Allergic reactions are a serious concern in the workplace and at home, but you don’t need us to tell you that. The biggest problem is allergens can creep up on anyone and in a diverse work environment, you have people with different sensitivity levels. Can you keep them all safe? Can you keep them all happy? With the right vacuuming practices, we believe you can, but you’ll   need the best commercial models with vacuum brushes, vacuum powerheads, and all of the other tools and attachments that will keep your space clean and safe.

The Problems Associated with Household and Workplace Allergens

Allergens are substances such as plant pollen, bee venom or pollen, pet dander, dust, mold, mildew, toxins, foods, and other irritants that trigger allergies. Our immune systems produce antibodies to fight them off when contact with any of them is made. Allergic reactions vary from one person to another and range from mild irritation to anaphylaxis – a potentially life-threatening situation. If someone at home or work experiences any of the following, you should take notice:

• Inflamed skin, sneezing, itchy nose or eyes
• Sinus irritation, runny, stuffy nose
• Inflamed airways, tingling of the mouth
• Irritated digestive system
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat
• Hives, wheezing, shortness of breath
• Rash, or large area of swelling

The most severe reaction to allergens is called anaphylaxis that can be a life-threatening emergency. Seek immediate medical attention of a person goes into shock, loses consciousness, develops a rapid, weak pulse, vomiting, or starts nausea. Whether you manage a home, office, warehouse, factory, or another facility, you must keep it clean to eliminate the conditions that produce allergic reactions. Learn more about workplace allergies from the world-famous Mayo Clinic.

Think Beyond Vacuum Brushes and Remove the Allergens

Your workplace is going to be full of allergens – there’s just no way around it. They can come in the form of dust, dander, sawdust, and other irritants already mentioned. The problem is that while these are prevalent in the air, they also tend to embed themselves in or stick to carpet and almost all horizontal surfaces. They adhere to the fibers and will be stirred up every single time someone walks through the area. The best way for you to address this problem is purchasing a high-quality, heavy-duty commercial vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. The custodians must think beyond just cleaning floors regularly to any areas that collect dust, dirt, and other pollutants

Go Beyond the Floors for Effective Cleaning

While cleaning up the floors is always going to be essential in the workplace, you need to think beyond that. A good vacuum cleaner lets the user take care of the floors, the walls, and even furniture. This may be a new concept for your cleaning crew but they will get into the swing of things quickly enough. Commonly missed spots in any building include:

• Underneath Appliances
• Under Office Equipment
• Tops of Ceiling Fan Blades
• Under Heavy Furniture
• Air Conditioning Vents
• Bathroom Ceiling Exhaust Vents
• Blinds and Curtains

You may need to purchase the right tools, attachments, and accessories to reach all of the areas in the list above and more. Your cleaning crew may need to attend a one or two-day commercial cleaning seminar to be more effective in their jobs. Allowing them time off to become better educated will be well worth the money spent.

“The best way for you to address this problem is purchasing a high-quality, heavy-duty commercial vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.”

Use A HEPA Filter at Work

Those who suffer from allergies almost always benefit from the use of HEPA filters, and you will find them virtually anywhere filters are sold. They are relatively inexpensive items to add to your cleaning routine. Note: HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air These filters can capture every single piece of dust or allergen that might come your way while cleaning. The filters themselves are extensively tested and are guaranteed to remove at least 99.97% of all airborne particles down to 0.3 microns. This sounds impressive, and it is impressive. A standard upright or canister vacuum cleaner has no chance of achieving this, and that is precisely why it is so important for us to have higher-end filters installed. These are essential to your health, and to the health of your employees. A high-quality HELA filter should come standard in any commercial vacuum that you are considering, just remember that they are not a quick fix, nor are they magical devices. You will want to change the filter often, or at least clean it to ensure that it is functioning properly and fulfilling the desired purpose. While it is a little bit of extra maintenance work on the equipment, you will find that adding a HEPA filter is simply one of the best things that you can do for yourself, for your office, and for your employees. Vacuuming your office correctly has outstanding results and it can make the entire environment safer and cleaner for everyone. It is equally important to keep in mind that while seeking a good vacuum cleaner is important, general cleanliness precautions will help to ensure that your vacuum works a little less hard and that you are all a little more comfortable. ThinkVacuums.com carries the best brands of commercial and residential vacuum cleaners, tools, attachments, accessories, and parts.

Resources and References:

• Diseases Conditions
• Hepa Filters