Condos and apartments are especially prone to dust and dirt. Older buildings that have heaters and air conditioning often result in dry, stale air, and many apartments do not have adequate airflow to deal with this problem. Whether you are looking to do a deep, seasonal clean in your apartment or simply trying to understand how to prevent the build-up of dust and dirt, these seven tips will help keep your apartment clean all year round: Show
At Maid4Condos, we understand that many people simply don’t have the time to clean their homes as frequently as they should, to maintain a healthy and tidy living environment. It can be a time-consuming and an exhausting task between busy schedules which is why we’re here to help! We offer customized cleaning services tailored to the needs of our clients, and we are happy to work with you to determine your cleaning needs. Keeping your apartment or condo dust-free is a unique challenge that requires daily care. These tips will help you prevent the build-up of dust and dirt, improving the cleanliness and air quality of your home. For cleaning jobs that are simply too much to handle on your own, we offer our services on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. For more information about our cleaning packages or for a customized quote, call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us here. Apartment living in the city offers conveniences that staying in rural areas cannot provide. But work-life is busy, and when you return home each day, you want to spend the remaining waking hours relaxing and avoid extensive cleaning chores. The bulk of routine cleaning involves dusting and sweeping to create a healthy living environment, but you did your part. Why is your apartment still dusty? Where does the dust come from, and how do you minimize the problem? What Causes Dust in Apartments?Dust is a mixture of dead skin cells, pollen, insects, fibers, dirt, sand, pollutants, and other tiny solid particles. Dust particles vary in size and can be visible or invisible. Sources of dust include:
Outdoor and indoor sources contribute to dust accumulation in your apartment to varying degrees depending on the property and your lifestyle. 1. Location MattersNot all dust in the apartment comes from within, and you cannot minimize dust significantly without understanding and addressing the external sources. Your activities indoors are part of the dust equation, but your apartment’s location and orientation can determine how much dust it gets from outside the property. They include its location in or proximity to:
You cannot uproot your apartment, but you can minimize the dust implications from the building’s less favorable location. Proposed solutions are in a later section. 2. Building & External IssuesThe building envelope separates the external sources of dust and your apartment’s internal spaces. Building defects may be difficult to identify, but the physical conditions that inadvertently allow dust to enter the apartment interior are easier to spot and relatively inexpensive to address. The building conditions and defects that cause dust to enter the apartment include:
Other simple habits and everyday practices can lead to more dust indoors:
3. Internal SourcesA significant portion of dust comes from you, your pet, and how you live in the apartment. You can mitigate some causes while others are preventable. Internal sources of dust in your apartment could be:
You can expect increased dust with more occupants living in an apartment. Your dust problem becomes more pronounced if you have:
The Health Risks to You and Your FamilyDust on the floor is not a particular health risk until it gets airborne. Children, the elderly, or any person with a compromised immune system are susceptible to its effects. It can aggravate allergies – if your immune system reacts adversely to pet dander or dust mites, you may require immediate medical attention. Possible effects of dust exposure include:
Dust and dust mites can also adversely affect your pet’s health. How to Reduce Dust in the Apartment?Identify and address the sources to minimize or eliminate dust in your apartment. You want to reduce dust from external sources as the first line of defense. The conditions surrounding your apartment building may vary depending on your region, location, and level of human activities, but adjust your approach to suit. You can:
Secondly, address the dust sources internally:
You want to reduce dust as much as possible and avoid allergy triggers. Your Ideal Cleaning RoutineAdopt the top-down approach for effective use of your time when dusting and cleaning. Ideally:
Periodic cleaning will do for the HVAC filters – once every 2 to 3 months. Your cleaning frequency depends on your schedule and the severity of your dust problems. Areas You Should Concentrate OnCleaning and dusting time is limited, so focus your energy on these areas:
Can You Prevent Dust in Your Apartment?Dust exists everywhere you go, and whether it is a problem is relative; a tolerable level of dust in the storage will become unhealthy in the living room or bedrooms. You cannot prevent dust in the apartment, but you can identify the dust sources in your environment and work to minimize the problem to an acceptable level. Adopt a cleaning routine that fits your schedule to reach a comfortable compromise. Improving Indoor Air QualityNatural ventilation is ideal for health, but it is best to shut the windows when you have a dusty environment outside your apartment or poor air quality in the area. How then do you ensure a healthy living environment inside your apartment? Technology comes in handy, and the useful indoor air quality appliances you can utilize depending on your situation are:
What If Your New Apartment Is Dusty?Brand new apartments suffer from dust problems, but they differ from lived-in apartments where dust sources are easier to identify. Dust in new apartments comes from construction and interior design finishing work. Building contractors carry out general cleaning before handing over the keys to the apartments but do not expect a professional cleaner’s job. The best approach for you involves conducting a thorough clean before moving in and a second clean after you moved the furniture in place and unwrapped them. Adopt a wait-and-see approach after you settle in, and ascertain which causes and solutions earlier in the post apply to you. |