Lisa O
We’ve all been there. Maybe you skip a few dustings. Let the dog crash on the bed. Watch the moisture collect on the bathroom window. Sometimes, it’s easy to just let it slide. But these harmless habits could actually be making you and your family sick. You may not realize how much not cleaning your home can mess things up. Here are 15 signs that your home might be an unhealthy place to live.
Your home has too much moisture.
Moisture in the home is totally normal – showering, cooking, and even just breathing all add to it – but too much moisture? Not so much. Mold thrives in humid conditions, and if there’s too much moisture around, it’s only a matter of time before it grows, especially in corners and ceilings. Mold can lead to stuffy noses, sore throats, coughing or wheezing, or even skin irritation in some cases.
Your bathroom’s ventilation is lacking.
Do you crack the window or turn on the fan when you shower? You totally should! Too much moisture can make your paint or wallpaper peel and give mold the perfect excuse to take over your home. Not great for your house or your health. If your bathroom doesn’t have a window, it might be time to think about getting one.
You’re skipping cleaning the vents and ducts.
Vents might not be as obvious as a sink full of dirty dishes, but they need cleaning too. They collect loads of dust from the air, and every time you turn on the heat or AC, that dust gets blown all over your house. You can pop off the vent cover and clean what you can reach, but for a deep clean, it’s best to call in the pros.
You’re vacuuming without a HEPA filter.
MIT research shows that air pollution leads to around 200,000 early deaths every year in the U.S. alone, not to mention how it aggravates asthma and allergies. That’s why grabbing a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter vacuum might be a smart move—it keeps those tiny dust particles from sneaking back into your indoor air.
You’re not dusting properly.
Vacuuming once a week and wiping down the countertops only scratches the surface when it comes to dust. That stuff piles up daily, and the longer you leave it, the more you expose yourself to harmful particles. Grab a damp cloth to pick up the dust instead of using a duster or dry cloth, which spreads it around and can set off allergies. And don’t forget—always dust from top to bottom!
You have too much stuff.
You’re a fan of throw pillows, coffee table books, and knick-knacks, but here’s the thing: they all collect dust, dander, and pollen, which can mess with your indoor air quality. Unless you’re ready to move and clean everything constantly, it might be time to consider scaling back on your furnishings and collections. Maybe donate some of it to people who could really use it.
You’re using harsh cleaning products.
When you spray cleaner around the house, it lands on all kinds of surfaces—and you end up breathing it in as you spritz. Choosing the right cleaners is super important, not just for fighting off viruses but also for keeping yourself safe from harsh chemicals. On top of that, everyday household products like bath cleaners, dish soap, and bleach can mess with your airways and lungs.
Your pet’s sharing your bed.
They’re cuddly, sweet, and even help you sleep, but if you’re taking your dog for a walk around the block, you can bet they’re bringing in dirt, germs, and even insects (hello, ticks) into your bed. On top of that, pet dander holds onto allergens, meaning you’re inviting those allergens right into your sleeping space.
Your gutters are a mess.
Leaky gutters are another culprit behind moisture problems. If your gutters don’t have covers, clean them out regularly. Yes, gutter cleaning isn’t anyone’s favorite chore, but it’s a must. Things like leaves, seed pods, twigs, and even nests can pile up in there. If you let it sit, it clogs things up, stopping the water from flowing to the downspout and away from your house like it should.
You’re surrounded by allergy-causing plants.
You might be accidentally planting the culprits behind your stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, and breathing issues right in your garden. If you have allergies, experts suggest steering clear of these: big shade trees like oaks, maples, and beeches; most types of lawn grasses; weeds like lamb’s-quarter, pigweed, and ragweed; and goldenrod.
You wear shoes inside your house.
You wouldn’t roll around on the floor of a public bathroom, right? But most of us think nothing of walking through one and then strolling around the house in the same shoes. Researchers at the University of Arizona discovered that shoes can carry over 400,000 bacteria, including E. coli—the kind that can seriously mess with your stomach.
Your bedroom is musty.
Even if you’re vacuuming and dusting, you have to move those dressers, desks, and other furniture to really get things clean. Drag your bed away from the wall, and you may be horrified at the buildup of junk hiding back there. Don’t forget to wash your bedding regularly—every one to two weeks—and invest in a solid mattress protector. Also, flip your mattress every couple of months, and give it a good vacuum while you’re at it.
You decorate with too many textiles.
Carpets, throw pillows, blankets, rugs, and upholstered furniture make a home feel comfy and cozy. Unfortunately, they’re also magnets for all sorts of nasties, especially dust mites. These little guys love to hide deep in your fabrics, which can mess with the air quality in your home. To keep them at bay, try cutting back on the number of textiles around so there’s less room for those dust mites to settle in.
Your shower head is dirty.
The whole point of showering is to get clean, right? But what a lot of people don’t realize is just how much bacteria can be chilling in your shower head. Since it’s always getting hit with unfiltered water, layers of microbes can pile up inside the nozzle holes. So when you turn on the shower, those bacteria get released into the air and can end up in your lungs.
You’re using the wrong type of fan.
On a hot summer day, nothing beats the cool breeze of a fan. But you’ll appreciate this even more if you have a bladeless one. A lot of people wonder how bladeless fans actually work and just stick to the classic kind instead. The problem with that? Using a traditional fan to stay cool could hurt your air quality. The blades of regular fans collect dust easily, and when they spin, that dust gets spread all over the room. Luckily, that doesn’t happen with bladeless fans.