1. It’s okay to eat natural sugar as it’s not bad for teeth.

      Many foods have natural sugars in them and it is as bad for your teeth as processed sugar. If it stays, it too can cause decay. If a food is sweet, eat it in moderation. Further, rinse your mouth well after eating. Also remember to brush your teeth twice, and to floss.

2. Dental procedures must be avoided in pregnancy.

      The only procedure that pregnant women should strictly avoid during pregnancy is exposure to X-rays. However, they can undergo professional dental cleaning and emergency dental procedures with their physician’s consent.

3. Anyways baby teeth are lost, so why brush them?

   Even though children lose their first set of teeth, they need to be taught to brush and floss for the simple reason that they need to acquire a healthy habit. Besides, if children don’t brush their teeth daily, they can get cavities, which hamper the development of permanent teeth. Cavities in children are treated using the same methods as adults—with fillings, root canals and crowns—which a child may not be able to take.

4. I don’t need to visit a dentist till I have toothache.

   If you regularly visit a dentist, you will never come to a stage where it pains. Finding and treating dental problems when they are small is a more comfortable and less expensive way to take care of your dental health. Waiting for treatment till you are in pain means harming your health and hurting your pocket.

5. Removing tartar or other built-up loosens teeth.

   When the tartar wedged between the teeth is removed, you suddenly see the gap that has always been there. Only, now it’s empty. That’s why your teeth feel light. However, the feeling passes in some time as you get used to your teeth minus the tartar. If you let the tartar and calculus stay, it will eventually result in gum disease. When gum disease gets severe, the bone holding the teeth in place gets eaten away. And this is what makes your teeth loose.

6. Dental treatments hurt a lot.

   This was true perhaps a decade ago; not today, thanks to the progress in medical technology. The newer materials, more advanced techniques, equipment and instruments have made most dental procedures virtually painless. And if the procedure is done by a skilled doctor, you won’t feel a thing. In fact, even root canal, one of the most dreaded procedures, doesn’t hurt any more and can be done in just one or two visits. Besides, potentially painful procedures are done under local anaesthesia, which numbs you to any sensation of pain. 

7. Treating a decayed tooth ends all dental problems.

   A decayed tooth is often treated using dental fillings or a tooth replacement. However, these materials are man-made and often lack qualities of the natural tooth. So they might not hold and can fall off in some years.

   Moreover, even if they do hold and if you don’t maintain good oral hygiene, your tooth will start decaying again around the restorations used to treat the decayed tooth. That’s why after treating a decayed tooth, you need to take extra care by flossing and using inter- dental brushes. It also helps to visit your dentist every six months.

8. I don’t need a dentist for stains. My whitening toothpaste can do the job.

   Whitening toothpastes are only good for lightening stains that are on the surface—the ones caused by coffee/tea and other food. But it won’t brighten the inner structure of the tooth. For that you need professional procedures such as laser bleaching, whitening gels or strips. These procedures brighten your smile inside-out.

9. Extracting upper teeth affects vision.

   Teeth from a person’s upper palate are usually extracted when a person is in middle age. By the time most people reach that age, their eyesight has already weakened. And when the tooth is extracted, the swelling is seen on the cheek bones and sometimes near one’s eyes. That’s why people connect the two and feel that it affects vision.

10. Keeping a painkiller tablet next to an ailing tooth alleviates pain.

    This ‘treatment’ can backfire. Keeping a painkiller in your mouth can burn the soft tissues surrounding the area where you place it. They are oral medicines, meaning to be ingested and not kept in the mouth. Hence, you need to swallow them after eating something to get relief. If the pain is unbearable, it’s best to visit your dentist; never self-medicate.

The primary needs

Giving a bath

Babies can be given a bath almost every day, although this is not a must. In winter and for babies that don’t enjoy a bath, wiping with warm water and drying with a towel may be enough. During a bath, a child’s hair can be washed every day, with only water or by using a mild shampoo. The body can be cleaned with a mild soap. It is important to see that water does not enter the nose, mouth, eyes or ears of the baby.

