Contending with the coronavirus pandemic has forced the majority of Canadians to go through entirely new experiences. Staying at home is imperative. And, as a result, people are finding more time to do things that they’d generally put off. Among those things is cleaning. For most individuals, housecleaning is no fun. However, it is necessary. With that said, it’s important to point out some of the top ways to keep a clean and safe home while self-isolating.
Here are three:
1. Step up your dusting and vacuuming routines.
There are numerous allergens lurking in our carpets and on our furniture. For pet owners, pet dander is also a concern. Regular vacuuming will help you to eliminate the fur, dead skin cells and dander left by your pets. Dust is also a problem you’ll want to eliminate. What may appear harmless is actually an indication of the presence of dust mites – microscopic insects that thrive in warm, humid environments and are known for triggering asthma attacks.
How do you minimize dust mites? “First, try to keep the humidity inside your home to less than 50 percent,” advises Reynard Loki on Alternet.org, “Air conditioners and dehumidifiers can help. Protect your bed by covering it with allergen-resistant covers. Make sure you wash your sheets and blankets regularly in hot water…And don’t give mites a place to hide and breed: keep your home as dust-, dander- and clutter-free as possible. Regular vacuuming is a must.”
2. Insist that the smokers in your household smoke outside.
The best way to keep your home clean is to not mess it up to begin with. In this case, we’re specifically talking about the presence of secondhand smoke (exhaled from smokers) and thirdhand smoke (embedded in the clothes and hair of smokers). Eliminate it completely from your home, if you haven’t done so already. With everyone having to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it’s vital that cigarette smoke be kept outside of the home.
According to Loki, “secondhand smoke is very harmful to children, who can experience ear infections, more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections like bronchitis and pneumonia and a greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome.”
3. Stop using scented cleaning products.
Air fresheners, laundry detergent, hand soap and perfumes all smell great. The sad truth, however, is that those pleasant smells can actually be harmful to our health. Synthetic fragrances often represent the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are known for causing skin irritation and respiratory problems. You can keep your home smelling sweet without imposing health risks on its inhabitants by using natural cleansers.
“Arrange slices of lemon on a plate to delicately perfume the air in a room,” suggests Angela Chieh on Withings.com, “Use baking soda in a small bowl to eliminate odours (it works particularly well in fridges). Choose fragrance-free products, or products with scents of natural origin for your laundry and cleaning needs. Stop using aerosol spray products that create a mist of liquid particles (hair sprays, air fresheners…).”
Enviro-Works Inc. proudly offers VOC Testing which employs the EPA TO-17 using GC-MS method for the determination of VOCs. This method uses active or passive sampling of air that traps the target analytes onto a multi-sorbent bed tube. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to call us at 780-457-4652 or email us at info@enviro-works.com.