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NTM in House Dust - suggestions for minimizing exposure
Years ago, while living in Woodstock, New York, I decided to leave the health field for a while and do something creative. I became a home stager. If you have ever watched HGTV you know what I’m talking about. I helped people prepare their homes for sale and loved it! Once the home was decluttered, some of my clients would jokingly tell me that their home felt so spacious and inviting that they no longer wanted to move!
So why not create that cozy and clean feeling for everyday living? Why not create space for better breathing, fewer cleaning chores and more creative thinking? Because whether we realize it or not, how we live impacts our health physically, mentally and emotionally.
Let’s get started with some tips:
The first step might be to remove area carpets and drapery. Not all of them, but rather those you can live without. Replace drapery with easy-to-clean blinds. This simple step will reduce dust that can cause lung infections (see research link below) and you will have more light.
Pare down your bookshelves. If you are not going to reread or refer to your books, think about donating them to a used bookstore or library. One of my dustiest jobs as a home stager was packing up a clients’ books. At the time I didn’t know I had bronchiectasis and I am sure that the many dusty jobs I did unmasked, were not good for me.
Once the largest tasks are completed, label bags DONATE and GARBAGE. Then, go through a couple of drawers every day and decide whether you want to keep, donate or throw away items.
Look around each room to see if there is unnecessary furniture and remove it. Rearrange the rooms so that they are more functional and pleasing.
Now that so much has been removed, it’s time for a deep cleaning. If you can afford to have cleaning help - great. If you are doing the cleaning, wear a mask and don’t get overtired. Do a little each day.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20434494/
Happy 2023,
Linda Esposito
#declutter #maclungdisease #ntmlungdisease #nodust #bronchiectasis #copd #covid
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I found these microwave steralizer bags for baby bottles. They are easy and inexpensive as you get 20 uses per bag. I hope they are good enough.
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1 ReactionThanks Sue for your excellent list. All of these pro-active care measures are just habit now.
I use an I.Q. Air Filter in my apartment. On hot days, I run an air conditioner.. yes, clean the filters regularly.
And, what I think has proved very helpful is wearing a mask every time I go outside. Have done this for 15 years. Did drop my lung infection flare-ups greatly; from 4 to 5 a year to one to 2.
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1 ReactionIs this what you mean by IQ air filter? https://www.iqair.com/us/air-purifiers
YES! It is "expensive", but has proven itself to be so effective; even during wildfire smoke.
There is the indicator for when each of the three filters are needing changed.
They also have masks that fit well to the face. I wear these all the time when I go outside. Presently wildfire smoke is present in different areas of the country, Canada. Pollution has always been a problem for me.
They also have a portable filter, as well as a model for cars.
This is an individual choice based on your research and resources. But as air quality gets worse, these seem to provide a great line of defense!
Let me know what you find.
Best regards!
Oh! Just to be clear... I do not work for nor have any shares in this company!! LOL
Thank you for the input. I have been thinking of getting another air filter machine for our house. I do not have allergies but it looks like this one addresses other things such as bacteria and pollution etc. There is another one on the market that makes the same claims made by Austin Air Systems. We currently have a Honeywell which is well rated but not claiming to be medical grade air cleaning etc. Anyway thank you. We have a lot of farm pollution in the air in our part of Iowa and the usual allergins, mold etc.
I have been using boiling method. But I take the pieces out to dry as soon as the boiling is done, because the water evaporates off of them so much faster. After the daily washing I also do a final rinse with boiling water before placing them on the towel to dry.
I appreciate the "careful but not controlled" attitude shared by you and Linda in this discussion. Thanks.
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2 ReactionsAll the best in your research.
I was just told that I was negative on my allergy testing.... but.. have very reactive/sensitive airways..!
So that seems worse.
I don't get rashes, etc.. just can't breathe!
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1 ReactionWe use the Honeywell Insight series portable HEPA air filters. I have several, in different sizes for our most occupied rooms. This is in addition to the HEPA system on our whole house system heating and air conditioning system. We considered several others, including the Austin Air, but came back to Honeywell for reliability, consistent performance, more compact footprint and ready availability of filters. Both of our kids have other types in their homes and have had to search high & low and wait for replacement filters at times.
We live summers in an urban area, winters in an agricultural area so both pollution and dust mitigation are important to us.
I think the bottom line is, are you comfortable with what you have? How do you mitigate dust and pollution when you are outdoors? If you are OK with no mask, or an N95 mask, the Honeywell is better than either. If you always wear an N99 Mask when not in the house, then Medical Grade air cleaning makes sense.
Sue
After much research, I purchased Winix air purifiers from Costco where filters are also available. I've noticed there's less dust around. They are quite simple machines -- fan, HEPA filter, charcoal filter and a pre-filter. The pre-filter and charcoal filters get (HEPA) vacuumed every 2 weeks, and the HEPA filter changed every year or less. Another excellent tried & true brand is Coway. Depending on room size you may need more than one per room.