Creating and Maintaining a Minimal Dust Environment

According to some statistics and without border, we spend anywhere from 86% - 90% of our time indoors. Demands for energy conservation, along with today’s building methods and codes, have created super-insulated and airtight indoor spaces. While such practices result in lower heating and cooling costs, they also keep natural air cleaning agents outside while pollution is trapped inside.

As cleaning professionals we should be making indoor air pollution our business if we want to make the industry a value-added holistic concept.

Please take your shoes off and walk with me.

The three most common approaches to reduce indoor air pollution are source control, ventilation and air cleaning. The dust where the wall and ceiling adjoin is very real. We should develop a common understanding towards maintaining a minimal dust environment and should take a proactive approach. This provides an opportunity for cleaning managers to meet service guidelines for dusting and damp wiping requirements and to reduce customer complaints.

The components of maintaining a minimal dust environment may or may not be within your purview just yet and is relevant to your mission; office/living  space classification is financially driven.

> At the onset and then every three years or as needed, professionally clean ductwork

> If forced air is used in HVAC units, have units serviced at regular intervals and filters replaced

> Check & clean electrostatic filters as needed

> Clean intake & exhaust vents monthly

> Exercise proper housekeeping procedures for removing dust on surfaces utilizing electrostatic cloths, vacuum or damp wipe.

This column about building maintenance is only a primer. In the upcoming posts, I will discuss sanitation and various techniques to further clean your space.