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It’s Not Just One Area

 

Eliminating one or two of the products we bring into our homes cannot solve the health problems related to how dirty our indoor environments have become.  The different types of particles, both organic and chemical that have invaded our living spaces come from so many sources that it has become necessary to conduct a “Complete Investigation” in our quest for healthy indoor air.

 

Let’s take a room-by-room stroll through a typical home and identify some of the unhealthy contaminants that may be lurking about.

 

Entry and Hallway

 

When we come through the front entry or door from the garage, our shoes and clothing are often bringing along a collection of gunk.  From grease and oil at the parking lot mall to squirrel feces and fertilizer from the yard, our carpeting removes the various compounds and stores them deep in the fibers.

 

Kitchen and Eating Area

 

Insects don’t like to be watched while they eat– they like private dining areas.  Behind the refrigerator, under the stove and the back of the cabinet under the sink are preferred dining locations.  The crumbs and bits of food that drop unnoticed during meal preparation create a smorgasbord of fine dining.

 

Family Room

 

Moving into the most used room in the house reveals a virtual potpourri of contaminants.  The fireplace emits carbon monoxide and smoke, pets distribute their dander on the furniture and carpeting, and the curtains store dust that kicks out into the air as they are opened or closed.  Add the crumbs from dozens of snacks and extra large pizzas and this room becomes “Ground-Zero” for dirty air.

 

Bedrooms

 

The carpeting, curtains, and upholstered chairs collect dust just like those in the rest of the house.  The unique invader in our bedrooms is the microscopic dust mite living in the mattress.

 

Skin cells that slough-off while we sleep provide a constant source of nourishment.  These tiny guests are disgusting to think about but harmless.  It is their feces that can enter our respiratory system and cause allergic reactions.

 

Bathroom and Showers

 

We all know that moisture, when trapped in an enclosed area, can encourage the growth of mold and mildew.  While the spores from these organic substances are unsightly, they are for the most part, harmless in the low concentrations found in the shower.

 

Far more dangerous to our health are the cleaning agents and personal care items used here.  Toilet bowl liquid and bleach-based tile cleaners contain a host of toxic chemicals.  The clouds of hair spray, deodorant and athlete’s foot medications produced by aerosol cans, linger in the air and enter our lungs immediately.

 

Basement and Garage

 

Rounding out the tour takes us to the two areas often used for storage.  Our basements provide a handy place to collect cardboard boxes, seasonal wrapping and laundry supplies, while the garage provides plenty of room for lawn products, fuel and oil for our mowers and trimmers.

 

Each of the rooms in our homes provides us with an opportunity to clean up the air!

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Read more about Indoor Air and Your Health…

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