FitSugar

Five Germ-Friendly Areas That Need a Spring Clean

Leta Shy — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:00:53 PST

There's no time like Spring to start getting cleanliness on the brain. A clean space makes us happier and more productive, but staying healthy and combating sickness is another reason to dust, scrub, and disinfect your home. Here are five important germ-infested areas that you shouldn't overlook when you dive into your duties!

Love It or Hate It? Snowdust Lampshade

Julia Walsh — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:00:00 PST

Industrial design graduate Olga Kravchenko's Snowdust Lampshade is designed to celebrate dust. Dust, she says, looks best when it accumulates in a natural environment. So with its mass of branch-like shapes, the lampshade is just the thing to catch the small particles as they fall. If Swiffer is your best friend, this lamp probably won't jive with your cleaning routine. But if you're the sort of person who loves any excuse not to clean, maybe it's a match made in heaven.

Casa Quickie: Blinds Ambition

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:00:08 PDT

There are some household cleaning tasks that seem to fall off of my to-do list, and cleaning my blinds definitely counts among them. It's easy to ignore the fine layer of dust and grime that slowly accumulates on horizontal blinds, especially since cleaning every individual blind is often a daunting prospect. However, keeping the level of dirt and dust low in your home will help it to stay pretty and allergen-free, which is especially important if you have children, or are sensitive to dust yourself.

If, like me, you need to buckle down and get your blinds cleaned this weekend, I have some quick tips to help make the job a little easier. See them when you

Nice and New: Fred and Friends Dust Bunny

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:30:35 PDT

In the past, I've given you the lowdown on how to dust and where to dust . . . but what to dust with? Well, genuine ostrich down feather dusters are a-ok, but aside from that you should opt for microfiber towels. Wait. Scratch that. How about a microfiber bunny? That's right, the Fred and Friends Dust Bunny ($14.99) is made from "high-tech, dust-gathering, machine-washable, high-pile microfiber, right down to the fluffy chenille tail." And, you can wear it like a hand puppet! How can you argue with that? I mean . . . who ever said dusting couldn't be adorable?

Got Allergies? Get a Dehumidifier

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:30:00 PDT

If you suffer from year-round allergies to dust ones, Summer weather is not your friend. The air gets full of moisture, which dust mites love. Since those little buggers require 50 percent humidity in order to thrive, you want to figure out how much humidity is in your home (especially your bedroom), and make sure the humidity is under that magic number. In order to figure that out, you'll want to pick up a hygrometer ($14.99), a neat device that measures the amount of humidity in the air. If the humidity is above 50 percent, then you'll need a dehumidifier ($199). The opposite of a humidifier, these little machines pull water out of the air decreasing the humidity in the room. Drier air definitely makes allergy symptoms less severe.

Do You Know About Dust?

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:15:00 PDT

I hate dust. Since it's everywhere, and I'm allergic, it makes me miserable. Plus if I think about how dust has little microscopic dust mites living in it, I get really creeped out.

Dust might seem like just annoyance, something you're always having to clean up, but knowing all about it will inspire you to clean. Take this quiz to see what I mean.

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Casa Quickie: Where to Dust

CasaSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:00:28 PDT

It's certainly always healthy to make your home as fresh and clean as possible. But, as you may have noticed, sometimes it's hard to find the time to get it all done. So, don't waste one precious notch on your clock, dust only what can be seen. If you have 12 foot ceilings, but all of your friends top out at under six feet, there's no need to summon for a ladder to get your dusting done. Just wipe clean the surfaces within arm's reach of your tallest pal with some microfiber cloths, and save the heavy dusting for a long weekend. For some tips on dusting in general, be sure to check out my How-To.
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Why Sudden Allergies in Adulthood?

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Many people live through childhood sleeping with their pet kitties on their pillows, rolling around on dust filled carpets, and collecting flowers and weeds to give to their moms. They do this without a sneeze or sniffle. Those same carefree kids grow up and when they hit their 20s, they suddenly develop allergies to all those things. What gives?

Allergies can develop at any age, and its prevalence in adults is rising. It's known as Adult-Onset Allergies and there are many theories as to why this happens. The most accepted reason is that nowadays babies' developing immune systems are not exposed to as many viruses, bacterium, and allergens as in the past due to wide use of antibiotics, vaccinations, cleaner food and water supply, better living conditions, and germ-a-phobe parents who don't let their kids roll around in dirt. When immune systems aren't faced with dust, pollen, and mold, they don't fully develop the ability to combat those allergens in the future. So in a way, being too careful and being protected against such allergens can actually cause children's immune systems to develop in an unbalanced way, which can make them hypersensitive to seemingly harmless substances in the future.

Allergies can also develop if you are exposed to allergens when your immune system is weakened. That's why pregnant women often develop allergies after they give birth.

Could your family history be to blame for allergies too? To find out

read more. Genetics can definitely play a role in developing allergies as an adult as well. Allergies to specific allergens are not necessarily inherited, but the general tendency to develop allergies can be traced back to your family. If one of your parents has allergies, then you have a one in three chance of developing allergies too. Your age also has something to do with developing allergies. Since repeated exposure to certain allergens can cause an allergic reaction, it makes sense to develop allergies when you're older, as you've had more time to be in contact with dust, dander, mold, and pollen. I guess I should be grateful that I lived without allergies for most of my life, but I get the sniffles now when all the flowers start to bloom. What about you? Are you all of a sudden allergic to your pet or do you get a runny nose as soon as the pollen count climbs? Source

Casa Quickie: Ditch the Feather Duster?

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:00:21 PST

I've always been under the impression that feather dusters simply redistribute dust, but it's a little more complicated than that. Apparently, ostrich-down feather dusters actually work; their feathers will trap the dust, and then you can shake it out later outside of your house. However, dusters made of anything else, including lamb's wool, chicken feathers, or synthetics, won't do a thing to help your home's dust situation. Better to ditch the nonostrich feather duster and opt for some microfiber towels and Method. You can also read some of my other dusting tips here.

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How To: Dust

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:45:54 PST

Dusting: a simple, crucial, and often overlooked task of housekeeping. No pointing fingers here, but you may have noticed that letting dust accumulate amounts to a heavy-duty grime job that's not good for your house or your immune system. What you might not know is that new houses are more likely to acquire dust quickly because they don't have the air circulation that older, draftier homes do. To learn a few tips I've picked up from Real Simple on the best way to dust,

Ditch the feather duster, and update your cleaning supply with microfiber cloths and a good vacuum with a brush attachment. Microfiber cloths will eliminate most dust and dirt, and the vacuum can pick up the rest from just about any surface.
Dust from high to low. If you've brushed any dust from your high shelves, you can still vanquish it when you hit the floors.
Dust before you disinfect, so you're not just pushing particles around with a mop or sponge later on.
Dust surfaces at eye level regularly with a dry microfiber cloth— at least once a week.
Use a vacuum cleaner brush attachment to dust upholstery or textured wood furniture.

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