Do You Breathe Easy at Home?

How to Control Indoor Air Pollution

Pollution. We use the word to describe harmful or poisonous substances introduced into an environment. Water pollution, ground pollution, noise pollution, and air pollution are examples we most commonly relate to the outdoor environment.So it may surprise you to find that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published reports that indoor air is 2-5 and in some cases up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside.

This article will give you some recommendations to make your indoor air cleaner, healthier and safer. But first, the basics…

What is “Air”?
Air is a mixture of gases that make up Earth’s atmosphere. The part of the atmosphere that contains the right mixture of gases to support life contains nitrogen and oxygen, as well as trace amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, helium, neon and other gases. Air also contains variable amounts of water vapor. We refer to the amount of suspended water vapor as humidity.

Humidity Plays an Important Role in Indoor Air Quality
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends maintaining indoor relative humidity levels between 30% and 50% for human health and comfort. Higher humidity can create an environment where microbes can flourish and create an unsanitary condition. In addition, higher humidity can result in condensation of water on surfaces. This can hold soils and organic matter, creating a perfect incubator for mold,which can exacerbate asthma and allergies.

Air Suspends Particles
Most airborne particles are harmless. However, others can cause problems, particularly for those with asthma, allergies or immune disorders. There are four keys to keeping your indoor air clean and healthy: exclude, capture, clean and control.

Exclude – Keep contaminants out
Keeping contaminants out of the home is challenging because most airborne particles are tiny and can be everywhere. Pollen, carbon, mold spores, organic matter, insect matter, car exhaust, and plain old dirt enter the home, transported on air currents, clothing and shoes.

Reduce entry by keeping your doors and windows shut, removing shoes when entering and immediately changing your clothing after dusty activities like yard work.

There are other contaminants that originate from within the home. Pet and human dander, food particles, dust mites and their feces, cooking gases, sprays, chemicals, cleaning agents and many other particulates combine to reduce overall indoor air quality. Controlling these can be tricky, because they result from every day living activities. Your best defense is to capture, clean and control them.

Capture – filter and contain that which enters
When airborne particles enter your home, they remain suspended for a period of time. Large and dense particles drop out of the air and settle onto surfaces. Smaller, lighter particles remain suspended longer – some nearly indefinitely – and are best removed by air filtration devices and the filter on your home’s HVAC system.

Pay attention to the filters you use. Use high quality pleated filters. Don’t buy based on price alone. Get filters that are rated MERV 7 or 8. Higher MERV ratings may place excessive restriction on your ventilation system, requiring a change in configuration. Talk to an HVAC professional for more information about how to improve filtration on your ventilation system.

Clean – remove pollutants from surfaces
Eventually, particles settle on surfaces such as floors, furniture, counters, window sills, shelves and walls. Vacuuming and dusting removes most of the particles, but make sure that your vacuum cleaner has good filtration too.

Hard surfaces can be cleaned with electrostatic dusters or dust cloths that attract and hold particles, or by wiping hard surfaces with a damp cloth and wet mopping floors. Other surfaces such as carpet, area rugs and upholstery will require periodic professional cleaning to remove accumulated soils and pollutants.

Control – maintain equipment, humidity levels and filters
Proper maintenance is important. Ensure your vacuum cleaner, AC unit, range hood and other ventilation equipment are working properly. Clean or replace furnace filters at recommended intervals; usually monthly depending on the type of filter and environmental conditions.

Hansen Steam Way can help you breathe easier indoors with regularly scheduled professional carpet and upholstery cleaning. Call us today to set up your clean and healthy maintenance program.

Healthy Babies

Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) is  the sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of a child under one year of age and is sometimes referred to as “crib death.” Although no one knows what causes SIDS, there are some things you can do to make your baby safer.

Place your baby on his or her back to sleep. Although for many years, this was not considered good advice, studies have  now shown that this contributes greatly towards reducing the chance of an occurrence of SIDS. Not all babies should sleep on their backs however. Discuss this with your doctor if your baby has any medical, eating, or congenital problems.

Babies should never be placed in a crib or bed with large, loose, or fluffy blankets, pillows, or comforters. There should not beany gaps between the mattress and the crib frame.

The temperature in the room should be kept at a comfortable level. Do not allow your baby to get too warm.

Establish a smoke-free zone around your baby. Research indicates that cigarette smoke in your baby’s environment increases the risk of SIDS.

Breastfeed your baby, even if for only a short period of time. Breast milk contributes to your baby’s overall health and can decrease the risk of SIDS.

