If your vacuum isn't working properly, it could be spraying harmful pollutants into the air.
While keeping your house clean is one of the best ways to prevent indoor pollutants from gradually building up, new research conducted by the University of Queensland and Laval University in Canada suggests that vacuuming could actually be aggravating your allergies. Not only that, but it stirs up potentially harmful particles that have been linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
However, experts say that most vacuums are adept at picking up pollutants without spraying them throughout the air in large amounts, so it’s not necessary for allergy sufferers and parents of babies to swear off these devices.
“For a vacuum to do more harm than good, it has to be a really old vacuum cleaner that has never been cleaned,” said Viviana Temino, an assistant professor of allergy and immunology at the University of Miami School of Medicine, as noted by International Business Times. “In general, most vacuums do take up more dust, dirt and allergens than they release.”
Your best bet is to use a vacuum with HEPA filters, which, according to the source, “help weed out fine particles like allergens.”
It’s also a good idea for allergy sufferers to consider installing air purifiers in their homes. These devices, which are able to pick up airborne contaminants such as dust, pollen, pet dander, mold, bacteria and tobacco smoke, can help you avoid breathing in harmful pollutants that are commonly found around the house.
At Air Purifiers Direct 2U, we sell a variety of air purifiers and air purifier filters at competitive prices. Check out our website today for more information!