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Cleaning up
With swine flu a reality, it’s never been more important to maintain a healthy home environment. Jane Drew finds out how
At a press conference on May 1, on confirming the first imported case of human swine flu to Hong Kong, and quarantining the Wanchai Metro Park Hotel, the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow appealed to “everyone in Hong Kong, to protect themselves and make sure they are living in a clean environment and also looking after their personal health”. To stay healthy, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department advises, you ‘keep your home and the surrounding areas clean and follow good hygiene practices’.
Of course those of us, who were resident in Hong Kong during SARS in 2003, have a head start on the latest flu pandemic. It’s not too much of a stretch for us to be vigilant about hand washing (with an alcohol-based cleaner), eating healthy and taking our vitamins. Some people have even gone back to wearing masks – while not being fool proof, the idea is that they may help a bit. But at home, aside from upping our levels of hygiene, what else should we be doing?
Of course, priority number one is to keep your home – and its many surfaces – shiny and clean, and the best way to do this is with a combination detergent (cleans) and disinfectant (kills germs) product. Pay special attention to surfaces that are touched often by a number of people, like doorknobs, refrigerator door handles and microwaves. You can also use sanitiser cloths to wipe electronic items that are touched often, such as phones, computers, remote controls and hand-held games. In ‘wet’ areas like the kitchen and bathroom be particularly mindful of stubborn spots of grime that may in fact be mould. Simply put, don’t hold back when cleaning; use detergent and disinfectant even when surfaces are not visibly dirty.
Even if you don’t spend most of your day at home, improving the air quality of your indoor spaces is also essential. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the concentration of toxic compounds inside buildings can actually be many times higher than outdoor pollution levels.
There are of course many sources of indoor air pollution – including oil, gas, tobacco products, some building materials and furnishings, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, mould, cleaning and personal care products, air-conditioning systems, humidifiers, and even outdoor sources, such as radon and pesticides. But the good news is that there are many ways to reduce, if not eliminate indoor pollution.
First off, consider installing a whole-home air filtration system which, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Heath, will remove almost all viruses that circulate in the air. Airpurifiers (for instance the in-room HEPA filters) are generally considered less effective. Harvard researchers have found that they do not remove particles such as allergens, bacteria and viruses any better than gravity. The whole-home air filtration system (Trane makes one) is the better bet.
Unless you live in a heavily polluted area, it’s clear that keeping your windows open will improve your indoor ventilation. Fresh air will help filter out toxic contaminants. But here in Hong Kong, thanks to the noise and air pollution, not to mention the heat and humidity, this isn’t a realistic option.
It will soon be time to turn the air conditioners on full blast but before you do, have your system checked to make sure it is working properly. A good ventilation system will help pull dangerous pollutants out of the house. Run the exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen, and make sure you have a good exhaust system in place for appliances and stoves. If you have a clothes dryer, make sure it is vented to the outside. Be sure, too, to increase airflow in problem areas such as closets and behind furniture.
It’s advisable to maintain relative humidity inside the home between 40 percent and 60 percent, as keeping rooms dry helps control mould and pests, and discourages dust mites. But be careful not to over humidify: an overly moist environment encourages bacterial growth. Buy a hygrometer to check the humidity levels in your home.
In your efforts to improve your indoor air quality, don’t overlook the simplest solution of all – investing in house plants. Certain specie can increase the oxygen and humidity levels in your indoor space, as well as reduce the chemicals in your air. Consider furnishing your living room with an aloe vera, bamboo palm, dwarf banana, gerbera, peace lily or rubber plant.
No living environment can be totally free of chemicals, but it’s possible to control your exposure and thereby improve the quality of the air you breathe. Be aware that the seemingly benign air fresheners, aerosols, and cleaning products you use to keep your home spic-and-span are often the biggest contributors to poor air quality.
Many cleaning products (or their packaging) contain formaldehyde, PVCs, acrylics, polyethylene, polystyrene, fluorocarbons, polyester, and polyurethane. As an alternative, you can make your own cleaning products with ingredients you probably already have on hand or invest in eco-friendly cleaning products. When dusting, test out a fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic cleaning spray, or use a non-toxic mixture of white distilled vinegar and vegetable glycerin. Note too that synthetic air fresheners, designed to cover up bad smells, also release a chemical that deadens your olfactory nerves. The bad smell doesn’t go away, you just can’t smell it anymore. A better, less toxic alternative is to use essential oils in diffusers.
Short of not breathing, there’s no way to completely avoid airborne allergens. The list of sneeze-inducing culprits is long: animal dander, mould, dust, and dust mites (tiny insects that thrive on organic matter, primarily flakes of skin), as well as pollen carried into the house from outside. But these irritants are manageable – and getting a handle on them by being vigilant about your laundry and waste disposal practices will help reduce your symptoms and improve the air you breathe.
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