Dusting for Health
One of the biggest complaints building owners have with their cleaning services is poor dusting. Inadequate dusting can be one of the factors leading to poor indoor air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists poor indoor air quality as the fourth largest environmental threat to our country. The American Lung Association also points out that heating, cooling and ventilation systems are often sources of biological substances such as dust, mold, pollen, and dust mites.
These substances are inhaled by occupants, and can lead to breathing problems. Dust particles are extremely small and are irritating to the eyes, nose and skin. They can be breathed deep into people's lungs and irritate chronic diseases such as asthma, and can cause temporary health problems including headaches, dry eyes, sinus congestion, and nausea.
What is dust? It is a term that refers to a complex mixture of organic and inorganic particles that collect and coat surfaces. The types of particles that can be in dust include:
- Fabric fibers from clothes, carpets, upholstery
- Sand and soil particles
- Dander brought in from people and pet dander brought in on clothing
- Paper fibers (from paper handling and machines which can release thousands of invisible paper fibers and starch into the air)
- Cigarette smoke (and its toxic by-products)
- Plant and insect parts
- Mold spores
- Dust mites and their feces
- Viruses
- Rodent waste
- Construction debris (adhesives, sawdust, etc.)
- Pollen
- Bacteria
- Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury
As people walk around and as your employees vacuum, they stir up dust particles into the air. So it's not enough just to "feather dust". Although you can never totally remove dust, there are practical measures you can take to control it. Instead of chasing dust around a building, stop it at the door by using proper matting, which means long mats that will trap soil. Another key to controlling dust is to have the right vacuum with a good HEPA filter. This will help to assure you are removing dust from carpet and hard floor surfaces and not just stirring up the dust and making it airborne.
Look for vacuum cleaners that channel air through multi-stage filtration systems and have sealed bags, which reduce and contain more dust than open cloth-bag systems. If you are using a backpack vacuum look for high filtration media. This is nearly as effective as HEPA efficiency but is much cheaper than replacing a HEPA filter.
Eliminating the use of aerosols cuts down on harmful mists that cleaning staff and building occupants inhale. In addition, aerosols tend to be more expensive than cleaning solutions.
Using microfiber cloths or anti-static disposable dusting sleeves that fit over dusters can help in actually removing dust instead of just pushing it around.
When you are dusting, start at the highest areas and work your way down. Make sure that you look for areas where dust can accumulate and clean those areas thoroughly.
Proper dusting and controlling dust is an important part of your overall cleaning program and will lead to a healthier building for your cleaning clients. The building occupants will be healthier and your cleaning company will get the credit!
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Steve Hanson helps owners of small cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through her online community at TheJanitorialStore.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at www.TheJanitorialStore.com? http:>//www.thejanitorialstore.com.
