8/12/2023 0 Comments Spring cleaning day 2017 williamsIf it’s not possible to do away with carpeting, vacuum daily with a vacuum cleaner that has an air filter to reduce the mites and other irritants found in carpet.ĭust mites also make themselves at home in bed linens. “It reduces the environment that dust mites love and makes it easier to see and remove pet hair and other dirt from the floor.” “Whenever possible, removing carpet from homes is best,” Williams says. In addition to keeping home surfaces free from dust, experts also recommend minimizing carpeting in your home. Dust and dust mitesĭust can be especially irritating to people with COPD who have allergies. Regularly cleaning the surfaces, furniture, and linens in your home can help reduce pet dander. from cats or dogs) may exacerbate COPD symptoms,” explains Michelle Fanucchi, PhD, associate professor of environmental health science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. But if you also have allergies, it might be. Pet dander isn’t necessarily an issue for all people living with COPD. “Make sure you’ve got the kitchen well-ventilated, so that anything coming off the stove - whether it’s nitrogen dioxide or the particles that are created when you’re frying something - is pulled out of the house,” Nolen advises. “If you have a natural gas stove and you’re cooking on the stove, it’s giving off nitrogen dioxide emissions, as would a gas fireplace,” Nolen explains.Īdequate ventilation in your kitchen is the best way to remedy this. These emissions can come from natural gas. Nitrogen dioxideĮxposure to nitrogen dioxide emissions is another recognized issue for people with COPD. Nolen emphasizes that zero smoking in the home environment is one of the most important things you can do to improve your home’s air quality. Unfortunately, this isn’t a viable solution. Sometimes people think allowing others to smoke in just one room of the home is a good work-around. It not only creates a lot of particles, but also gases and toxins that are truly lethal.” “There are no good ways of getting rid of smoke, and it’s harmful in multiple ways. “Don’t allow smoking indoors at all,” advises Janice Nolen, assistant vice president of national policy at the American Lung Association. Sometimes particles are large enough to be visible, such as in the cases of dust and soot. They’re byproducts of burning substances or other chemical processes, which can be inhaled into the lungs and cause irritation. But one thing that’s been confirmed is that cigarette smoke is very harmful to people with COPD, in part because of the particle pollution it produces. There’s not a lot of research available on how different types of air pollutants specifically affect people with COPD. Here are some of the most triggering air pollutants found in homes, plus how to reduce their presence. How to keep common indoor air pollutants at bayīefore you do any actual cleaning, there are some important ways you can set yourself up for success and minimize the amount of work you need to do. “We’ve had patients come to the hospital, recover enough to go home, and then some trigger in their home environment causes them to have an exacerbation and have to go back to the hospital for treatment again,” Williams notes.īy keeping your home clean, the chances of irritation are lower. The repercussions of not dealing with these common household contaminants can be serious. “These types of contaminants can have a negative impact on someone with COPD, because they can cause problems like increased mucus production, making it difficult to clear the airway, or they can cause the person to feel like it is hard to catch their breath because their airways begin to spasm,” Williams tells Healthline. “Many things can impact our indoor air quality: dust and dust mites, pets, smoking indoors, cleaning solutions, room fresheners and candles, just to name a few,” says Stephanie Williams, a respiratory therapist and director of community programs at the COPD Foundation. And maintaining good air quality is crucial to avoid COPD episodes and flare-ups. The cleanliness of your home is a major factor in determining indoor air quality.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |