Spring Cleaning for Health

Cleaning for Health
cleaning for health by
 Bill Colantuono 3/17/2016
 
 
Your war on dust is no trivial matter
 
 Dust is so common that people regard it as more unsightly than unhealthful. Some just ignore it. But dust accumulates on everything - floors,
baseboards, furniture, drapes, tables, bookshelves, pictures, knick-knacks, carpet, etc. Removal of substantial amounts of dust is one result of professional carpet and upholstery cleaning.
 In order to insure a healthy home the EPA recommends that carpets be steam cleaned at least every twelve months to remove the dust, bacteria, dirt and
other pollutants that can cause health problems.
 Household dust has proven to be a definite threat to your health. Dust and its components have been associated with cancer, asthma, pneumonia,
bronchitis and other respiratory problems such as sneezing, coughing, eye and nose infections, sinus infections, skin rashes, even learning disabilities.
 It commonly contains cadmium, chromium, nickel, arsenic, lead, asbestos and, in some instances, mercury. All except lead are known carcinogens. Even in
small quantities, lead can impact bodily organs and impair mental development.
 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (PAHs) - toxic substances emitted in the burning of petroleum products, tobacco and wood - are also
present in dust. Many are carcinogenic. PAHs are found in used motor oil, soot from vehicle emissions and asphalt residue tracked indoors on shoes. PAHs
are more concentrated in areas with large amounts of motor vehicle traffic. Polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs), once used widely in electrical insulation products but still present in the environment, are also in dust.Pesticide Carrier
 Dust particles are commonly contaminated with pesticides,including those specified for "outside use only" and those that have been banned - such as DDT, chlordane and heptachlor. Sunlight causes pesticides to
 degrade, but indoors they can retain their potency for years.
 Pesticides, PAHs and PCBs are usually found in far greater concentrations indoors than out for two principal reasons: lack of degradation and accumulationdue to improper cleaning.
 Dust also contains biological threats, such as excrement and body parts of insects and dust mites, which can cause allergic reactions and respiratoryailments. Also present are pet and human skin cells (dust mite fodder), bacteria, viruses, mold and fungus spores. Biological waste in dust - such as hair
and pollen - serve as food sources for living organisms and help those organisms proliferate.
 Children are susceptible to ill effects from dust contaminants because they have underdeveloped immune systems and live closer to the floor. Small children can consume - through inhalation, skin contact and ingestion - as much as 10 grams of dust per day as they run, jump and wallow in dirty environments; put their hands in their mouths and handle food with unwashed hands.
 Although no conventional human environment is dust-free, regular cleaning helps minimize the amount of dust - and the unhealthy substances it carries on your carpets, upholstery, drapes, air ducts, blinds and other surfaces.
 If you or any in your family suffer from some of the problems mentioned in this article you should give serious thought to the growing evidence that dust may be the cause or a contributing factor. Fortunately, there is a low cost solution.
 Cleaning your carpet and upholstery will effectively remove most of the dust.
 Crystal Carpet Cleaners is dedicated to helping you to enjoy a clean healthy environment. If you would like to improve your and your families health by removing the contaminants mentioned in this article, please call us and set up an appointment to have your carpet steam cleaned. Steam cleaning is the only carpet cleaning method that will effectively remove these threats to your health.
 
Call us today at 474-9407 or 485-7781
 
Sincerely,
Bill Colantuono
Crystal Carpet & Tile Cleaners