Once the bath is over, it is mandatory to completely dry the baby using towels. Make sure to dry those areas, which are hidden inside creases—like the armpit or groin—in order to avoid infection or peeling of skin in these areas.

Keeping clothes clean

The baby’s clothes need to be washed daily in water containing an antibacterial and some mild detergent, either by hand or in the washing machine. They should be preferably dried in a machine or indoors, to avoid contamination with dust and pollen. Once dry, the clothes should be folded and kept inside the cupboard, free from contamination. Since the babies tend to dirty their clothes with their secretions, excretions and with every feed, a baby’s clothes might need to be changed 3 – 4 times a day.

Caring for the cord

After the umbilical cord has been cut and clamped, the area around the cord can be gently cleaned every day with alcohol or mild soap and water. The cord usually dries and falls off between 5 – 15 days. Once this happens, sprinkle the area with an antibiotic powder prescribed by the hospital till the umbilicus completely heals and dries.

Taking care of eyes, nose, ears

The eyes, nose, ears and tongue do not need any specific cleaning or applications. Contrary to what tradition says, scientifically, it is unsafe to instil any thing into the eyes, nose, and ears or on the tongue.

Keeping private areas clean

It is a common practice to squeeze the breasts of the baby, or to push back the foreskin on the penis of the baby. These actions can result in serious infections and should be strictly avoided.

Cutting nails and hair

The nails of a baby grow very fast and may need to be trimmed with a clipper or baby scissors, frequently, when the baby is asleep. Many mothers are told that one should not cut, but bite off the baby’s nails, but this is an unscientific practice. In certain communities, it is a practice to shave the head, soon after birth. This seems to be safe and does not cause any problems, although the baby can get hurt on the scalp and that may make him prone to infections, including some serious ones like tetanus.

The same holds true for ear piercing. It is safe to wait till the baby has received its triple injections to tonsure the head or pierce the baby’s ears. This helps prevent tetanus.

Handling the baby

Make sure that anybody who handles the baby washes his/her hands with a good antibacterial soap or hand wash. Also, people who come from outdoors should clean themselves before entering the room.

Cleaning feeding bottles and other accessories

Feeding bottles should be many in number and the same bottle should not be re-used for every feed. These should be sterilised in boiling water early in the morning and should be left in the vessel with water and a lid.

As and when a feed is needed, one bottle and nipple should be removed and used. This should be put away for wash after use. At the end of the day, all the bottles should be put away for sterilising. Toys too should be wiped frequently with soap and water and kept as clean as possible. Toys that contain lead, have sharp edges or moving parts that can come off can be dangerous and should be avoided.

General advice

In general, newborns have lower immunity than adults, and the practice of a whole lot of relatives and friends descending on the hospital or at home, is not a good one and should be postponed till the baby is at least a couple of months old. The baby can be kept in an air-conditioned room, or in a room where a fan is rotating, but should be kept away from the draught.

From the mother’s point of view, she should have a daily bath, attend to her wounds of delivery, and keep her breasts clean, by washing with soap and water frequently.

The cleaners

• Soaps: Unlike in the television industry, in skin care, not all daily soaps are same. Normal bath soaps are prepared with 80 per cent animal fat and 20 per cent coconut/palm oil to form a fatty acid salt with detergent properties and have an alkaline pH of 9 to 10.

  Some soaps have added antibacterial chemicals like triclosan, which inhibits bacterial growth and has deodorant action. Moisturising soap bars with glycerine or paraffin are also available for people with dry skin.

  Tip: Clean your skin at least twice daily. And remember that soaps affect the pH levels in the skin and it generally takes the body around four hours to bring the raised pH back to normal.

• Liquid body wash: These are soap-free and leave behind a thin film, which holds moisture in the skin making it soft and supple. These are useful in old age, when the skin goes dry, and also for babies with atopic dermatitis or dry flaky skin.

  Tip: Use body wash if you have dry skin and if you travel frequently across different climatic conditions.

• Scrubs: These are mechanical exfoliants, which help control excess sebum [oil] production.

  Tip: Use scrubs twice a week if you have oily skin to clear the blackheads and dirt in the pores.

