When we talk about having a clean home, we’re not necessarily talking about a home being spotlessly clean, but rather one that is hygienic and won’t make its inhabitants sick. Some forms of dirt, such as pollen and soil, can easily find their way into your home from outdoors, where other forms may be present inside your home, such as dust, garbage and even pest droppings.Having a home that is cluttered and untidy, often encourages dirt, dust and grime to accumulate, and can even encourage pests such as rodents and cockroaches. Mold is also far more likely to grow, and this alone can have serious consequences for your health.
While some forms of dirt are acceptable in your home, and may not even be preventable to a degree, such as dust and general dirt found on carpets and upholstery, allowing it to become out of control until your home becomes grimy, can be risky for your health.
How can dirt in the home have a negative effect on your health?
Dust is one of the primary triggers of allergies in humans, and being exposed to too much dust on a frequent basis, can hinder those who already suffer from breathing problems, such as asthmatics, it can even cause asthma attacks. Coughing may increase when dust is in your home, and some may even struggle to breathe. In otherwise healthy adults, this may not be so much of an issue and can usually be controlled, but in young children or adults with compromised immune systems, this can be dangerous. Much the same can be said of mold, which thrives in damp, dirty areas of your home, the spores of which can make you pretty sick in time.
What else in the home can be dangerous to your health?
If you have household cleaners that contain even the smallest amounts of harmful chemicals, these should be kept either locked away, or firmly out of reach of small hands. Naturally, should a child try to consume a cleaning product, it could make them incredibly sick and even inhaling the fumes of some potent cleaning solutions can cause nausea and dizziness in children or vulnerable adults.
How to tell if your home is too dirty?
If you can see a thick layer of dust on any item or surface in your home, then you’re not doing enough house work, and need to step up your efforts! You may even notice that the inhabitants of your home stop sneezing or coughing so much, and the air itself should feel cleaner.
If your stove or kitchen work surfaces are sticky to the touch, then chances are you need to put a little more elbow grease into your cleaning routine. Harmful bacteria can quickly grow from food waste left stuck to surfaces, and can increase the risk of pests such as mice and cockroaches being encouraged to enter your home in search of food. If you spot droppings or urine in your home, then you may have an infestation and should call up a professional pest control officer as soon as possible.
If your floors and other surfaces are covered in clutter, then you’re as good as inviting dust to settle there, and cleaning becomes far more of a chore. Uncluttered surfaces are easy to wipe down, and doing this daily should help prevent too much dust from settling.
What should you do if the problem is too big for you to tackle alone?
A complete cleaning overhaul of your home is a great idea, and there are many companies out there who will come in and do it for you, at a time and cost that suits you. If clutter, dust, dirt and grime are an issue in your home, then waste no time and get it cleaned up today, before it makes you sick!