How to Keep Air Clean at Home

Airborne grease, dust and soil not only settle on surfaces in your home, resulting in a variety of sticky coatings, but also contribute to air impurity. By controlling or eliminating dust and chemicals in your household, you can keep the air in your home clean.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Walk-off Mats
• Cleaning Cloths
• Cleaning Cloths
• Weather Stripping
• Screen Guards
• Degreasers
• Bath Exhaust Fans

1. Open windows whenever possible, especially when cooking or cleaning.

2. Use covers on cooking pans; when frying, use a screen guard.

3. Use steam- or oily-vapor-producing appliances under the hood of the stove with the ventilating fan turned on. (Use the fan to control cooking odors and smoke as well.)

4. Clean high, flat surfaces several times a year.

5. Turn on the bathroom exhaust fan to keep steam from collecting dirt and diffusing it throughout the house.

6. Change furnace filters monthly during winter months.

7. Maintain your vacuum cleaner so that dust is not being blown back into the air as you vacuum.

8. Prevent dust and dirt from entering the house with doormats and weather stripping.

9. Dust regularly.

10. Don't smoke.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider purchasing an electronic air cleaner.
• To remove soil coatings, use a cleaner with a pH of 12 or 13.
• In the kitchen, scrape off as much soil as you can, spray degreaser onto area, and clean off with a cloth.
• Consider buying walk-off mats at a janitorial supply store to place inside and outside entrances - dirt and dust get 'walked off' before entering the home.

on 11/22/2005 I don't use water or any special dusting product, all I do is get my extra hold hairspray (which you can get for like a dollar for the cheap brands, I use Suave), spray it where I want to dust, and wipe off. It also works really well with cleaning hard surfaces. Just stay away from mirrors and windows, since it will leave streaks.

on 11/22/2005 Make sure that your vacuum has enough suction to rid your home of dust completely, instead of just spreading it around. You need good suction in order to rid your home of allergens and dust mites. You should vacuum your mattress at least once a month to get rid of these dust mites and allergens. Don't forget to clean all the drapes, upholstery, walls, ceilings, and ceiling fans with your vacuum's attachments.

on 11/22/2005 Studies show that common house plants help clean the air and also absorb certain kinds of pollutants and radiation. One small plant per 100 sq. ft. or one large one every 250 sq. ft. does the trick.

on 11/22/2005 Air purification is NOT the same as filtered air. Filters CANNOT help control oders, harmful gasses, finer dust particles, pollen, etc.