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The Effects of Indoor Air Quality on Your Breathing

There are few rites of spring more rewarding than cleaning out the ‘winter blues’ by ridding your home of accumulated dust and dirt. Not only is this psychologically satisfying, but the air quality of your office can also have a direct impact on your staff's health and overall sense of well-being. This is especially true for employees in your office that suffer from allergies or respiratory illness. Edomey | Office Cleaning Burnaby

Why Office Cleaning in Spring?

Spring is the season most people connect with allergies - the rains have stopped and pollen and plant spores have been released into the air, creating havoc on many allergy sufferers. While some people attempt to avoid allergies by staying inside, it is practically impossible to keep pollen and other airborne allergens out. They enter via our clothing and shoes, our pets, and almost every time we open a door or window.

Additionally, dust mites, animal dander, mildew, and even cockroaches may induce allergic and asthmatic responses in indoor dwellers. Controlling allergies and asthma starts at your office and home. The good news is that there are strategies for preventing the accumulation of these allergens in the office, enhancing indoor air quality, and alleviating allergy symptoms. The initial approach is to eliminate or avoid as many allergy sources as possible. For instance, pets (pet dander), overstuffed furniture – and stuffed animals – that accumulate dust and dust mites, pollinating plants that cannot be cleaned in hot water. Suggestions for enhancing your indoor air quality (IAQ) and alleviating allergy symptoms Eliminate dust mites. Maintain clean and uncluttered surfaces around the house, particularly in the office, where you spend 1/3 of your time – and where dust mites grow. The most effective method of controlling dust mites is to daily cleaning and:

1. Remove things

It's advisable to start from scratch if you want a genuinely clean workstation. Everything from the desktop, drawers, and shelves should be removed. Then, neatly stack them on the floor or in another room. Take the time to wipe down all surfaces and clear up your computer equipment now that your desk is vacant.

2. Evaluate

While this may seem to be a big undertaking, once you know what you have, determining what you truly need becomes much simpler. You may be astonished to see how many additional pens, folders, sticky notes, and other things you've been carrying about all along!

As you browse through your office supplies, divide them into three piles: keep, archive, and garbage. The "keep" pile should include products that you will need on a daily and weekly basis. The "archive" pile should include critical papers and information that must be retained but are not required to be seen daily. Additionally, you may divide this group into two sub-groups: one for annual storage and another for long-term storage. Finally, the "junk" pile should consist of objects that may be discarded or donated.

3. Take into account Rearranging Your Space

If your work area is prone to become crowded shortly after cleaning, have a look at your arrangement. Daily-use items should be stored nearby for quick access. Items that are not often used may be tucked away in drawers or shelves to keep your workplace clutter-free.

4. Make Effective Use of Dividers and Shelves

If you're prone to tossing objects into drawers and allowing them to remain disorganized, drawer dividers may assist. Hanging shelves are an excellent way to arrange binders, manuals, reference materials, and other documents, while drawer dividers keep minor office things segregated, organized, and easily accessible.

5. Begin Arranging Your Items in Their Appropriate Locations

Now that you've determined which objects to retain and how close together they should be, place them in their designated arranged locations. Maintain a nice and uncluttered workplace area to make the whole office seem clutter-free.

Dealing With Office Allergies

Indoor/outdoor allergies, sometimes called seasonal allergies, are one of the most frequent forms of allergies that individuals suffer from, regardless of whether they work in an office, warehouse, retail store, factory, or another sort of work area. Contact allergies, such as an allergy to latex, and eye allergies are very frequent in the workplace. Occupational asthma is another prevalent occupational ailment that often occurs when a person develops an allergy to anything breathing on a regular basis in the job (fumes, chemicals.)

Triggers for Office Allergies

Numerous workplace allergens are the same as those that bother you at home. Among them include, but are not limited to:

  • Mites of the dust
  • Pollen
  • Spores of mould
  • Tobacco smoke
  • Cockroaches
  • vapours (from aerosols, chemicals, cleaning agents)
  • Perfumes and scented cosmetics
  • Dander from animals

Even if your workplace is smoke-free, lingering smoke from a coworker who smoked a cigarette during a break might cause an allergic response if you are allergic to this allergen. The same thing may happen to those who are allergic to fragrances and animal dander, particularly cat dander. Avoid the cubicle of a coworker who wears perfume or aroma that aggravates your allergies. If you are required to work closely together on a project, you may choose to explain your allergy gently.

Reducing Office Allergies

There are simple steps you may do to minimize your workplace allergy triggers. The first step is to determine which allergies are the most bothersome to you. Once you've identified the allergens that cause your allergies, you may take action to minimize your exposure. Consider the following suggestions to help you manage your workplace allergies:

  • Using a disinfectant wipe, wipe your workspace (all hard surfaces) every day.
  • If you vacuum your work area, you should wear a mask.
  • If your workplace has a high humidity level, use a dehumidifier to lessen the chance of mould development.
  • Ascertain that your work area is adequately ventilated.
  • After working with coworkers who have dogs, wash your hands to prevent transmitting pet dander to your clothing, skin, or face.

The most effective strategy to manage allergies in the workplace or any other work setting is to remove as many allergens as possible. A routine business cleaning service, such as ServiceMaster Clean's janitorial staff, can handle this task. Daily cleaning, mopping, and vacuuming may eliminate a large number of allergens that harm employees, so improving the condition and wellness of your work environment.