Dust isn’t just a housekeeping issue, but one that can affect health
Yes, there is something scary under the bed.
It’s also on the coffee table, floor, bookcase, and your collection of little porcelain figurines.
A new study has found that anywhere dust can settle, it brings along with it a cocktail of toxic chemicals — ones that are especially dangerous for your kids and grandkids.
These are toxins that are linked to a whole host of health problems from reproductive and hormone disruption to liver and brain damage.
It won’t take a cleaning crew to make your home safer — but don’t bring out the duster just yet!
Researchers at George Washington University have just put the topic of dust in a whole new light.
No longer is it simply the stuff that reveals just how often we really clean the house, but it’s moved it into the realm of a health hazard.
And rightfully so.
First, it’s not just dust mites or allergens that the researchers are concerned with, but highly toxic substances that come into our homes through the use of everyday things. Items such as window blinds, plastic bottles, toys, and even furniture. And these toxins end up in dust.
All in all, they identified 45 toxic chemicals in your typical house dust, with ten that can be found in almost every single American home. It doesn’t matter if you live in California or Maine, we’ve all got the exact same problem.
While phthalates — chemicals that come from vinyl floors and blinds, perfumed cosmetics, detergents and even food packages — were found most often, certain other chemicals were of an even bigger concern to the scientists.
And those are flame retardants.
Last year I warned you about the danger from a class of flame retardants called PBDEs. I told you how the chemical can be found in carpet padding, upholstery, the foam inside your favorite easy chair and dozens of other things.
And since PBDEs and other flame-retardant chemicals don’t bind to these products, they easily end up in the air, with dust being our main source of exposure.
As I said, these flame retardants weren’t found in the greatest amounts, but they are more likely to have the “highest estimated intake.”
In other words, they can get into your body easily and quickly.
“You can breathe it in and can absorb (it) into your skin,” said Dr. Ami Zota, the lead researcher of the study.
And for kids whose brains and bodies are still developing, that’s something that can trigger lifelong health problems. Experts compare it to the hazards that were created with leaded paint and gasoline.
Since these house-dust chemicals are linked to damage in the digestive, reproductive and nervous systems, disruption of hormones, and my favorite, a category classified as causing “currently unknown” health hazards, you may be heading for the duster right now.
But before you do, here are three tips on how to best tackle the problem.
Tip #1: If you have a duster-type vacuum attachment, use it in as many places as you can. Especially go over books and under furniture. And if you don’t already have one, buy a vacuum that has a HEPA filter, which will trap the dust instead of blowing it out again.
Tip #2: In places where you can’t use a vacuum, don’t dry-dust. Either use a damp rag or one of those disposable dusters with a spray of water on it.
Tip #3: Buy a room HEPA air filter. That will not only reduce dust in your home, but also be helpful for anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies.
Sources:
“Toxic chemicals are hiding in your house dust” Meera Senthlllngam, September 14, 2016, CNN, cnn.com
