5 Ways Spring Cleaning Can Actually Improve Your Health

Flowers are beginning to bloom and birds are chirping, but your house is still holding its winter allergens. Enter spring cleaning.

A good spring cleaning won’t just make your home look better; it can also help you and your loved ones to feel better. Presented by Banner Health, here are five ways spring cleaning can actually improve your health.

1. Improving Air Quality Can Lessen Respiratory Symptoms

Poor air quality can contribute to poor health. If you are already someone who is suffering from seasonal allergies, asthma, COPD or another condition that affects your respiratory system, having clean air can help you to breathe better. Allergens such as pet dander and dust can worsen respiratory conditions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors — thus, poor air quality in your home could be affecting your symptoms more than you realize.

Air purifiers are a great way to battle pollutants in your home by neutralizing the air. An air purification system works by sucking in the air from your home, passing it through an internal filter and then pushing out air with fewer pollutants.

Using allergy-proof covers on your bed pillows and mattresses can also help your family breathe better in the long run. And although opening your windows may be tempting on nice spring days, consider keeping them closed so outdoor irritants do not enter your home. In addition, keeping up on weekly housekeeping like dusting and vacuuming can help fight against poor indoor air quality.

If you need further help in managing your respiratory systems, Banner Health offers allergy treatments for a variety of conditions, from common allergens and asthma to allergic reactions.

2. Washing Your Sheets Can Reduce Risk Of Illness

If you’ve ever wondered how often you should be washing your bed sheets, the answer is generally once a week. For those who suffer from severe allergies or respiratory symptoms, every three to four days may be more beneficial. When you lay in your bed every night, you are transferring whatever germs are on your body onto your bed sheets. These germs include everything from makeup and dead skin cells to bodily fluids and sweat. All of these germs can contribute to allergy flare-ups, worsened eczema and acne, and unwanted pests like bed bugs, fleas and lice.

The best way to wash your bed sheets – in addition to following a regular schedule – is to wash in hot water on a typical wash cycle. Unless your sheets have special care instructions, this cycle should do the trick in removing unwanted dirt and germs. It’s also a good idea to follow the same wash schedule for your pillowcases, towels and blankets. If someone in your home is sick, it is beneficial to wash sheets more often to eliminate as many germs as possible

3. Organizing Your Kitchen Can Encourage Healthier Food Choices

Organizing your space can have health benefits as well. Areas in the kitchen, such as the food pantry and refrigerator, will promote healthy habits if items are properly sorted and stored. If your household is one that seems to be continually tossing produce that went bad because it was forgotten about, a helpful tip is to prep your vegetables when you get them and place them at the front of your fridge at eye level. With fresh produce being front and center, your family is more likely to prioritize fruits and vegetables as a snack.

Additional benefits of kitchen organization include reducing waste (i.e., not having to throw away items because they’ve expired), as well as saving money by not purchasing duplicate items that could be hidden in an unorganized pantry. Utilizing storage bins and baskets to help separate food items by category can be the key to keeping your pantry organized. Having an organized refrigerator and pantry will help save time when making shopping lists and food prepping.

If you’re looking to prioritize a healthier lifestyle or need support in navigating a dietary restriction, a Banner Health expert can help you create a specific plan related to your nutritional needs.

4. Disposing Of Unused Medication Can Help Keep Pets And Children Healthy

Do you have expired or unused prescription medication in your home? Are you not sure? Now is the time to take the initiative to keep your household members safe. Securing medication from other members of your home should be a top priority. It is easy to overlook medication while in a daily routine and accidentally grab your spouse’s prescription over yours, and it’s just as easy for someone in your home to experiment with prescription drugs if they are not stored away properly. Consider finding a “hiding spot” of sorts for your medication – or just a spot away from other household members’ daily use – and keep your medication there for extra caution.

Disposing of medication safely is just as important as storing it away securely. Take advantage of this spring cleaning season by going through your medicine cabinet, locating medication that is expired or no longer needed and disposing of it. Helpful ways to dispose of medications to ensure no one tries to use them can be as simple as finding a “take back” program where local municipalities or counties will dispose of the medications. You can also crush up pills and open capsules, or mix them with less-than-desirable substances (such as coffee grounds or salt) before putting them in the trash. If possible, avoid flushing pills down the drain, as this can be damaging to the environment and wildlife.

5. Cleaning Household Items Can Reduce Germ Spread

Spring cleaning can go far beyond dusting and wiping walls. It’s important for common household items to get attention now – and regularly – to keep your family healthy. Cleaning these items generally refer to wiping the dust away, while disinfecting means using a chemical cleaner to remove germs from surfaces. If anyone in your household has been sick and common items like those below haven’t been cleaned, chances are those items are still holding on to those sick germs.

Some common household items that should be cleaned include:

• Door edges
• Light switches
• Remotes
• Computers and keyboards
• Appliances
• Workout equipment
• Reusable grocery bags
• Video game controllers
• Charging cables
• Nightstands
• Keys
• Toys
• High chairs and booster seats
• Cribs
• School and office supplies

It’s important to clean these common household items to prevent more serious germs, such as E. coli and staphylococcus from developing. Cross-contamination can occur easier than you may realize when the surfaces of items are not regularly cleaned. Even if you think your home is relatively clean, spring cleaning is the perfect time to deep clean those items that may not get your full attention during your regular cleaning schedule.

Now is the time to take a step in the right direction for your health. Learn more about Banner Health’s services in acute and specialty care, everyday care and other medical services.