12 Simple Ways to Keep Dust and Dirt Out of Our Homes
Healthy Choices Healthy Lives Newsletter
The Dirty Dozen
Why should I reduce the dust and dirt in my house?
Pollutants can be tracked into our homes on our shoes and clothing. Invisible residues of pesticides, carcinogens, solvents, paints, mold, bacteria, lead and other toxins that are brought inside can get on our hands and food and be eaten or inhaled. Over a long period of time, these agents accumulate and can increase the chance that illness will develop.
What can I do to get rid of house dust and dirt?
- BEST PRACTICE: Remove your shoes when entering your home! Wear footwear that is dedicated to indoor use.
- If you cannot remove your shoes, place long floor runners or a commercial doormat at the entrances to trap outdoor dust and dirt and limit the use of carpets throughout the house, especially deep plush or shag carpets.
- Vacuum carpets and area rugs using a vacuum with a power brush and HEPA filter (if possible) once a week (twice a week if you have a crawling child).
- Bare floors are the best choice. Otherwise, choose floor coverings, furniture, and draperies that are easy to clean.
- Cover bare outdoor areas with trees, shrubs, grass, flowers or gravel to reduce tracking in dirt or dust.
- Regularly dust or wash surfaces that are often touched.
- Clean air ducts annually and replace filters every six months.
- If you work outside your home with chemicals or toxins, shower and change clothes and shoes before entering your home.
- Wash fruits and vegetables before eating them to remove dust, dirt and certain pesticides.
- Keep toddlers’ pacifiers clean and wash hands frequently with regular soap.
- Have house dust tested for lead if preschool children live in a pre-1940 home.
- Have a professional perform a home environmental health assessment before moving into a home or bringing a baby into a home.
Get a do-it-yourself assessment online
Prepared by the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute - Center for Environmental Oncology
May 14th, 2007 at 1:01pm
I love this - great post.
I really dislike people who don’t take their shoes off when they come into my house, particularly if I’ve been to their home and they ask me to take off mine (it’s common courtesy).
Also, hahahahaha:
Why? If you have a hip problem and can’t bend over? Or perhaps you’ve been wearing the same shoes since 6th grade and your foot has literally grown to become a part of them?
I always wonder…does this apply to organic foods? And are, say, apples, completely non-porous? If not, what’s the point of washing the outsides off?
May 14th, 2007 at 1:16pm
Some non-organic fruit and veg have such a waxy layer added to them its almost impossible to wash the pesticides off.
Its important to remember though that even organic foods are handled by tens of people with unwashed hands en-route to you though picking, packing, loading onto dirty trucks, unloading, displaying etc. There are a particularly nasty bunch of bacteria you can ingest from unwashed hands that cause diarrhoea and stomach flu. E-coli is the most common bacterial food contaminant from handling - that’s the one that can easily be ingested by licking a toilet bowl.
Thorough washing with cold water kills it. Always worth the effort.
May 15th, 2007 at 12:25pm
I‘ll be the judge of that.
May 15th, 2007 at 12:48pm
oh my god! dust bacteria and pollutants hehe….
c’mon… it strengthens your immune system…! a little bit of dust and dirt is good for one… loads of fibre in dist and dirt ;)
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:14am
Ken is right…if we didn’t have dust and dirt we’d always be sick. Excuse me please, it’s time for me to go and roll around in the mud. Anyone care to join? hehe.