It’s the time of year when the heating system goes off and central air goes on. Maybe you’re noticing symptoms reminiscent of that winter cold you couldn’t shake, or spring-time allergies like dry and irritated eyes, runny nose, sore throat and itchy skin. It could be the dreaded summer cold, but another culprit could be the indoor air quality of your office.
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), the following symptoms are often linked to poor indoor air quality:
- Dryness and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Hypersensitivity and allergies
- Sinus congestion
- Coughing and sneezing
- Dizziness
- Nausea
When these symptoms are related to indoor air quality, people experiencing them usually notice an improvement after they have left the building or been away for an extended period of time.
Common Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Again, according to the CCOHS, there are many different variables that can affect the air quality of an indoor space, including:
- Inadequate temperature, humidity, poor air circulation and ventilation system issues
- Chemicals, dusts, moulds or fungi, bacteria, gases, vapours and odours
- Insufficient outdoor air intake
What can you do to improve your indoor air quality and maintain a healthy space for your employees and visitors?
Implement a regular cleaning program that addresses the removal of dust, odour causing bacteria and overall disinfection of surfaces.
Schedule a carpet deep cleaning. Ensure that your cleaning provider is using vacuums with HEPA filtration systems to keep dust and debris from becoming airborne and further affecting air quality. Take things a step further by asking for steam cleaning and extraction.
Treat your hard surface floors to a strip and wax. If it’s been a while since you’ve done a deep cleaning of your floors, now’s a great time (especially while people are taking vacation in your office). Stripping away built up dirt and grime, and resealing floors with a high quality wax will not only protect the surface, it can help prevent liquids from seeping under flooring creating odour and allowing bacterial to grow.
Consider switching to a Green Cleaning program. There are many green alternatives to traditional cleaning chemicals and equipment that leave little to no smell, deliver quality clean results and have less impact on the environment.
Don’t forget about upholstered surfaces. When was the last time you had your office chairs and other furniture professionally cleaned? It’s one of the most overlooked items in a commercial space that receives the most use. A good quality vacuum and steam cleaning of upholstered surfaces will not only renew their appearance, it will help remove dust, allergens and other debris.
Learn more about the impact of indoor air quality on your health and well-being at http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/iaq_intro.html. Get ahead of things over the summer months by scheduling deep cleaning services.