Cleaning Mistakes That Can Ruin Indoor Air Quality

Most of us are keen to keep our homes as neat and tidy as possible and as a result, we spend quite a lot of time on cleaning chores every week. However, the cleaning habits we have are not always the best, especially when it comes to preserving a high level of air quality indoors. If you want to ensure that the air you breathe in your home is as clean and fresh as possible, you may need to step up your game. Below, we discuss some of the worst cleaning habits as far as air quality is concerned and how to change your habits for the better. At Steve's Air Duct Cleaning, we understand very well how poor housework habits can negatively affect air quality and we’re more than happy to share our knowledge with you so you can make improvements in your own home.

If you recognize any of the habits listed below, either because you are guilty of them yourself or you think your partner is, don’t panic. Along with the bad habits, we have included suggestions as to how you can adapt your cleaning methods if they are not up to scratch.

Dusting with Cloth Rags or Feather Dusters

If you use feather dusters or old rags to dust, you are probably doing more harm than good. Unfortunately, neither cloth rags nor feather dusters (despite their name) are designed to trap dust: all you will achieve with these tools is to move the dust from one location or another. Much of the dust you move around will get caught in the drafts created by your cooling and heating systems and end up lowering the indoor air quality as a result. For a more effective dusting strategy, we recommend using microfiber cloths that are designed specifically to trap dust rather than simply to move it around. Your local HVAC cleaning specialists are sure to thank you if you adopt this practice as they will have less work to do when they next come to clean your filters and ductwork.

Using Unnecessarily Strong Cleaning Products

Bleach, dishwasher detergents, and oven cleaning sprays are very good at doing what they were designed to do but should never be used for ordinary cleaning around the home. All of these products contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can lower the air quality in your home and be detrimental to your health. If you must use them, use them sparingly and only when performing the specific cleaning tasks for which they were designed. If you can find effective natural alternatives for general cleaning, you will be helping to protect yourself and other members of your household from potential harmful chemicals.

Not Cleaning HVAC Equipment Regularly

As you can imagine, a dirty HVAC system will have a serious negative impact on the quality of the air that circulates around your home on a daily basis. Hiring a team of air vent cleaning experts to go through your system every couple of years or so could make a huge difference to your home air quality and is something we strongly recommend you consider doing. If you don’t know the name of a local company that provides such a service, just search for ‘duct cleaning near me’ and make a note of the names and contact numbers you find.

Using Plug-in or Aerosol Air Fresheners

They may make your home smell fresh and clean but unfortunately, they also release a lot of VOCs into the air that could pose a danger to you and your family. The best way to ensure that your home always smells great is to invest in a decent air purification system and to perform your daily/weekly cleaning chores without fail. Trying to mask bad odors with air fresheners is never a good idea and will at best provide you with temporary relief from the smell you wish to eradicate. It is a much better idea to identify the source of the smell and deal with it directly.

Not Changing or Cleaning Vacuum Cleaner Filters

Many modern vacuum cleaners are fitted with HEPA filters that are designed to remove dust from the air in your home. However, if you do not clean or change them as per the manufacturer’s recommendations, you could end up making the air around your home worse than it was before. Take a look at the user manual that came with your vacuum cleaner and make sure you are changing or cleaning the filters in line with the provided instructions.

Not Cleaning Bedding and Soft Furnishings Often Enough

Quilts, blankets, pillowcases, cushions, rugs and curtains can accumulate an awful lot of dust, which is why we recommend you wash them on a regular basis. For most households, bedding should be washed weekly, while curtains and other soft furnishings should be cleaned whenever they begin to look dirty. Whatever you do, never beat your curtains or rugs indoors as you will release clouds of dust, which then circulates around your home.

If you avoid all of these poor cleaning habits, you should be able to enjoy better air quality in your home in all seasons. And don’t forget, if you are looking for a professional, friendly vent cleaner in Arvada or the surrounding area, you are always welcome to call or message us.