What are three things to avoid when cleaning a home with children?
Hey, folks! Keeping a home clean is a very important task, but if it comes at the risk of the health of you or your loved ones, then perhaps you need to reapproach how you go about keeping things clean. We’re learning new things every day, about how everyday activities like cleaning (or, organization, if you check our previous article), affect our health both physically and mentally.
Curious to learn what you can do to keep a clean home while minimizing the health risk to you or your child? Check out our list below!
Put down that antibacterial soap!
It’s really not necessary. From LiveScience.Com:
“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, the director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), said in a statement [on Sept. 2]. “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long term.”
With all this in mind just stick to lathering up with hot soap and water! Also, avoid antibacterial wipes because the FDA “ban list” of potentially harmful antibacterial agents applies to soaps and not things like wipes or sprays.
For your young ones, teach them to frequently wash their hands with plain soap and water. This will keep them healthier wherever they are — be it school, daycare, or anywhere else.
Avoid Residues
To quote Cleaning and Maintenace Management:
“A chemical residue, quite simply, is matter that is left on a surface after evaporation or insufficient rinsing occurs.
‘Immediately after use in surface cleaning, and independent of whatever method is used to apply them, detergent molecules remain chemically unchanged,’ says Dr. Jay Glasel, managing member and founder of Global Scientific Consulting LLC. ‘However, a small but finite amount of detergent remains on the surface. Detergents are then either rinsed off the surface being cleaned or — in all too many cases — remain as residue on the surface. […] The more benign the chemistry you are using, the safer the residue that is left behind will be; the more toxic the chemistry is, the more harmful the residue will be.” Now… Keep in mind that at World Class Cleaning, we’re all about cleaning GREEN! With your young one crawling, toddling, and running across all these surfaces… it might be best to minimize chemical residue buildup.
Minimize your use of aerosol sprays
Recent research has shown that households that use aerosol sprays far more often than others tend to experience adverse consequences as a result. From BBC.com: “In homes where air fresheners – including sticks, sprays and aerosols – were used every day rather than once a week, 32% more babies had diarrhea.
The babies were also more likely to experience earache.” And it’s not just the wee ones, the article goes on, “these mothers who used air fresheners and aerosols daily had nearly 10% more headaches and were about 26% more likely to experience depression.” Honestly… You don’t need aerosol ANYTHING! Air freshener? How about essential oils and a diffuser?
Well… there you have it, folks! Thanks for joining us, and we hope you learned a thing or two. And remember, for a quote, please call us at (804) 201-4010!