• Face washes: The facial skin is more delicate than the skin on the other parts of the body and needs tender cleansing, which the face washes offer. Hence, there are different types of face washes for different skin types. Acne face washes contain antibacterial agents or salicylic acid to cleanse the pores. Glycolic acid-containing face washes offer gentle exfoliation of dead skin and are good for acne-prone individuals. Moisturising face washes with aloe and glycerine are ideal for dry skin.

How to clean

Cleaning your skin throughly from top to bottom every day is the only way to keep infections at bay.

Hand care

As we touch surfaces and objects throughout the day, we accumulate germs on our hands. This puts us at a higher risk of infecting ourselves with these germs by touching our eyes, nose or mouth. Although it’s impossible to keep our hands germ-free, washing them frequently can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes. So:

• Always wash your hands before preparing food, eating, treating wounds or giving medicine and wearing/removing contact lenses.
• Always wash your hands with an antibacterial and antiseptic soap/liquid after preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry, using the toilet, changing a diaper, touching an animal or animal toys, leashes or waste, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, handling garbage and of course, whenever they look dirty.
• Use liquid soap to wash hands frequently if you have dry/rough hands. Soaps may dry the skin more, leading to cracks and eczema on fingertips and palms.

Privates

Sweat and collected epithelial debris on the skin [includes normal flora of bacteria] may play truant and give rise to bacterial and fungal infections especially in soft moist areas of the body—underarms, groin, waistline, and webs of toes in the feet. If these areas are unclean, it can lead to boils, acne, ringworm or candidial infection, which produce itching and unsightly marks.

Excess hair on the body also contributes to increased sweating and body odour. Sweat along with dead bacteria emanates the dirty smell from our body folds.

Following rigorous and regular hygiene is imperative.

• Use antifungal powders in body folds after bath, especially in the crevices on the feet—between fingers.
• Keep the private parts—armpits, pubic area—shaved to discourage excessive sweating.
• Use deodarants in the body folds to keep the area smelling fresh.
• Scrub your feet well after coming in from outdoors to wash off all the dirt, grime and sweat.
• Change your socks every day. And clean your footwear regularly from inside-out.
• Change your undergarments if you’ve worn them for long to keep infections away from your privates.
• Clean your privates thoroughly every time you visit the bathroom and remember to wipe them dry.

Pouring problems

The rainy season is notorious for bringing with it a host of viral, fungal and bacterial diseases that can range from simple cold and cough [flu] and stomach upsets, to major diseases like malaria, dengue, typhoid, gastroenteritis, food poisoning, cholera, jaundice, pneumonia and leptospirosis. Skin infections caused by bacteria and fungus due to the high moisture content of the air, too abound. While some of these diseases are spread by vectors like mosquitoes, others are either air-borne or spread by infected water and food.

Children tend to fall sick more often during monsoons compared to adults because of low levels of immunity. They also play outdoors and thus come in contact with a lot of contaminants. Babies, in the stage of teething, are prone to rotavirus diarrhoea—a disease that can turn serious. Often, children top the number of patients hospitalised during monsoons, mainly due to food poisonings and gastroenteritis.

Infinite infections

During monsoon, certain factors come together to cause an increase in the incidence of infections. One of the main factors is the high water content in the air. Most germs need high water content to thrive and grow. Stagnated water bodies are another characteristic of the season. Many insects like mosquitoes and flies need such bodies to lay their eggs and grow their young ones. The ultra-violet rays from the sun are capable of killing a lot of viruses and bacteria. But the heavy cloud cover prevents sunlight from effectively reaching the earth’s surface.

The ambient temperature during this season is conducive for the growth of germs—it is neither too hot nor too cold. All these together in addition to pooling of water, leaky walls and roofs, overflowing gutters, water logging and impure drinking water make the season an ideal time for infections. And the only protection against many of these problems, apart from vaccinations for some of the diseases, is a high degree of personal and environmental hygiene.

Hygienic habits

Apart from having a bath once or twice a day and washing hands with soap frequently, there are measures you need to take to prevent illness.

