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Idea- Fursuit dryers at cons spreading con crud?
12 years ago
So I had this idea - Not to start a witch hunt, but a discussion ;
Is it possible that fursuit dryer trees at cons are picking up and distributing harmful bacteria into fursuit heads and so on.
It is possible, but is it happening? To answer this is could be studied with a survey or some such, possibly swabbing them to test. Who has a lab? :3
Probably at the very least, once a head or gloves are removed from a drying vent, it should be wiped down thoroughly by an attendant before used again.
Other thoughts include moving the air intake off the floor where paws with fur walk all over and pick up all kinds of things and track it into the fursuit lounge. Also possibly adding some kind of UV air sterilizer in the system or at least occasional downtime windows to spray an antibacterial agent into the inlet and let it dry out at a regular interval.
Fursuits can be a bacteria breeding haven when not cared for properly. I'm just thinking of ways to minimize the spread of con crud and so on.
Just some thoughts.
Maybe the best options are (a) launder it, if you can place them into a washer, or; (b) LYSOL for the outside, and Clorox wipes for the inside.
Most are large units, but are on wheels. Some are smaller, but I don't know how small they're made these days.
Here's a link to Cheap Joe's Art Stuff for the filter units:
http://www.cheapjoes.com/catalogsea.....PA+Air+Filters
If one's working with Pastel's, for example (which have lots of dust) or any media that can produce dust or fumes, this kind of equipment can be a necessity.
There are units made to pull out moisture too. While I don't think they'd hook a unit like this to a hotel's vent system, a few portable ones like this, maybe rentable!
Just the same, an inexpensive measure might be a shot of Lysol Disinfectant into the head (I can already hear the shouts and groans through the internet)?
I'd say the con-crud probably hits you through a combonation of the following:
*Contact with far more people than normal
*Not enough rest
*Typical unconscious eye-rubbing, nose-picking, face-touching (with dirty hands)
*Close proximity to garrulous persons who "spray" when they speak
*Dehydration-too much coffee, booze; not enough water
IMHO just drinking lots of water and washing your hands frequently goes a long way
In the car, I have a can of Lysol, that I spray on my shoes (and I do this at the hotels I stay at, even at non-Con trips).
The other thing I do is stay well rested between days at a Con - fatigue drops the immune system, permitting virus' a chance to gain hold.
Oh... and I also avoid sugar (more specifically any intake of things with sugar at a Con) since there's some past study suggesting virus' can use the complex nature of Sugar as a vehicle to the cells, where they replicate, giving one the colds and flu.
But honestly I'm not worried about it. I view it as a way to give my immune system a good workout. I never get sick or con crud because I let my immune system get stronger rather than sterilizing everything (though, showers after fursuiting is always a must).
With all the Air travel, I think it's likely, after more thought, that it may be more the culprit.