Your Clean Home: The Advantages
As health issues surged over the past few years, led by the deadly COVID-19 outbreak, RSV, monkeypox and even an uptick in polio cases, the importance of cleaning has never been more evident.
Maintaining a clean environment helps to lower the spread of viruses, bacteria and other pathogens that cause diseases and trigger reactions. Mold, which brings allergic symptoms such as coughing, itching, sneezing, headache and fatigue, runny nose, watery eyes, wheezing and difficulty breathing, can be eradicated. In the past, we looked at cleaning as a way to make our spaces “look nice,” but a dynamic regimen is part of our front-line defense to ensure the safety of our businesses, public facilities, learning institutions and homes.
The fourth Sunday of March kicked off National Cleaning Week, which recognizes the importance, value and positive impact that cleaning has on public health, the environment and the economy. According to International Sanitary Supply Association, or ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, it’s the perfect opportunity to raise public awareness for the value of clean spaces, appreciate front-line cleaning professionals, promote cleaning organizations and advocate for the cleaning industry. According to ISSA, “Many times people look down on cleaning professionals and deride cleaning businesses because they don’t understand the importance of these essential services. National Cleaning Week allows us to celebrate these heroes who toil hard to give us clean homes and offices so we can live and work in clean environments. We can support them and cheer them on for all their important, hard work.”
HAND ME THE SOAP
Having a clean space protects us physically and mentally. Numerous studies have shown that a clean space is closely associated with healthier moods, reduced stress levels and better productivity. Following an experiment in 2013, the Association for Psychological Science concluded that students were more likely to make healthier choices and participate in philanthropic causes after they were exposed to a clean room. The National Sleep Foundation found that a clean home can help residents sleep better because their room is tidy and clean. Other researchers have discovered that the simple act of dishwashing can reduce nervousness by 27 percent and increase inspiration by 25 percent.
Spring is here, and the emphasis helps us enjoy these psychological benefits and much more. Consider it a way to kick off packing away winter essentials, decluttering and tidying up spaces.
HEALTHY HOME = HEALTHY FAMILY
Whether it’s your home, business or workspace, a clean space grows happiness, health and hygiene. In your home, disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces will evict germs, bacteria and viruses. The benefit is that your family will pick up fewer germs and illnesses. Your home will be a healthier place for friends, family and other houseguests.
Regularly cleaning your home also reduces the presence of mold, which can trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks and produce toxic substances that cause more extreme symptoms. And say goodbye to bugs and pests. Leftover food, dirty dishes or lingering trash can be a buffet invitation for these critters. If you keep your home clean and stay on top of housework, nasty odors will be a thing of the past.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 12 people in the U.S. has asthma, and the rate appears to be on the rise. If anybody in your home has allergies and asthma, keeping a clean home is essential. Cleaning will help you get rid of triggers such as pet dander, mold, dust and more.
Now is a great time to get rid of dirt, garbage and dust. We can clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, take out the trash and keep our environment clean, with a focus on decluttering work and living spaces by eliminating excess. Not only does regular cleaning stop the replication of germs and the spread of deadly diseases, but it also helps to remove stress and prevent accidents. All these efforts can help us protect our most important assets, the people who make up our communities and our family members.
Sources: issa.com.
INTERESTING FACTS
• Cleaning out the calories: Cleaning, such as ironing and washing dishes for two hours, could burn up to 215 calories, almost the same as running for 20 minutes.
• When life gives you lemons: Lemons have antibacterial properties that are effective for disinfecting your home, a great alternative when you run out of disinfectants.
• A mountain that cleans: Soap derived its name from an ancient Roman legend about Mount Sapo, where rain washed animal fat and ashes down the mountain and resulted in a clay-like mixture that made cleaning easier.
• Dead skin cells: Dust contains 20 percent to 50 percent dead skin cells.
• Women clean more: The average woman cleans for about 12,900 hours in her lifetime, while men spend an average of 6,450 hours cleaning.