Healthy Home Tips: Be Aware of the Unexpected

No one wants a child crawling around on dust and grime, so we vacuum carpets and mop kitchen floors.

But what about the contaminants we can’t see, lurking in unexpected places? How do we get rid of these potential irritants and allergens, before they become airborne and we begin to sneeze, cough and wheeze?

1. A refrigerator can contaminate your kitchen air. The coils at the back or bottom can be coated with moldy dust or cat dander. If your appliance has a drip tray, it can contain bacteria, mold and yeast. Every time the appliance turns on, by-products of this growth can become airborne. Clean the coils twice a year with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate arrestance) vacuum. Use a 36-inch vacuum crevice tool to get to hard-to-reach surfaces. Wash the drip tray twice a year. If the tray is plastic, putting two tablespoons of salt in the tray will help inhibit microbial growth.

2. Radiators and baseboard convectors can be moldy. These surfaces get dusty and can even contain pet dander and mold, so should be HEPA vacuumed every year before the heat is turned on.

3. Air registers can cover all sorts of surprises. At various times when I lifted up a register to look inside a duct for a heating or cooling system, I’ve seen a half-eaten donut, cat and dog hair, an empty coffee cup, children’s toys, dog food, and of course what I usually expect to see - moldy dust. HEPA vacuum under your registers once or twice a year.

4. Don’t forget cabinet kick spaces. I’ve seen filthy, mold-covered kick spaces in houses with gleaming floors. Vacuum these hidden nooks, and twice a year, wipe them clean with a suitable household cleaner.

5. Portable humidifiers can contain mold. Use a warm-mist humidifier that boils the water and doesn’t get moldy.

6. Pets are dust mops. Long fur and hair captures dust. Keep your pet clean. If your son or daughter is allergic to pet dander, the animal should not be allowed in your child’s bedroom. Cushioned dog beds can become infested with dust mites, and then dust-mite allergens travel with the dog into your children’s laps or beds, or onto your couch. Use a folded blanket for the dog’s bed, and wash the blanket weekly.

7. Dust mites like fish tanks. Dust mites thrive in humid environments. Fish tank covers are moist and often covered with fish-food flakes: gourmet treats to a dust mite. Try not to spill fish-food flakes when you feed the fish, and keep the tank cover clean. If your child is allergic to dust mites, don’t put a fish tank in his or her bedroom.

8. Some air purifiers aren’t so pure. Ionizing air purifiers produce ozone, a gas that may smell like fresh, outdoor air, but ozone can be irritating to breathe. Keep the surfaces in your house clean, rather than try to “clean the air.”

©2008 Jeffrey C. May