Homes should promote the resident’s health. People spend a lot of time in them, and they naturally are effected by their surroundings. Picking tile as a design element is a good first step in promoting your health in general. They don’t have any fibers to catch pet dander and they don’t hide any substances beneath their surfaces. Their best feature for your health, though, is that they are easy to clean. Keeping your tiles clean can ensure that your home promotes your health in a number of ways.
Reduces Allergens
Any flat surface will collect dust and the particles of dust then be disturbed and circulate in the air whenever you walk in the room. Too much dust doesn’t just look bad, it can irritate your lungs and hold bacteria to surfaces. It is also a welcoming home to microscopic dust mites. Dust mites excrete allergens and they leave fragments of their bodies which cause irritation. Dust and dust mites are common allergens, and if you are sensitive to environmental allergens, they can make you miserable in your own home. It’ll give you watery eyes and sneezing attacks. Even if you are not allergic now, prolonged exposure to dust mites can contribute to asthma.
Mold is a particularly serious allergen. If you are sensitive to mold, touching the mold spores can leave a rash and inhaling the stuff can leave you sneezing, drippy-nosed, and red eyed. Asthma attacks can be triggered by inhaling mold spores, and some people are so allergic to mold that they become short of breath even without asthma. Folks with compromised immune systems and children are often particularly sensitive to mold.
Reduces Slipperiness
Dirty tiles lose traction, and if you are using them on the floor in places such as your bathroom, the floor can get slippery. This is particularly true of tiles that are wet. Wiping them dry often will ensure that you can feel more sure of step on your tile floor.
Steps To Reduce The Health Risks
Mold grows on grout so readily because people tend to put tile where it gets and stays damp. Water condenses on the rough surfaces in between the tiles and lets mold spores sprout within 24 hours. The very first step to keeping your tiles and grout looking pristine and preserving your health is to make sure that the tiles dry out. Keep the doors open to increase air circulation. Take steps to keep the humidity in your house below 60%. Keep your exhaust fans running in the rooms with tiles and mop up the extra water in the bathroom. It is a good idea to keep your house over 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter, too, as this will stop the water from condensing on the grout.
The next step to making sure that your tiles promote health is to clean them regularly. Do many light, regular cleanings between official deep cleanings. At least once a week, sweep up the loose dust, wipe down your tiles with a damp mop and then dry it. Simply collecting the dust and everything the dust carries in to your mop will cut down on the effects of the dust. Rinse the mop of dirty water often so that you are not spreading allergens into cracks. Run a dry, lint-free cotton cloth over your tiles to dry them afterwards.
Dr. Clean Home Care is an expert on cleaning tiles, not only eliminating allergens but leaving your tiles looking as good as new. We will reach even those hard to get to places so that mold and dust will have nowhere to hide. Call us if you want to set up a regular deep cleaning for your tiles.
