Stop Allergens at the Door this Spring

As winter comes to and end and spring begins, we all feel a burst of life. Flowers bloom, babies are born & the weather starts warm up. However, there is one downfall. Allergies!

While you can’t control the pollen in the air or other spring time allergens that child interacts with outside the home, but you can control your home’s environment. Keep your house clean and improve your family’s chances of staying healthy by following these easy fall cleaning tips.

1. Wash your hands! This obvious tip is as relevant today as it was back then but, it can make a huge difference. Did you know washing your hands can reduce your risk of respiratory infections by 16% according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? We place our hands in bacteria-filled areas every day, especially as children, and when we then touch our faces, the risk of spreading bacteria increases. Washing your hands for just 20 seconds dramatically reduces this risk, as well making hand sanitizer available is a great way to ward off bacteria.

2. Disinfect your home. You can take a more proactive approach by applying a disinfectant to commonly used surfaces in your home. Dwell time is the length of time it takes to kill germs, take at least 10 minutes to sanitize a given area. Keep the time in mind, or look for a formula designed to disinfect  quickly.

3. Target common areas. On busy days, you  don’t have the time to clean your home as often as you’d like. So how can you maximize your time and reduce your family’s risk of getting sick? Target common surfaces and make them the focus of your cleaning and sanitizing efforts. While all surfaces have bacteria, cleaning efforts should focus on commonly used items, including remote controls, door knobs and counter tops.  Don’t forget the computer mouse and keyboard too! Also, dirty sponges can make a bacteria breeding ground worse, cross-contaminating your countertops when you think you are cleaning. Toss the  sponge and use paper towels and disinfectant for a quick, efficient solution.

4. Leave your shoes at the door. That alone can reduce your exposure to allergens, toxins, pesticides and dust, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It also keeps floors cleaner and reduces the wear and tear on carpets or rugs. The carpet cleaning professionals estimate 85 percent of all dirt tracked into homes comes in on our shoes and the feet of our pets.

5. Sneeze appropriately. Teaching your children the proper way to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze is a simple, effective way to prevent the spread of germs. Medical experts say coughing or sneezing into a tissue or towel is preferred, while using the crook of your elbow is the second choice. Coughing or sneezing into a person’s hands should be a last resort, and children who do should wash their hands immediately afterward. This will prevent germs and bacteria from spreading to door knobs and other surfaces the child touches.  Consider keeping a few wipes in your car or purse.

6. Use the correct cleaning service. Dust mites, mold spores, bacteria and more accumulate over time in your carpet, upholstered items, tile & grout etc. without proper cleaning & maintenance. With AA Chem-Dry of North Jersey we guarantee that we can greatly reduce the amount allergy causing contaminants in your home! Call us today to see how we can make your home a healthier place to live!