Routine cleaning prevents the buildup of dust, dirt, moisture, and garbage that negatively impacts facility hygiene, as well as occupant mental wellness and physical health and safety.
Creating Healthier Facilities Through Cleaning to Remove Dust and Pests
Regular facility cleaning:
- Removes dust and soil that acts as a reservoir for allergens and harmful chemicals, and;
- Eliminates clutter and garbage that attracts unwanted pests that negatively impact occupant health, both inside and outside of the building, without the use of dangerous pesticides.
Dust
Dust--seemingly harmless--is anything but.
According to the National Library of Medicine;
Several studies have identified house dust as an important route of toxicant exposure.
Often levels of pollutants found in house dust, including compounds banned long ago, are significant sources of exposure for the general population, especially children.
Comparison with the maximum concentrations reviewed for chlorpyrifos, DDT, and diazinon indicates that the tolerable exposure concentration in house dust might be exceeded and that chlorpyrifos especially can be considered as a potential hazard to householders
Pesticides applied outside or within the household that are absorbed and preserved by house dust can lead through the everyday activities of children and infants to increased exposure.
Pollutants in house dust as indicators of indoor contamination
Dust and its contaminants enter the human body in one of three ways:
- Direct hand-to-mouth ingestion.
- Absorption through the skin, and;
- Inhalation of resuspended dust particles.
Not unlike the character, Pigpen, each of us has a microbial cloud that surrounds us.
[...] whatever you do - whether it’s waving to someone, scratching your head, or just sitting quietly in a chair - you’ll be surrounded by a ‘cloud’ of microbes that are being shed from your body at a constant rate, 24 hours a day.
And because everyone’s microbe population - or biome - is unique, so is your disgusting microbial cloud [...]
Humans Can Be Identified by The Unique ‘Microbial Cloud’ That Surrounds Them
Dust in the microbial cloud can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, along with the contaminants it contains.
Additionally, dust and the associated contaminants can be ingested via hand-to-mouth contact as a consequence of poor cleaning procedures and a lack of quality hand hygiene and hand awareness.
It is estimated that adults ingest approximately 100 mg of dust each day, and children inhale approximately 200 mg.
Indoor dust, allergens, and toxins can be reduced by:
- Placing walkway and entry mats at strategic locations throughout a facility.
- Vacuuming the mats, floors, and rugs daily.
- Routinely vacuuming upholstered furniture.
- Regularly removing dust on surfaces with microfiber tools.
- Maintaining HVAC systems and using high-performance filters.
- Cleaning and servicing air ducts seasonally, and;
- Decluttering occupied areas of a facility to prevent hidden dust build-up.
Direct ingestion of dust and associated contaminants can be prevented by regularly washing your hands with soap and water, especially before eating.
Pests
Pests carry allergens that negatively impact human health.
One of the most commonly found pests in the US is cockroaches.
Cockroaches carry allergens in their feces, saliva, and on their bodies that have been demonstrated in clinical studies to trigger both allergic reactions and asthma symptoms, especially in children.
Additionally, cockroaches carry pathogens and bacteria on their bodies that are dangerous, sometimes deadly, to humans.
According to Pest World;
Cockroaches can also passively transport microbes on their body surfaces including pathogens that are potentially dangerous to humans.
Cockroaches have been implicated in the spread 33 kinds of bacteria, including E. coli and Salmonella species, six parasitic worms and more than seven other types of human pathogens.
Pesticides used to kill unwanted insects contribute to the challenge of human health and wellness.
According to Californians For Pesticide Reform;
Pesticides can cause short-term adverse health effects, called acute effects, as well as chronic adverse effects that can occur months or years after exposure.
Examples of acute health effects include stinging eyes, rashes, blisters, blindness, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, and death.
Examples of known chronic effects are cancers, birth defects, reproductive harm, immunotoxicity, neurological and developmental toxicity, and disruption of the endocrine system.
Cockroaches, mice, rats, and other insects and pests can be avoided, often without the use of hazardous pesticides or rodenticides, by:
- Identifying and sealing breaches in the infrastructure of the building that allows entry from the outside.
- Keeping bushes and trees away from the side and roof of a building through regular maintenance.
- Removing garbage to covered dumpsters away from the building, and;
- Routine high-performance facility cleaning.
Takeaway
Maintaining human health and wellness requires stringent adherence to high-performance cleaning methods and personal hygiene practices to not only avoid the transmission of germs and bacteria that make us sick, but to prevent the accumulation or attraction of dust and pests that carry hazardous toxins and allergens that can cause serious harm, especially to children and the immuno-compromised.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding increasingly in-demand sustainable cleaning for health services, tools, and expertise for a fraction of the cost of maintaining a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756
