The Hidden Dangers of Poor Home Hygiene: What You Can’t See

Poor home hygiene is the perfect example of how things you can’t see can hurt you. It can lead to health risks such as allergies, respiratory issues, and foodborne illnesses. At Maid4Condos, we specialize in deep cleaning and sanitization to help eliminate these hidden dangers. In this article, we will explore the hidden dangers of poor home hygiene and provide tips to keep your home safe.

What is home hygiene?

Home hygiene focuses on maintaining a clean home for a healthy environment. Home hygiene practices help:

• Reduce the risk of germs spreading.
• Eliminate foodborne bacteria by following proper food handling. 
• Improve indoor air quality by removing allergens such as dust mites. 
• Keep your home smelling fresh.
• Reduce the risk of attracting pests.
• Keep your home sanitized and safe. 
• Remove pet dander and hair to reduce odours and allergy symptoms.

Reducing Germs on High-Touch Surfaces

High-touch surfaces are covered in germs and bacteria. Home hygiene reduces germs to help minimize the risk of household illness. Simply put, washing hands and surfaces helps reduce the spread of germs. However, you can’t just clean. You need to disinfect using cleaning products designed to kill 99.99% of germs and bacteria.

Foodborne Bacteria From Poor House Hygiene

Proper food preparation, handling, and storage helps eliminate foodborne bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. Food safety best practices include the following:

• Store food based on packaging recommendations.
• Keep raw meat in sealed containers separate from cooked foods and fresh produce.
• After handling raw meat and poultry, wipe down surfaces with a food-safe disinfectant and wash your hands.
• Use separate cutting boards for fruits and vegetables and raw meat and poultry.
• Use paper towels or disinfecting wipes for kitchen cleaning to avoid spreading bacteria (sponges and reusable dishcloths harbour germs and bacteria).

Mould From Poor Home Hygiene

Although some mould is visible to the eye, mould growth can occur in hidden damp areas, such as behind walls. Mould also produces invisible spores that, when breathed in, cause allergy symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, and increased asthma attacks.

Common causes of mould are poor ventilation in the bathroom or moisture from hidden leaks. If you spot mould in your home, such as black discolourations on grout, or peachy grayish or greenish discolouration on bathroom walls, you can tackle small areas using warm, soapy water.

Always wear a mask when cleaning mould. Areas larger than 3’ x 3’ require a professional assessment to determine what type of mould growth exists and whether remediation is required.

VOCs From Household Products and Cleaners

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in most homes. They are produced when chemicals in household goods or finishes evaporate, releasing toxins into the air.

They are also produced from things such as tobacco smoke, but can occur in everything from new carpeting and flooring to adhesives and composite wood furniture to household cleaners. Some other unexpected VOC sources include:

• Frying foods
• Burning candles and incense
• Some air fresheners 
• Leaks from attached garages
• Poorly ventilated fireplaces/wood stoves

Toxins can range from formaldehyde to carcinogens such as benzene. While it’s hard to confirm what items in your home are producing VOCs, there are a few things you can do to help reduce them, including the following:

• Be careful about the products you choose, opting for low-emission items whenever possible.
• Check the labels when purchasing cleaning products and opt for ones that are VOC and chemical-free.
• Reduce the use of scented products and room deodorizers and rely on regular cleaning to keep your home smelling fresh instead.
• Always open the windows or work in a well-ventilated area when using things like paint, glue, and varnishes.

Dust From Poor House Hygiene

The problem with dust is that the tiny particles are a mix of potentially harmful contaminants that negatively impact indoor air quality. We can’t list all the possible chemicals and toxins, as air quality varies from household to household. Suffice it to say, dust can cause health issues.

However, regular dusting can help reduce the signs of poor indoor air quality, including:

• Dry, irritated eyes, nose, throat, and skin
• Constant headaches
• Coughing, sneezing, congestion, and in severe cases, shortness of breath
• Increased allergy symptoms or asthma attacks
• Dizziness and fatigue
• Nausea

The solution is simple: dust at least once a week with a microfiber cloth to ensure the dust doesn’t get released back into the air. You should also dust from the ceiling down, so you continue to remove dust as you work your way to the floor. 

Dust Mites From Poor Home Hygiene

Dust mites are tiny pests that feed on dead skin cells. Unfortunately, they’re so small that they’re undetectable and tend to settle in warm areas like your bed! Dust mites contribute to the same issues as dust, and are also an allergen for many people.

Other than your bed, they’re also found in soft furnishings, carpets/area rugs, window treatments, and more. Once again, it’s cleaning to the rescue following some basic steps:

• Wash your sheets and throw blankets weekly in hot water to kill mites and allergens.
• Use mattress, pillow, and duvet covers to block dust mites from settling in. 
• Vacuum and dust at least weekly, avoiding brooms or non-microfiber dusters that can spread the dust mites around.
• Keep your home clutter-free.
• Wash stuffed toys often.
• Opt for hard floors over carpeting.
• Use a HEPA filter vacuum.

Masking Odours Due to Poor Home Hygiene

There are all kinds of contributing factors that cause odours in the home. However, you might be surprised to learn that masking those odours can make you sick! As mentioned, regular use of some home-deodorizing sprays, candles, incense, etc. can contribute to poor indoor air quality.

Some scents can also trigger headaches and allergy symptoms. It’s far safer to keep your house clean using chemical-free cleaners to help eliminate odours than using harmful aromatic products that only mask odours.

Contact the Professionals at Maid4Condos

Adopting basic home hygiene habits can help improve indoor air quality, reduce the risk of spreading germs, and keep foodborne illnesses at bay.

To keep on top of house hygiene, consider Maid4Condos’ recurring cleaning services or click here to learn more about how we can help. You can also call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.