Description: | Caption: Home maintenance includes both the indoor, and as was the case here, outdoor environment, and is an ongoing process with which a homeowner need to keep up in order to provide for a healthy living space. Keeping your porch dust free reduces the amount of contaminants tracked into the house. This woman was in the process of cleaning her home’s porch using a water hose. In this way, airborne particulates, including dust and pollen, could be removed from this area of her home, reducing the detrimental effects upon her family’s respiratory systems. These irritants can sometimes result in sinus infections, and asthma. Additional Information: When cleaning, or involved in activities that result in propagation of airborne irritants, personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn, including a facial respirator, goggles, gloves, and if need be, knee pads, as well as clothing appropriate for the activity. Also using a damp dusting, or mopping technique, reduces airborne particulates. These activities should, if possible, be conducted in a well-ventilated area.Keywords: Fresh air; Ventilation; Damp sponge; Damp mopping; Asthma levels; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory illnesses; Bad air days; remodeling; Wet mopping; Back Safety; Sweeping; Hose; Latin-American; Hispanic; Environmental Health, NCEH |