By IANSlife

October 20, 2022 (IANSlife) Many individuals believe that Diwali is the perfect time to refurbish their homes because the holiday season is quickly approaching. Home remodelling not only improves the comfort of your house but also its aesthetic appeal. However, these happy home improvements bring new paint and furnishings, all of which may raise the amount of the potentially harmful pollutant formaldehyde and other volatile particles in the house. The most frequent sources of its emission are furniture and timber goods like plywood and fiberboard, which may include industrial resins based on formaldehyde.

The World Health Organization and other research organisations have published numerous reports on the effects of formaldehyde, a colourless gas that enters homes through a variety of sources. As a result, some governmental organisations have established formaldehyde safety limits and have regulated its use. The important pollutants that can emerge during house renovations are discussed by Ken Armstrong, Air Purification Scientist at Dyson, along with tips on how to keep your home cleaner this Diwali.

Choose furnishings and flooring carefully

• Opt for hard-surfaced flooring instead of carpets. If purchasing a new carpet, choose one that releases fewer VOC emissions. Have the carpet installed while the space is unoccupied and keep the windows open where possible.
• Choose low-formaldehyde products or buy second-hand furniture.These low-formaldehyde products off-gas less formaldehyde over time,and if buying new furniture, buy solid wood piecesor fully sealed pressed wood (MDF) furniture. To minimise points of off-gassing and reduce emissions from pressed wood furniture or cabinets, purchase items with a plastic laminate or a coating on all sides.
• Choose bedding and soft furnishings made with natural materials, like cotton and wool – and avoid treatments such as antibacterial additives and chemical flame-retardants.

Air it out

Open product packaging and allow new furnishings to “off-gas” before bringing them into your home. This is because consumer products that emit formaldehyde tend to release the highest concentrations when they are new. Request that new carpets are unrolled and aired out in a well-ventilated space before they’re fitted in your home. Ventilation is key.

Invest in a purifier

Choose air purifiers wisely. The latest air purifiers feature new solid-state formaldehyde sensing technology – to precisely detects the pollutant for the lifetime of the machine. They also include Selective Catalytic Oxidisation (SCO) filter which destroys formaldehyde at a molecular level, breaking it down into tiny amounts of water and CO2. It then re-generates with oxygen from the air to destroy formaldehyde continuously.

Bust the dust

• Deep clean your house regularly. Dust can and will collect in all areas of your home, not just your floors. It is important to deep clean all areas of your home regularly to ensure that you’re removing all the dust from your home.
• Vacuum from top to bottom. Dyson engineers recommend cleaning the highest spots in your homes and moving downwards. For example, it is encouraged to vacuum your ceiling fans before moving onto your sofa and finally your floors. This ensures that you’re picking up any fallen airborne dust as you clean.
• Choose the right vacuum. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to vacuums and different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Choosing the right vacuum suited to your home and cleaning needs will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home.
• Use the right tools: Vacuum cleaners come with an array of accessories to ensure you have the right tool to clean every part of your home. From dual cleaner heads to vacuum both hard floors and carpets respectively, to the crevice tool to help you reach into the little nooks and crannies, and the Hair screw tool that picks up long hair and pet hair fast without tangling around the brush bar and can be attached directly to the vacuum body and used as a handheld vacuum; there’s an accessory for every cleaning need.

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