Why Opening Your Windows May Not Be Enough When Cleaning With Harsh Chemicals

You might do your best to clean the surfaces of your home with everyday essentials, such as soap and water. In some cases, however, it may be necessary to rely on other products with deeper cleaning or abrasive capabilities, especially if you want to disinfect surfaces after someone has been ill. It's common to turn to harsher chemicals like bleach for these tougher cleaning jobs, and in these situations, it's common to follow rules you grew up hearing about to keep yourself safe from chemical fumes, like opening windows while using cleaning products. However, some researchers are now finding that opening windows may not be enough to remove harmful chemicals in the air, which could indicate that other chemical-reducing measures may be needed to protect you and your family.

According to a 2020 study published in Science Advances, researchers found that opening windows while cleaning with chemicals may indeed improve indoor air quality. However, the researchers behind the study also found these effects to be only temporary. They hypothesize that the chemicals used in cleaning products and other household commercial items may actually stick to surfaces, which then routinely detach. These particles are not always airborne while cleaning and can linger on surfaces before transmitting into the air long after you've closed the windows back up. This means that, while opening windows while cleaning may remove some of the associated chemicals, you might need to explore other tips for improving your home's air quality.

More people are more concerned about indoor air quality than ever before, and for good reason. According to the American Lung Association, indoor air quality is usually between two to five times worse than the air outside your windows. Opening windows to get fresh air is good in theory, but it doesn't remove all of the chemicals from harsh cleaning products. What's more, you may not always be able to open the windows in your home. This is especially true during periods of inclement weather or high pollen counts. In some cases, certain areas of your home may not even have a window available to open in the first place.

While more research is needed to determine whether there is a direct correlation between specific cleaning products and human illnesses, it doesn't hurt to reduce the amount of indoor chemicals in your home. This may be accomplished in a few different ways. First, while opening windows may not work alone, it is still important to ventilate your home as much as possible when cleaning. You can increase ventilation even further by turning on exhaust fans in certain areas, such as your bathroom or kitchen. You might also explore air purifiers for your home that won't break the bank to help do some of the work of removing harmful particles. Yet another option is to use green DIY ingredients. Consider natural cleaning ingredients to stock up on in your home, such as white vinegar, baking soda, and dishwashing liquid, and use these for your routine cleans rather than regularly relying on harsh ingredients.