to treat wounds, burns and infections in humans and pets – it’s approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for this.

And it’s also being used as part of Project India to help make the world’s polluted water safe to drink in third world countries and areas of humanitarian disaster.

With developments in technology, smaller devices can now make the solution on demand and onsite. In the UK, more and more companies are now proving you don’t have to use toxic, environmentally-damaging and expensive synthetic chemicals to disinfect and clean workplaces while saving single-use plastic bottles at the same time.

What is the science behind Toucan Eco?

It’s called electrochemical activation (or ECA for short), which is a form of electrolysis. It’s the process of passing an electrical current using a specialised cell through a solution of water (H20) mixed with a small amount of salt (NaCL) – 1g of salt per litre of water in fact. The electrochemical activation breaks the compounds apart into their basic elements.

The reaction oxidises at the positively charged electrode (the anode) and reduces at the negatively charged electrode (the cathode). This makes the 100ppm of free available chlorine (FAC) solution with changed chemical properties; a powerful but safe disinfectant and cleaning solution. That’s the ready to use solution as some of the models make a much higher concentration which is then diluted dispensed to 100ppm.

At the positive anode, the hydrogen and oxygen in the water reacts with the chlorine in the salt to produce the main, active substance called hypochlorous acid (HCIO), which is a powerful but safe disinfectant. This solution naturally wants to revert back to its original state by oxidising, for example, other organic matter. That’s part of its effectiveness.

At the negatively charged cathode the sodium and chloride in the salt combines with the  oxygen in the water to produce a mild form of sodium hypochlorite. This is a gentle cleaning agent.

What is the chemical composition of the solution?

During  electrolysis, at the positive anode the chloride (Cl) in the salt (NaCl) combines with the hydrogen  (H) and oxygen (O) in the water (H2O) and creates hypochlorous acid (HoCl),  which is a powerful but safe disinfectant.

While at the negative cathode the  sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) in the salt (NACl) combines with oxygen (O) and chloride (Cl) to produce sodium  hypochlorite (NaOCl), which is a very low concentration of bleach. This, and the gentle alkaline pH of between 7.8 and 8.5, gives the solution its cleaning  properties.

What is the concentration of the solution?

The performance of disinfectant is normally measured by its concentration – parts per million (ppm) of the active substance – in this case FAC (or free available chlorine). Many microorganisms can be destroyed with a concentration of around 20ppm of FAC, while tap water contains between 0.2 to 2ppm.

Toucan Eco makes ready to use concentrations of between 80 to 100ppm FAC depending on the model, which has a very high efficacy in eliminating microorganisms and represents the optimum level for disinfecting and cleaning.

This is the equivalent of 0.01% concentration, meaning 99.9% of the solution is water. Compare this to household bleach, which has a concentration of around 50,000ppm or 5% – that’s 500 times more concentrated than Toucan Eco, but no more effective.

How does ECAS hypochlorous kill bacteria and viruses so effectively?

Hypochlorous is the most effective disinfectant in the chlorine family available. It’s highly reactive with any microorganism that it can oxidise, damages the cell membrane, quickly penetrating the cell.

This results in an osmotic overload (put simply, a chemical imbalance of a cell) which means the cell cannot keep its structure, becomes vulnerable to attack and the hypochlorous reacts with cell proteins and nucleic acid. That’s why it’s so effective against the likes of the norovirus, E. coli, MRSA and Listeria. 

As the process works on a molecular level this means the microorganisms are unable to build up resistance which can occur with chemical disinfectants.

Hypochlorous has a residual effect and keeps on working if left on surfaces longer, although the speed of kill is proven to take seconds. 

Does the solution clean well too?

While the activation of the disinfectant is taking place, the sodium and chlorine in the salt is combining with the oxygen in the water to create sodium hypochlorite (NaClO); a very mild concentration of bleach. When combined with a gentle pH level of between 7.5 and 8.2, this compound gives the solution its cleaning properties.

What is the mix of disinfecting and cleaning properties?

The percentage split of hypochlorous and sodium hypochlorite is dependent on the pH of the water. Toucan Eco makes an optimum disinfecting and cleaning solution at around pH 8 and at this level about 20% of this is hypochlorous and 80% sodium hypochlorite. This is proven to kill 99.999% of microorganisms, while also providing good cleaning results.

