As winter settles into the Louisville area, we will spend much more time indoors AND the cold and flu season begins. When you combine the two, it can make for a dreary, dreadful time -especially for those with asthma or allergies. ?Consider that?young children spend 70 percent of the time inside their home, you want to make sure your home is healthy – and clean – for the entire family.
One of the first principles of a healthy home is to keep it dry; the second principle is to keep it clean.
By keeping our homes clean, we reduce our exposure to chemical contaminants, allergens, pest droppings, pesticides and consumer chemicals.
What can you do in your home to keep it healthy this winter?
1. Cleaning is the most important. ?Dust can come from homegrown items such as dust mites or lead dust, or can be resident-made, such as from garbage and clutter. It is suggested that dry dusting or dry sweeping is not the best way to clean. Experts recommend vacuuming with a low-emission vacuum with a beater bar and a good filtration and HEPA filter. ?Wet cleaning – including a little elbow and a clean bucket and sponge – lends to the effort. ?Be sure to change the water frequently.
2. Keeping the dust out can begin at your entry doors. Install a dust walk-off system – grills, grates or mats that reduce the amount of dirt and dust that come into the home – and take your shoes off when entering. Having hard flooring is much better than carpet. Dust is harder to remove from carpet, and the older the carpeting is, the more difficult it is to clean. If you are going to clean your carpet, steam cleaning is better than chemical cleaners or shampooing.
3. ?Be sure to change out the filters if you have central air, and dust from the top down in all rooms. Where a mask if you can. Dust can settle in the lungs and cause lung tissue to die and release toxins into the body. Our homes are not always the safe places we think they are!
4. Another great option to consider in the winter are air purifiers. We do not tend to keep doors open long in the winter and indoor air?pollution in our homes tends to build up.
5. When cleaning, consider more-natural cleaners. Open your windows for a short period during the day (even in winter); boil cinnamon and cloves to create a fragrant smell; or use potpourri or pure essential oils added to water and left sitting out. Remember, commercial cleaners – like?air fresheners – do not freshen the air. Instead, they mask one odor with another, coat your nasal passages with an undetectable oil film or even diminish your sense of smell with a nerve-deadening agent.
For an all-purpose cleaner, consider using baking soda (4 tablespoons dissolved in 1 quart of warm water). It makes a good general cleaner. Vinegar and salt mixed together is a good surface cleaner.
Keeping the house clean will go a long way in helping you survive the winter and the illnesses that come with it.
For more information on keeping a healthy house or to learn more about a more efficient home, visit our website at www.homemd.com.
If you or someone you know, is looking for a home inspection firm in the Louisville, Kentucky – or surrounding areas – be sure to check out this helpful guide.
