There are untidy homes, and there are dirty homes. A bit of clutter lying around, laundry waiting to be washed and the odd speck of dust here and there, aren’t things that are generally harmful to your physical health. A home where the dusting hasn’t been done for weeks, the kitchen surfaces are left grubby and the bathroom hasn’t been cleaned in an eternity, however, is a home that can easily make you and your family sick.
What is there in my living spaces that can make you sick?
It may sound trivial, but if you haven’t vacuumed your carpets, rugs or furniture in a long time, then you run the risk of being exposed to hundreds of thousands of dust mites, which can induce allergies. Not to mention pet dander (flecks of skin from any animal that might be residing in your home), mould and a whole host of other bits of debris floating about the place, that can all contribute towards allergies.
If you, or any members of your family suffer from asthma, then any one of the above may bring on an asthmatic attack.
How bad can my kitchen be for my health?
Incorrectly storing food items in your refrigerator, can be harmful if raw meats and cooked foods are not kept separate or if they are not kept within appropriately sealed containers. It isn’t just restaurants and eateries that should abide by this; if you want to avoid poisoning yourself and whoever you live with, then make sure you store all food items correctly.
Cross contamination can also occur when boards used for cutting up foods, aren’t sanitized thoroughly (if at all!), or when you don’t wash your hands between touching raw and uncooked food stuffs, and touching cooked foods or other items in and around the kitchen.
Poorly sanitized boards and surfaces can easily become breeding grounds for the bacteria that can cause food borne illnesses such as E coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella, any one of which can result in the affected person needing to go to hospital for treatment.
Food left lying around is also a great way of encouraging cockroaches, and even rodents, into your home, both of which are not only unpleasant, but can carry serious diseases.
I try to keep my bathroom clean, but what happens when it’s left dirty?
Your bathroom is the one place where you go to keep yourself clean, but if your bathroom isn’t clean, how do you expect to be?
The surface areas and floors in bathrooms are highly susceptible to bacteria, fungi and parasites that can certainly make you sick. Faucets are a prime location for worms, which can enter your intestines and can result in you – and anybody else who shares your bathroom – having to undergo treatment.
Using antibacterial solutions (whether they be chemical or natural, whichever you prefer) to regularly clean the faucets, bath tub and toilet, will certainly lower the risk of you contracting illnesses from bacteria, and when cleaning the toilet, don’t forget to thoroughly sanitize the flush handle, too.
I don’t have the time or the inclination to keep my home so clean, what can I do?
If your work or social schedule is demanding, or if you simply hate cleaning, hiring someone from a professional cleaning service to come in as regularly as you wish, will help you keep an immaculate and hygienic home that you can be proud of, and which definitely won’t make you sick. If you value your health, a cleaning service will help you preserve it.