If you’re getting cabin fever due to the fact that our cold weather has caused us to spend significantly more time indoors, you’re not alone.
Because windows tend to be closed during winter, indoor air quality can suffer, making conditions inside your home less than desirable. Poor air circulation in a home can promote the spread of bacteria and viruses. Once such bacteria or viruses are inhaled, coughs, colds and flu can spread. In addition, asthma and allergy sufferers may experience worsening symptoms thanks to the presence of endotoxins, which are substances that come from the broken-down cells of dead bacteria.
The good news is that you can prevent the spread of these bacteria and viruses and it’s essential that they take measures to improve indoor air quality
- Cut back on chemicals. It’s ideal to avoid heavy chemical usage inside a home throughout the year, but it’s especially important to do so during winter. Solvent-based cleaners or cleaning products with strong fragrances can negatively affect indoor air quality and potentially trigger allergic reactions. In lieu of chemically-enhanced cleaning products, My Fantastic Maid uses natural products that get the job done without sacrificing indoor air quality. These cleaners are plant and mineral based and are fully biodegradable.
- Take off your shoes when entering the home. Snowy conditions often require a you and your guests to remove footwear upon entering a home, but it helps to remove footwear in a mudroom or just inside the front door when entering a home even when it’s not snowing. Shoes can pick up dirt, dust and a host of other particles during winter, and if tracked inside those unwanted guests can negatively affect indoor air quality.
- Routinely clean bathrooms to avoid mold growth. During winter, mold can grow in rooms that are exposed to moisture but not properly ventilated. In many homes, that’s the bathroom. Even if a bathroom has a ventilation fan, routinely inspect the ceiling and shower for mold growth. Exposure to mold can cause a host of negative side effects, including nasal and sinus congestion and sore throat. Mold also can exacerbate asthma symptoms.
The bathroom tends to be the least favourite room in the house to clean, so hiring a professional to regularly clean your bathrooms is very common and contributes to improving and maintaining indoor air quality. Improving indoor air quality with these simple tips goes a long to way to improving your families overall health.
