15 spring cleaning mistakes that could make you sick

Anyone who’s ever cleaned a dusty bookcase or a neglected spare room knows dust makes you sneeze. “Dust is a common trigger for asthma and allergy symptoms,” says family physician, Dr Jennifer Caudle. But did you know dust can actually be toxic? A meta-analysis from George Washington University found unhealthy levels of chemicals in dust that can cause everything from hormone disruptions to asthma to even cancer.

To avoid ingesting or breathing dust as much as possible, wipe up dust frequently – don’t just save hard-to-reach spots for spring cleaning – and follow a ‘top-down’ strategy. “Start with ceilings and high shelving, and work your way to the floors to limit redistribution of dust and other particles to freshly cleaned surfaces,” says Samara Geller, a senior research and database analyst at Environmental Working Group (EWG). In addition, “look for a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter to more effectively trap dust, allergens, and contaminants,” she says.

Check out these ways to get rid of dust in your home you never thought of.

Your cleaner may smell like lemons or flowers, but unfortunately, that may be linked to health problem. “In my national population studies, I found over one-third of users report adverse health effects from fragranced consumer products, such as air fresheners, deodorisers, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, hand sanitisers, essential oils, scented candles, disinfectant sprays, dish-washing detergents, and other types of scented products,” says Dr Anne Steinemann, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Melbourne in Australia. “Common health problems from exposure to fragranced cleaning products include migraines, asthma attacks, breathing difficulties, dizziness, seizures, nausea, watery eyes, and skin rashes.”

Dr Caudle also warns that strong smells from cleaners can trigger headaches. Instead, opt for products labelled ‘fragrance-free’ not ‘unscented’ as those may include a masking fragrance, Steinemann says.

The products you choose may also be too abrasive for your needs. Some cleaning products are caustic, meaning they have a very high or very low pH. This can lead to caustic burns to the skin, eyes, or internally if swallowed. In addition to being a poisoning risk, even cleaning with them can be harmful. “As a family doctor, I’ve seen patients get skin irritation from contact with cleansers or other chemicals,” Dr Caudle says.

Avoid products that use the ingredients sulphuric acid and sodium hydroxide. Some cleaners tend to be more acutely hazardous, such as heavy-duty degreasers and general purpose solvents, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and oven cleaners. In general, use the gentlest product that can get the job done.

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The golden rule of cleaning (and poison prevention): never mix cleaners with chlorine bleach and those with ammonia together. Mixing bleach and ammonia can lead to the formation of chloramine vapour, which is toxic if inhaled. Cleaning expert Melissa Maker, founder of cleaning service Clean My Space advises using oxygen bleach as a non-toxic option when a job calls for disinfecting. “I don’t like chlorine bleach in my home, which is why I recommend oxygen bleach,” she says.

Because studies have shown cleaning is linked to exposures that cause a decline in lung function, reduce toxic particles and fumes by circulating the air in your house during the task. “Keep the inside of your home well-ventilated while cleaning and dusting,” Geller says. “Open windows – and even doors – and run the central air system or an exhaust fan.” This goes for cleaning in general, not just when you’re dusting. In addition, try bringing your cleaning into the outdoors. “Airing things out outside is fantastic: sunlight, or UV rays, act as an antibacterial so it can help kill bacteria,” says Maker. For example, air out winter blankets on a clothesline to help get rid of dust mites, and shake out throw rugs to rid them of dust – vacuuming them can be difficult.

Read on for the cleaning mistakes that are making your home dirtier.

Unfortunately, your cleaning tools themselves can become germy and spread bacteria around the house and make you sick. “I recommend having a kitchen-surface cleaning sponge, and a separate bathroom sponge,” Maker says. “A great way to do this is to use colour-coded sponges – you can pick up a different colour for the kitchen and a different colour for the bathroom, and then that way you always know what sponge to use where.”

Read on to find out which tricks to avoiding germs that actually don’t work.

Another way to prevent cross-contamination of bacteria is to make sure you’re following the proper order of cleaning. “You want to clean the cleanest stuff first and the dirtiest stuff last,” Maker says. “If you’re cleaning a bathroom counter or the front of cupboards, you’re likely not going to have any freakish bacteria existing in those areas.” You wouldn’t want to start with cleaning a sink (a surprisingly dirty place in your home) or a toilet, she says, and then take that cleaning rag or sponge and use it somewhere else. “You always want to use your tools in the cleanest parts of the house first and then move to the dirtiest parts of the house – and then, of course, there is the option of using paper towels for areas that would make you uncomfortable using a [reusable] cloth.”

On the other hand, here are 12 things you shouldn’t be cleaning with paper towels.

Maker also advises cleaning in a zigzag or ‘S’ shape instead of a circle to avoid simply spreading bacteria around a surface. “When you clean in a circular pattern, you’re just taking all that dirt and putting it right back where it came from,” Maker says. “With the ‘S’ pattern, spray the surface, start at the top left-hand corner and sweep your way all the way to the top right. Loop or zigzag back and work your way down from top to bottom.” This way, she says, you’re not redepositing anything anywhere, but instead, you’re sweeping the dirt downward toward you.

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Another reason germs get left behind is that you’re not letting your cleaning product soak in long enough to work its magic. Maker calls this “dwell time – it’s an opportunity for the product to sit and break down whatever dirt, grease, bacteria, and grime that it’s meant to clean,” she says. “The problem is when people clean, they often just apply the product and wipe immediately, and that’s the wrong way to do it.” To save yourself time while making sure your product is truly cleaning up all sickness-causing germs, spray the dirtiest surfaces first and allow them to sit while you clean the less dirty areas first; then, go back and wipe down after the product has sat for a bit.

Geller says to beware of “greenwashed” products that don’t list their ingredients. “‘Natural’ products aren’t necessarily any healthier than conventional cleaners,” she says. In her research, Steinerman has found the same thing: “I have tested a wide variety of fragranced cleaning products, including ones with claims and certifications of being ‘green,’ ‘organic,’ ‘all-natural,’ and ‘made with essential oils,’” she says. “All of these fragranced cleaning products emitted potentially hazardous air pollutants. Moreover, the green fragranced products were not significantly different from the regular fragranced products in their emissions of hazardous air pollutants.” Unfortunately, there’s a lack of transparency from manufacturers in terms of their ingredients.

Learn 13 ways green living can make you healthier.