Drink pure water

One of the commonest sources of infection during the rainy seasons is water. Due to the heavy rainfall, the water that is supplied through our taps is often muddy and filled with germs. Do not consume tap water directly, at least during the rainy season, and preferably all year round. You can render drinking water safe by boiling, filtering, or by using commercially available ultraviolet or reverse osmosis purifiers. Or just stick to bottled mineral water. Just by doing this you will protect yourself against over 50 per cent of the diseases that are common during this time, like food poisoning, gastroenteritis, cholera, jaundice, typhoid and para-typhoid. Drinking clean water eliminates several worm infestations that occur through infected water. While some of these diseases are easy to cure, others like cholera and typhoid can lead to hospitalisation and in rare cases, can even be fatal.

Watch what you eat

Like water, food too can cause several infections. Here are five good food practices to follow this monsoon.

• Eat freshly cooked food —within a few hours of preparation.
• Do not consume foods kept in the refrigerator for long periods; it may cause vomiting or loose motions. Before consuming refrigerated food, check to see if it has started to decompose by observing changes in colour, smell, and taste. In case you have even a small doubt, discard the food.
• Keep eating out to a bare minimum; it carries the risk of infection. Completely refrain from eating and drinking juices at roadside stalls during the rains. Even if you are forced to eat outside, opt for foods, which are steaming hot or fried, as they are less likely to be contaminated.
• Avoid consuming uncooked food like salads.
• Ensure that fruits and sweets are fresh before consuming them, and discard leftovers.

Stay away from dirty water

In the last few years, incidence of Leptospirosis during monsoons has increased. This disease is caused by a bacterium. The germ is excreted by rats and other animals into the atmosphere and gets into the rain water from gutters, which overflow during rains. When a person with open wounds or cuts comes in contact with flood water, the germs enter the blood stream and attack the liver. The infected person comes down with high fever and jaundice, which, if not diagnosed early and treated, can be fatal. If you are forced to wade through logged waters, take preventive medicine. At the earliest sign of fever, get tested and mention to your doctor that you have walked through dirty water. Also, attend to all cuts and wounds, especially in the legs immediately.

Keep mosquitoes away

Mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, dengue and chikangunya have assumed epidemic proportions in the last few years. The rampant water stagnation and pooling during the monsoons provide ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. As far as possible, water should not be allowed to stagnate. All water sources like wells, tanks, construction reservoirs, underground sumps and overhead tanks should be covered. Gutters and drainage systems should be of the closed type, something for your local authorities to do. In residential buildings, as a preventive measure, get the underground and overhead tanks cleaned, both before and after the monsoons. Use mosquito repellents and covered clothing [especially for children] to minimise mosquitoe bites. Visit a doctor at the earliest sign of fever, and if necessary, get tested for malaria and dengue.

Protect your skin

Keeping yourself dry at all times is important, as the chances of contracting infective skin diseases are high during this time. In case you get wet in the rain, shift to warm dry clothing as soon as possible. Keep an extra set of clothes at your workplace if required but don’t spend your day in wet clothes. Have bath daily and frequently wash your face and hands; it helps get rid of the excessive oiliness that occurs in the monsoon.

Washing hands frequently also prevents other infections and is an important hygiene habit.

Hygiene measures

Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease that can cause mild to severe illness. It is spread by faecal-oral transmission when a person ingests food or drink contaminated by an infected person’s stool. The disease is closely associated with poor sanitation and a lack of personal hygiene habits such as hand-washing.

Food hygiene

• Take precautions especially if you are travelling in rural or underdeveloped areas with poor sanitation.
• Avoid consuming untreated tap water including ice cubes. When outside, have canned or bottled drinks. You can also boil water if there is doubt regarding canned waters.
• Avoid eating uncooked fruits and vegetables, especially ones that cannot be peeled. Foods with thick skins might be safe once peeled. Clean all foods thoroughly.
• Order meat and seafood well-done. Avoid having raw clams, oysters, mussels and other shellfish.
• Avoid having mayonnaise, cheese, yogurt and other creamy products.
• Avoid fishing or eating fish from potentially polluted waters.
• Avoid having food bought from street vendors.