Eye Health as We Age

According to a survey by the Ocular Nutrition Society, four in five baby boomers ranked their vision as the most important  sense. In fact, those same people said that they worry about vision loss almost as much as contracting cancer or heart disease. But only fifty percent said they visit an eye doctor at least once a year.

What is the best way to protect your vision as you age? First, you should get an eye exam every year. Your doctor can help  you know if you are at risk for eye diseases such as macular degeneration. Be sure to know and discuss your family history of eye disease.

You should also protect your eyes by not smoking and always wearing sunglasses with UV protection. Regular exercise is not only good for your body, but also contributes to eye health as well.

Finally, be aware of the role nutrition plays in eye health. Vital nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega 3 protect your vision and keep your eyes healthy. To increase these nutrients in your diet, eat greens such as spinach, kale, and broccoli, along with salmon, halibut, and tuna. If you think you have shortfalls in your diet, you can take a vitamin supplement specifically formulated for eye health.

Milk and Mood

In response to low-carb and low-fat diet fads, many people have sworn off milk products. Others may be sensitive to the effects of milk on their digestive or respiratory systems.

There is a benefit to drinking milk, that those who have given it up are missing. Milk can positively affect your mood. It is high in whey protein, which is a rich source of the amino acid tryptophan. Whey decreases physiological responses to stress, can enhance your mood, and boost memory performance.

A study conducted by Dutch and Yale University researchers found that whey increases tryptophan in the brain, which in turn leads to a higher production of the chemical serotonin. This body chemical boosts your mood and has the potential to enhance your brain’s performance during stressful times.

Whey has also been found to aid in weight loss, as it plays an important role in limiting hepatic fatty acid synthesis. This means that muscle tissue burns more fat when exercising. Whey also can help with mild depression.

So, what is the best way to get milk in your diet without any negative side effects? Try adding low-fat or fat-free milk sources such as yogurt, cottage cheese, and cultured dairy beverages like kefir. You can also add whey powder to a daily smoothie. Or simply drink some milk.

Most negative effects come from drinking too much milk. An 8-ounce glass, one cup, of fat-free organic milk every few hours will boost your mood and give you a steady stream of energy for the entire day.

What do Those Codes on Furniture Tags Really Mean?

Look under the cushions of a typical piece of upholstered furniture and you will usually find a fabric care tag. This tag should include an indication of the recommended procedures for maintenance and routine cleaning of that particular piece of furniture. Part of the tag will likely assure you that all new materials were used; this is a reference to the stuffing inside the piece. What you want to know, more, is how to keep this piece of furniture looking its best, so look for another tag.

The Cleaning Tag
You should find a tag that specifically lists a cleaning code. Before we go into what these codes mean, please note that these tags and codes are merely a guideline to assist you in spot cleaning only. The tag is also an indication to the professional cleaner how to avoid color loss, bleeding, browning or shrinkage during cleaning.

Fabrics are made from a variety of fibers including cotton, polyester, silk, rayon, nylon, polypropylene, acetate, acrylic, wool and blends thereof. They can be woven in a variety of ways, as well as having an unlimited array of dye methods, colors and patterns. All of these different combinations make avoiding possible cleaning reactions very challenging, but possible – if you know what you’re doing!

Improper selection of cleaning agents or methods can lead to permanent damage to fabrics. An example is crushed velvet. If it is treated improperly, it can lose its softness, luster and crimp. This sort of damage is irreversible. Many floral or multicolored patterns are printed on the fabric rather than woven into it. Extra care must be taken when cleaning these as the colors are only on the surface. The wrong chemical can actually remove the printed dyes, or destabilize them to the point that the colors run into each other. Again, this is uncorrectable.

So, effective and safe cleaning of your upholstered furniture means knowing how to clean it. Part of that requires deciphering the code, so here are the cleaning codes and their meanings:

W: This codes tells you to spot clean only with water based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner. If your tag has a “W” be careful not to over wet the area or use any solvents.

S: This codes tells you the opposite of “W” – it says to spot clean only with a water free dry cleaning solvent. But remember to always pretest a small, inconspicuous area before proceeding. Be careful not to over saturate the material or to use any water.

WS or SW: When you see this tag spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or mild dry cleaning solvent.

X: This is a really important one which means to clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush. Never use any water or solvent-based cleaners on furniture that has this tag.

No matter what tag you see, remember these basic suggestions:

• Always clean spills promptly, and call Hansen Steam Way if you are in doubt.

• Never rub, but rather blot up liquids to avoid damaging the furniture.

• Always start cleaning from the outside of the stain, working your way in, to avoid spreading the stain.

• Do not remove cushion covers for cleaning as they may shrink or misshape and not go back on properly.