Carpet Cleaning – Across Canada Restorations

7 Ways Unclean Air Ducts Can Affect Your Health.

admin — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 11:23:23 +0000

People who ignore duct cleaning have to keep in mind the consequences of a dirty environment including nasal congestion, lethargy, allergies, and many other health issues. With the improvement of technology, people are starting to understand the hazardous effects of air pollution. Many people endeavour to make the indoor air clean and safe through regular air duct cleaning. Regular duct cleaning will get rid of pollutants like dust in your home heating and cooling systems.

There are several key signs that your air ducts need a thorough cleaning, including:

The growth of mold inside the air ducts
The infestation of small unwanted pests and insects in the air ducts
If the air ducts are clogged with dust and other debris

Can Dirty Air Ducts Affect Your Health?

Dirty air ducts decreases the quality and cleanliness of your indoor home environment – Keeping air ducts clean has been proven to stop some serious health issues from occurring. The cleaning of air ducts improves the overall health of all family members. Medical research studies have proven that the health of patients suffering from pulmonary health conditions improved when air ducts were cleaned frequently.
Dirty air ducts are the common cause of allergies, sore throat, colds and coughing – Dirty air ducts lower the quality of air in your house, promoting the circulation of allergens and other bacteria in the air. People with asthma and other allergies are the most likely to become sick; this is especially true with kids and the elderly. This is the main reason why these air ducts should be cleaned especially when expecting newborns who are normally sensitive.
Dirty air ducts causes the “sick building syndrome” – When the air ducts are not cleaned, pet dander, dust, pollen, and other allergens get stuck in the ducts. These allergens accumulate over time and when the air ducts are used, these allergens are blown around and distribute throughout the building. Breathing this polluted air may not cause allergies to some people but in the long run, it may cause other severe respiratory disease.
Dirty air ducts can speed up the aging process – Do you ever feel tired and you don’t know why? It’s likely that you are breathing from contaminated air originating from ducts that haven’t been cleaned in months. Apart from causing serious health problems, this contaminated air also speeds up the aging process.
Dirty air ducts are inhabited by rodents and insects – These unwanted rodents and insects are not only a nuisance but a serious health threat. These rodents and insects often carry disease, bite, get into your home, and even eat your food.
Dirty air ducts cause odors – The presence of mildew and mold in your air ducts can bring a musty odor in your home. It may become less noticeable to you once you have been exposed to it for an extended period. However, it will be noticeable to any guests you invite to your home.
Dirty air ducts disables efficient functioning of home ventilation and cooling systems (HVAC) – Dirt and debris can impede the efficient functioning of these systems. When these systems stop functioning, the air is no longer filtered. You can end up breathing in more contaminated air and therefore increasing your chances of becoming sick.

Benefits of Regular Air Duct Cleaning

Cleaning your air ducts are an important part of home ownership and building maintenance. If you think your HVAC system is not operating at peak efficiency, it is recommended to get the ducts inspected and cleaned. If you are out of your element when it comes to cleaning your ducts.

How to prevent mould growth; Residentail & Commercial

admin — Sat, 02 Sep 2017 12:14:54 +0000

Some people should not remove or be present when mould is removed, including pregnant women, children and people with weakened immune systems or chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive lung disease.

If you are allergic or sensitive to mould, you may develop a stuffy nose, irritated eyes, wheezing or difficulty with breathing or skin irritation. People with weakened immune systems and with chronic lung diseases may be susceptible to infections.

Do not dry brush the mouldy area, as the brush can flick spores into the air where they may be breathed in. If you vacuum mould-affected areas, only vacuum using a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. A HEPA filter is a type of filter that can trap large amounts of very small particles, which other vacuum cleaners would simply put back into the air.

If you’ve decided to remove mould, make sure there is good ventilation and wear protective clothing, such as a shower cap, rubber gloves, eye protection, overalls, suitable footwear and a P1 or P2 face mask (available from your hardware store).

Before deciding to wear a face mask, consider that:

They can be hot and uncomfortable to wear.
If the seal around the face and mouth is poor (for example, people with beards may not get a good seal), the face mask is much less effective.
They can make it harder for you to breathe normally, so anyone with a pre-existing heart or lung condition should seek medical advice before using them.

If you are asthmatic and intend to do the clean-up work, keep your asthma medication with you at all times. If you show any signs of asthma, get some fresh air and follow your asthma action plan.

Steps for mould removal at home

There are three steps you can take when removing mould at home, including removing the source of moisture, removing the mould and preventing mould regrowth.

Remove the source of moisture

Mould will only grow in damp unventilated rooms. Check for sources of water from damaged pipes and drains and call a plumber if repairs are required.

Remove the mould

Wash clothing, bedding and other soft fabric articles, such as soft toys, in a washing machine on a hot cycle. Wash all the clothes you used for cleaning up separately to other clothes.

Other contaminated soft furnishings that cannot be put in a washing machine will have to be cleaned professionally. If this is not possible, they may need to be thrown out.

Thoroughly clean all affected hard surfaces. In many cases, household detergent can do the job if it is used correctly. Check the product’s label to see how much to use and on which surfaces they can be used. Do not mix detergents with bleaches, together in the same bucket, as this may release hazardous fumes. Apply the cleaner and give it time to work before you mop or sponge it up.

After cleaning a room or item, go over it again with an antibacterial disinfectant to kill germs and to remove any smells.