Personal hygiene

• Always wash hands after using the toilet and before eating or handling food. Wash hands with warm, running water and a mild, preferably liquid, soap. Toilets must be kept clean.
• Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears and continue for at least 15 seconds ensuring all surfaces of the hands are covered. Dry hands with a hand dryer or clean towel [preferably paper].
• Discard disposable towels in a bin. Bins with foot-pedal operated lids are preferable.
• Avoid sharing with anyone razors, toothbrushes or other implements, which could become contaminated with blood.
• Minor cuts, open or weeping skin lesions and abrasions should be covered with waterproof or other suitable dressings.
• Nappies and sanitary towels must be burnt in an incinerator or securely bagged and sealed and disposed of according to local guidance.

A regular workout has become a necessary part of life for most of us. The 6-10 slots— both in the AM and PM—see all exercise facilities and health clubs bursting at the seams with the sheer number of exercisers. Sweaty bodies, breathing hard and fast, share limited space and equipment and probably germs too.

A workout sans hygiene is an open invitation to disease and infection. We all know that a regular workout improves our immunity and helps keep infections at bay. Research, however, indicates that our immunity actually lowers for a short span while exercising. This means that a gym is the very place where you are vulnerable to infections.

In the gym

Regardless of where you workout, alone at home, or in a public gym, following basic hygiene is imperative.

• Shoes: Do not wear the footwear you use outdoors on the gym floor; Many exercises require lying down on the floor. Bringing in dirt or mud [and God knows what else!] with your shoes will simply not do.
• Sweat: Keep anti-perspirants out of the gym. An antiperspirant prevents sweating. Usually, our body produces heat at the rate of 15 kcal per minute when exercising as opposed to 1.25 -1.5kcal per minute when we are not. Sweating is an important mechanism to promote heat loss and dissipate this heat during exercise. A deodorant on the other hand, masks body odour and should be used judiciously. Better still, wipe down your body especially the problem areas [armpits and groin] and change into a fresh pair of workout clothes before hitting the floor. Contact a qualified physician to rid you of the problem otherwise.
• Breath: Keep your breath fresh. Many exercises require exhaling through the mouth and bad breath reeks of bad health and hygiene. Do a breath check and use mouth freshener or a mouthwash before going to the gym, if required. Dehydration also causes bad breath, so consume adequate fluids before, during and after the workout.
• Socks: Carry a fresh pair of socks for every workout. Old, sweaty socks cause discomfort to others around you. They also harbour bacteria that can cause fungal infections of the foot and toenails.
• Shower: Bathe after a workout, if not at the exercise facility, then at home. It is imperative to wash off all the collected dirt and germs from the gym and unclog the pores.
• Infections: Avoid the gym if you have a common cold or similar infections. It is okay to exercise with a common cold albeit at a suitably modified intensity. Choose an outdoors workout in a non-crowded environment over the gym to limit the spread of the virus.
• Clothes: Use a fresh set of workout clothes each time. Do not stow used clothes in the locker for re-use even if you did not sweat. Just like socks, these will be a hotbed of bacteria and fungi and can cause a skin infection. Other than that, they will reek, of course.

Towel: Carry a workout towel or napkin, large enough to place under your body surface that touches the exercise equipment. This prevents your sweat from spreading to the equipment as well as getting the previous users’ sweat on your clothes.

Parlours are public spaces. A lot of body cleansing happens here, and there is a high chance for dangerous germs and infections to spread.

Be aware

Acquaint yourself with the essentials of a good beauty parlour. It will enable you to make an informed decision about the right parlour to visit. “Failure to use well-sterilised and clean instruments and towels during procedures such as manicure and pedicure can lead to warts, fungal and bacterial infections. Creams, wax jar and combs should be stored properly and never be shared between individuals,” says Dr Vandana Gupta, dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon from New Delhi.

