As the old adage goes "home is where the heart is". Almost every one of us love to travel but at the end getting back to home and resting on your bed is the most satisfying thing to do. It is true that everybody loves to be home but there are certain things at home that can make you sick.
There are some activities that we do or use everyday that contributes to our sickness. So it is necessary for us to identify such routines that can make us ill. So here are some tips to guide you to stay alert and away from things that can pose a threat:
- Using Sponge: Sponge is the most basic and dirtiest thing used in a kitchen. Since it is used to scrub off all kinds of dirt, it harbors microorganisms ranging from molds to bacteria and can be a cause for concern. Since steering clear of sponge is not a viable solution, you can maintain a clean sponge by dipping it into a solution of bleach and water before wiping down surfaces.
- Use of Vacuum Cleaners: Vacuum cleaners are used by many household to clean the house but it just so happens that when the dust gets collected in the porous dust bag, it can diffuse into the atmosphere causing allergies. Pet allergens and indoor dust contains the highest amount of hazardous materials such as heavy metals, lead, pesticides and other chemicals. So try cleaning your filters regularly to minimize the risk and look for a vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
- Sleeping with Pillows and Mattress: Shedding skin is a natural process and we humans shed about 1.5 million skin cells per hour and perspire one quart (around 950 ml) every day even while doing nothing. Now all those skin cells often get accumulated in our pillows and mattresses. And the dust mites will get settled on these and can cause infections in certain cases -- the persons sleeping facing the mattress are more prone to infections as they breathe too close. To avoid such problems it is better to change your pillows and mattresses regularly. You can also try sealing your mattress and pillows in allergy-resistant plastic covers if dust mites give you trouble.
- Grilling Meat: Barbecuing or grilling meat can be bad for health because because when the meat is cooked at high temperature, cancer causing compounds -- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) -- can form. These compounds form when high temperatures break down the amino acid creatinine, a chemical waste molecule generated from muscle metabolism. To prevent the formation of such harmful compounds, avoid cooking meat at high flames and trim off any charred or burned pieces from the meat or fish. Also, wrap meat in foil and poke holes all around it such as to allow fat to drip off.
- Opening Windows: Open windows are the mode of entry of pollen and other mold spores into the household. These will run through air conditioning system and get dispersed throughout the house. So you need to try to keep the surroundings clean, use vacuum cleaners to clean and air conditioners to purify air in room setting. Clean at least twice in a month to prevent unwanted illness.
- Not Cleaning the Air Conditioner: The inside part of air conditioner can be an optimum condition for different kinds of molds and microbes to breed. This can be attributed to the moist ducts and warm environment. Sometimes turning the AC on can disperse these molds and molds spores into the atmosphere. So efforts have to be taken to regularly clean the AC as well.
- Not Checking the Expiry Date: Whenever you buy any product, the first and foremost thing to do is to check the expiry date. But sadly many people are least bothered about this. Eating expired food can cause many illnesses including food poisoning which can be quite fatal. Other illness includes nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. So, do not buy expired food and in case if you've already bought it then just throw it straight into the dustbin without any other thought to it.
- Not Washing Your Pets: Pets are known to harbor germs, fleas and other parasites. Hence it is highly imperative to wash your pets frequently to avoid any illness. If you have pet, then give them a bath at least once a month. And if they spend much time outdoors, then they require bath at least once in every two weeks.
- Aquatic Pets: Aquariums are home to many kinds of germs and bacteria, and if not cleaned adequately then they may contribute to the bacterial level in the air at home. Frogs and turtles are known to spread salmonella bacteria, which leads to salmonella poisoning in humans. So in order to decrease these risks, change the water at least twice a month.
- Watching Television: Everybody knows that munching crispes and watching TV is not a healthy combination but nobody tries to stop it. This habit happens to be one of the reasons for obesity and other diseases. So just put away that bag of chips and get out for a walk.
So, take some small measures today. This will not only make a big difference to your health, but also make your home a better place to live in.
