Dusty and less-than-pristine workplaces can wreak havoc on the health of staff and clients – from aggravating asthma to causing wheezing, sneezing and irritation.
Did you know that 50% of asthma sufferers also suffer from sensitivity to house dust mites (source), which can thrive in any old dusty corner? And that 13 million people under 45 suffer from at least two allergies in the UK (source)? Therefore keeping your professional environment as clean as possible is crucial if your business is keen to keep staff, clients and other visitors comfortable and happy.
And it’s not just dust and dust mites which can cause problems: there are a raft of substances which can accrue in less-than-spotless spaces that can trigger allergies – from mold to pollen. To start making your workspaces allergy-free zones, why not try a few of our allergy-busting tips?
1. Choose natural cleaners
Ironically the problem with cleaning with allergy-prevention in mind is that sometimes the products that you use to clean can trigger irritation, which has allergy-like symptoms itself (including sneezing, wheezing and watering eyes). To be extra sure that you don’t irritate while battling allergies, switch to natural cleaning products without ingredients like:
- Ammonia
- Formaldehyde
- D-limonene
- Sodium laurel sulphate
- Sodium hypochlorite
Alternatives like vinegar and salt for surfaces, or olive oil for wood polishing work well, without causing irritation.
2. Cut the clutter
It doesn’t take much for a workplace to become cluttered during busy weeks and months, but clutter is a major dust magnet. The less clutter in your office or premises, the easier it is to keep spaces dust-free.
3. Hoover as often as possible
After clutter, floors are the worst dust collectors in any space – that’s why hoovering as regularly as possible is important. But not all vacuums were created equal… Some do a good job of disturbing and redistributing dust as you work, worsening the impact on allergy sufferers. Make sure that you choose a hoover with a double bag or a HEPA filter to vacuum efficiently.
4. Banish blinds
You can see simply by looking at them how dusty horizontal “slat style” blinds can get. Chances are, you also know how much of a pain they can be to clean…!
A better solution for allergy-free offices is to either opt for roller style blinds, or – better yet – to choose cotton or synthetic curtains, which can regularly be removed, washed and rehung.
5. Don’t overlook the extras
Maintaining an allergy-friendly office isn’t just about cleaning – it’s also about taking other common sense steps to keep everyone comfortable: from closing windows and using air conditioning or fans on high pollen count days, to getting rid of office plants (or using gravel over the earth to minimise mould). Wherever possible, choose furniture which is made of wood, plastic, metal or leather. If you do have upholstered furniture, remember to hoover it regularly and wash it as often as possible.
Stick to these five tips and you can help make your professional space a more comfortable environment for asthma and allergy sufferers. Of course, keeping up with a rigorous cleaning regime isn’t easy while also trying to run a business – but that’s where we come in…
The Abbey Cleaning Service is one of South Wales’ longest serving cleaning service providers. We have 40 years’ experience in keeping the region spick and span, undertaking everything from weekly tidies and quarterly deep cleans to allergy-busting services and environmentally-friendly “green cleaning”. To discuss your commercial cleaning needs, please feel free to get in touch today on 029 2067 9323!