Higher concentrations of hypochlorous can be achieved by lowering the pH of the solution so it’s more acidic to around 5.5, but that means the proportion of sodium hypochlorite decreases along with solution’s cleaning properties too. And to improve the cleaning properties of the solution, the pH can be increased so the solution is more alkaline, but that reduces the disinfecting properties of the solution.

We think we’ve got this just about right but you can increase the percentage of hypochlorous by adding vinegar, which is acidic. The ratio of salt to vinegar is 9:1 to achieve a pH of between 5 to 6.5.

Or you can increase the cleaning properties of the solution by adding potassium carbonate at a ratio to salt of 1:1, changing the pH to around 10 to 12, but poor disinfecting and deodorising properties.

What is its shelf life?

The solution is designed to remain effective for between five to seven days, after which point it reverts back to slightly salty water that can either be poured away or reactivated. Our advice is to make as much as you need for the cleaning job at hand and, as it’s virtually free to make, there’s no point in storing it for days. You simply make it on demand.

Has Toucan Eco been independently tested?

Yes, Toucan has been extensively tested by Professor Darren Reynolds, Head of Department of Biological Biomedical and Analytical Sciences at the University of the West of England. It’s also been tested by certified laboratories to EN 1276 and 13697  and is proven to be an effective way to disinfect and clean surfaces. These tests prove it is 99.999% effective against the likes of E. coli, MRSA, poliovirus, listeria and norovirus.

“The solutions generated by the Toucan units have been proven to destroy microorganisms very quickly and comprehensively using only water and salt,” explained Professor Reynolds.

“They are highly effective against bacteria, viruses, spores and fungi, providing protection to water, surfaces, fabrics, foodstuffs and people”.

What is the contact time and rate of regrowth  of organisms after spraying with hypochlorous?

Independent tests prove that the solution kills on contact unlike chemicals cleaners which can take 5, 10 or 15 minutes before wiping off. Please note, on cleaning task cards we show that the contact time – how long you wait between spraying the solution onto a surface and wiping off – is a minute. That’s because it’s the minimal test period for EN accredited laboratories.

How quickly do any surviving microorganisms recover and start to multiply after the solution has been applied?

In trials, after 24 hours there wasn’t any evidence of regrowth.

How is the science similar to the immune system?

When the body comes under attack from invading bacteria and viruses, the immune system responds by sending white blood cells called neutrophils straight to the infection. Once activated, these cells produce hypochlorous to eliminate invading microbes and pathogens. This is amongst the most potent and naturally occurring disinfectants.

Toucan Eco technology creates the same hypochlorous solution, but in a more concentrated form, and that’s why it’s safe and non-allergenic – and why cleaners like using it

Is Toucan Eco eco-friendly?

Most definitely! The solution has minimal environmental impact and reduces the use of harmful chemicals and the single use plastic bottles they are supplied in. This means it helps businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.

So, no phthalates, ammonia, additives, even fragrances, NO plastic waste.

There’s no need for COSHH training or protective equipment and it doesn’t harm the environment or air quality that cleaners, or customers, work in, live in, or visit.

Also, the solution is generated from natural and sustainable compounds of water and salt, and minimal amounts of electricity is required. There are no synthetic chemicals involved and no depletion of the earth’s resources. The solution is non-toxic, non-hazardous and hypoallergenic.

The activation process and the products it generates, are natural, safe to use and do not harm the environment. And there’s also the reduced energy, oil and carbon needed to make the solution compared with synthetic chemicals.

Does the hypochlorous solution create antibiotic-resistant germs?

No, it doesn’t create superbugs and is perfectly safe to use.

Is hypochlorous allergy-free and asthma friendly?

Yes!

What does hypochlorus smell like?

There can  be a mild smell of chlorine similar to the smell of a swimming pool or spa. This is from the small amounts of chlorine contained in hypochlorous (HOCl) and hypochlorite ion (OCl-) but at much lower levels.

How do I use the hypochlorus  solution?

To use, spray, wipe or mop any surface, including glass and fabrics as part of your normal cleaning practices. The solution is great for scrubber dryers, you can apply it as a mist for disinfecting large areas, and it also works as a deodoriser, leaving a faint spa fragrance.

Once you’ve run out – or after five to seven days when the solution has reverted back to slightly salty water – you simply make more.

Can hypochlorous be used as an odour neutraliser?

Yes. The solution neutralises odours by killing the bacteria which is the main cause of odours. It leaves a faint, fresh and natural smell instead of artificial fragrances.