Prevent mould regrowth

Mould sometimes grows back after cleaning. If small areas of regrowth occur, treat them with either:

vinegar solution (one part vinegar to three parts water)
tea tree oil (two teaspoons in two cups in water)
hydrogen peroxide solution (use as per label directions).

If large areas of mould regrowth occur, consult a mould remediation professional.

To reduce the chance of mould regrowth, it is important to dry the area where the mould grew. The simplest way to dry a room is to open doors and windows to thoroughly air the house.

Simple habits for a cleaner environment!

admin — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 12:24:24 +0000

OK, so you’ve been tackling your clutter and getting your home clean and more naturally healthy. But how do you keep it that way? Do you have to resign yourself to major cleanups overtaking your weekends, or maybe that you just have to learn to live with the chaos? No, you don’t!

We know that our environments reflect our inner state, and so chaos in the home is not an option (at least for me). But I’ve also found that by establishing some simple daily habits, I can keep on top of the chaos and clutter and dirt so that I don’t need to spend hours at a time cleaning up again. Some of these I’ve learned from my Mom, and some just from experience in intentionally creating a naturally healthy, simple and decluttered home (actually many homes over the years).

These daily habits will take only a few minutes of your time but will save hours later on.

1. Keep shoes at the door.

Do not wear shoes past the entryway. Period. Just think about where the bottoms of your shoes have been and what you would be bringing into the house, where you walk around in socks or bare feet. Contain this dirt and germs at the doorway, and you also have less to clean throughout the rest of the house. And you only need to have one storage system for shoes.

Make sure to add enough shelving or cubbies or perhaps a big bin to store your shoes in at the entryway or in an entry closet. And keep a natural fiber rug at the doorway – one inside and one out. Outside the door have a rough sisal mat so that you can scuff off any major dirt from your shoes. Inside the door lay down another natural mat made of a natural material like seagrass or sisal. This kind of material is not only non-toxic, but it hides dirt really well and soaks up winter slush well. No need to continually mop the floor this way – simply shake it out once a week outside. It’s worth investing in one that covers the majority of your entryway flooring surface.

2. Put things away as you use them.

It’s so much easier to pick things up as you go rather than wait and have to undertake a huge cleaning session all at once. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but it’s something to strive for nonetheless. The key to making this work, of course, is to ensure that everything has its own place. Do that first if you haven’t already.

Examples:

Put toiletries & makeup away in its spot every morning after getting ready. Don’t leave the hairdryer laying on the counter!
Throw dirty clothes in the hamper, not on the floor or on a chair.
Hang coats on hooks at the entryway or on hangers in the closet.
Put kitchen appliances back in their spot after using.
Put mail in a folder just for it.
Take your laptop back to the desk when done using it elsewhere in the house.
Put your phone & tablet back on its charging station when done.
Fold blankets and throws back up and put them in their spot when done snuggling up on the couch.
Put wet towels on a hook to dry and reuse – have a hook for everyone in the house.
Put magazines and books back on shelves or in baskets when done.
Put tools or junk back in the junk drawer or garage when done.

I know many of you may be thinking that you can do this but you’ll never get your spouse or kids to do it as well. Perhaps sit them down to explain why it’s important, and implement a mandatory family weekend cleaning time that they will have to take part in. The more they leave around through the week, the longer the cleaning time on the weekend will be! Hopefully, they’ll soon learn to create these good habits too.

3. Make the bed every morning.

I’ve posted more fully here on why it’s important to make your bed every day. It not only keeps your home tidier but also reduces your stress level and promotes happiness. Take two minutes every morning and get in the habit of making your bed (or have your partner do it if they’re the last one out!)

4. Wash the dishes every night, and put them away every morning.

Whether you hand wash and leave dishes to drip dry like me or use the dishwasher, get in the habit of cleaning all dishes in the evening and putting them away in the morning. Waking up to clean dishes and coming home to a neat and clean kitchen after the workday will help you to relax and inspired to keep up more healthy habits.

Turn this chore into a meaningful habit by combining it with music, or by using the time to visualize a dream coming true or repeating a positive mantra. Or use the act of doing the dishes to practice mindfulness. A reader told me she does this by playing soft music and using dish soap that smells wonderful!

5. Wipe down your counters and table after each meal.

The simple act of wiping down your counters and table (with an all-natural disinfecting spray) will get you in the habit of keeping those surfaces clear of clutter and clean of dirt. Surfaces should be free and clear to prep and prepare and eat on – just doing this one thing will help you feel tidier and lighter all around.

6. Spend 10 minutes tidying up before bed.

Set the alarm on your phone to go off 10 minutes before you begin your bedtime routine. Spend this time doing a scan of your home to pick up anything left out and put it in its place. Do a quick sweep of the floors that need it, and spot-mop any spills or dirty areas. Wipe down bathroom sinks and counters with an all-natural disinfectant spray (keep one right in the bathroom along with a couple of cleaning cloths).

Bonus: Declutter once/month

Some things will pile up naturally, like mail, magazines, books, empty food containers, and even socks that lost their match. Spend an hour once every month to go through these things and recycle, donate or toss what’s not needed any longer. Keeping your home free from stuff you don’t use and that doesn’t give you joy will help you feel calm and in control.

These little habits sound so simple that you wouldn’t think they’d make much difference in the overall state of your home and your mental state, but I promise you they do! Developing these habits that take only a few minutes will make life sweeter and your house more comfortable and supportive for you and your family.