EM or Effective Micro-Organisms are revolutionizing the Laundry and Dry Cleaning industries. EM is a totally natural “green” product which actually feeds on various types of soils, bacteria, fatty acids and many types of carbohydrates. In Japan and many other countries around the world, EM products are used very effectively in the fields of laundry and dry cleaning chemistry, agriculture, soil reclamation, water reclamation, toxic clean up, animal husbandry, drain and septic system clean up, pest control, sewage and waste water clean up and many other projects involved with the revitalization of the Eco System.
EMs are also used in numerous personal hygiene products and dietary supplements. Now, due to a great deal of research and field testing, a whole new line of laundry and dry cleaning products has been developed.
What Is EM
EM is an abbreviated term for, effective micro-organisms, which are a group of more than 80 types of useful micro-organisms which are beneficial to humans and the environment. These micro-organisms are mainly combinations of yeasts, malts, lactobacilli, photosynthetic bacteria, filoform bacteria and many other forms of micro-organisms. EM products have been used very successfully, since their inception, in the 1980’s on many ecological projects world wide. Being a totally natural product, EM poses no threat whatsoever to human beings, their pets, or the environment.
As with any other organism, the EMs must eat, eliminate, procreate, sleep and die. The EMs associated with our products eat soil, harmful and foul odor producing bacteria, fatty acids and carbohydrates. After they eat they eliminate H2 and O as a grayish water. These products of elimination are separated out in the water separator of the dry cleaning machine and are removed from the separator on a daily basis as what we call grey water, since the eliminations are of a grey color and are liquid H2 and O. These eliminations are totally harmless to humans, their pets and the ecological system, and can be disposed of without the need for a registered waste hauler. When EMs die, the by-product, created is also H2 and O.
Testing
The EM Research Group in Japan has devoted a great deal of research time in studying the special “ negative ion water”, found in the EM formula, which gives the product an extremely good oxidizing power. They have reached the conclusion that the EM products are very effective in the cleaning and laundering processes in the following manner:
• The normal cleaning media, i.e., solvent, is greatly enhanced by the addition of the EM products, which are tailored for the specific media being used. This allows the media being used to remove more stains with less spotting and many less do-overs.
• Because of the “negative ions” associated with the EM soaps and spotting chemicals redeposition, which is normally associated with the cleaning process, is eliminated resulting in whiter whites, brighter colors and greatly improved cleaning quality. The “negative ions” also control lint so that the garments leaving the dry cleaning machine or washer are virtually lint free and free from static.
• The “hand” or feel of the garments cleaned in an EM solution is softer and much less wrinkled with EM. This leads to easier pressing and greater customer satisfaction.
• Due to the total elimination of the so called “bad bacteria,” which cause the foul odors and sludge associated with the cleaning process, there are no more odors to contend with. This leads to a much more user friendly work place and again greater customer satisfaction with the end products.
• Due to the fact that all sludge is removed from the system, by the EMs, there is no longer any need for distillation and no more sludge build up on the filters. Filters will now last 3-4 times longer and will have only a lint build up on them which means no more high pressure, which is caused by the sludge. This means that the filters will only need changing when the carbon is expended and can now be dried out and crushed and put out with the normal trash or recycling, getting rid of the hazardous waste haulers. (where allowed by local regulations).
• Because the EM products remove all of the bacteria from the garments being cleaned, customers that have previously had problems with wearing garments they are allergic to or have sensitive skin can now have their clothes professionally cleaned without the worry of allergic reactions.
• Since the EM formula is also a natural insect repellent the garments cleaned in the EM solution are now more resistant to moth and other insect damage.
• Since the EM solution is also a natural anti-oxidant the garments cleaned with EM are much more resistant to oxidation, which means no yellowing.
• When used as recommended the soap to solvent ratio will always remain consistent and stabilized so that cleaning quality is consistent.
The best way to illustrate how the EM products work is to think of the “Pac Man” video game. The EMs go after the soil, bacteria, sludge and excess fatty acids in the same manner as the “Pac Man’ icon, seeking out its targets, but much more accurately and faster. Due to the EMs searching out all of the sludge and soil, filter life will be greatly extended, up to 3 – 4 times as long and there will be no need for distillation or cleaning out the base tanks.
Normally when a solvent is used it gets dirty and its aniline blending point rises, but when EM soap is used the aniline blending point is actually lowered and the KB power of the solvent is increased.
The test results provided were based on hydrocarbon solvents, there are other formulations that work equally as well with other alternative solvents.
These products are being sold throughout North and South America, Europe and parts of Asia by New York Machinery, based in Irvington, NJ.