Dr Madhuri Jesudanam, dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon from Hyderabad says, “Insist on the use of sterilised or disposable items in all parlour procedures. Lack of proper knowledge about hygiene among beauticians and lack of cleanliness can lead to a variety of bacterial, fungal and viral infections depending on the procedures done. While hair-related procedures can cause fungal infection of scalp, folliculitis, the spread of lice, manicure and pedicure can result in bacterial and fungal nail infection.” Visit salons where proper hygienic conditions prevail and resort to procedures after knowing their probable side-effects rather than blindly following the beauticians’ advice as some of them can cause permanent damage like scarring.

Select with care

Dr Monica Mittal, skin specialist from Chandigarh believes, “Whether you choose a parlour based on someone’s recommendation or it’s a well-known brand name, keep your eye on the techniques being used and whether or not the highest levels of cleanliness are being met. Faulty techniques used by semi-trained parlour staff can often lead to skin injuries and conditions such as tinea a [fungal skin infection].”

Checklist

• Is the parlour well-lit with clean floors and well-maintained sitting areas?
• Do they use sterilisers, disposable bed sheets and napkins?
• Does the staff provide clean gowns, fresh towels and wipes to customers or do they reuse towels?
• Do they use sterilised and clean manicure and pedicure sets, bowls and containers?
• Do all product containers have labels on them and are they stored properly with closed lids?
• Are the combs clean or do they have hair in them?
• Did the beautician inquire about any allergies or perform an allergy test prior to giving you a facial or using a skin care product?
• Is the beautician willing to answer questions about the quality and brands of products being used?
• Do they have a cleaning staff that is paying attention to continuous and simultaneous cleaning up or is hair, tissue etc strewn all over the floors?
• Is the staff using disposable waxing strips or are they still practicing the old and unhygienic technique of using cloth?
• Is the parlour staff picking up things from the floor and using it without sterilising them?
• Is the attendant using parts of the thread wet with her saliva while threading. This can lead to serious infections, so watch out!
• What kind of astringent is used after threading? Does it smell funny or is it of good quality?
• Is the staff well-trained and professional or do all of them seem like novices?
• Are the attendants wearing clean uniforms, disposable gloves and are they well groomed with trimmedclean nails?

It doesn’t matter how often you go to a parlour—once a week, once a month, or once every few months. You still stand the chance of catching infection by visiting a parlour that is not hygienic, uses substandard products and faulty techniques.

Watch out

Here are some common dangers associated with visiting an unhygienic and ill-equipped parlour:

• Substandard and poor quality products such as astringents, creams, face packs and peels, wax, shampoos and bleaches can lead to rashes, burning sensations, skin allergies and blocking of pores.
• Shared use of combs, scissors, towels, wipes, nail cutters and other equipments can lead to infections.
• Incorrect technique used during waxing to pull out the strip as well as during hair massages can lead to severe rashes and skin infections such as Folliculitis [a condition when hair follicles are damaged by friction from clothing].
• Applying very hot wax on the skin can burn the skin and lead to skin eruptions.
• Facial packs used without checking their strength can cause skin rashes, inflammation, pimples and peeling of sensitive skin.
• Using very strong shampoos can cause hair fall.
• Straightening, perming or hair colouring can lead to allergic reactions.
• Poor quality hair dye with unspecified ingredients can aggravate allergies.

Minimise risks

So the next time you find yourself pressed for time and rushing to the nearest parlour you can spot, think about the dangers you may be subjecting yourself to. If you are still confused about selecting the most appropriate parlour for your regular needs, try out a parlour’s most basic service before engaging them for a major beauty treatment, haircut or skin treatment. This should help you to see just how professional they are in terms of maintaining hygiene and delivering quality services.

It may come as a surprise to many, but automobile hygiene is one of the most ignored aspects of health care. “Most car owners are concerned with the outside of their vehicles”, says Arizona-based general practitioner, Sanjay Manchada, MD. “They fret over every scratch, wash the body of the car regularly; ensuring that even the slightest scrape is re-painted. But sadly, the real issues of hygiene within the vehicle are grossly ignored. This can lead to several health problems, from respiratory disorders due to dust mites, [the most common allergen], asthma, colds, persistent coughs, even triggering sinus headaches.” As we spend more time within the constraints of this enclosed environment, car hygiene now takes precedence like never before.

Poor car hygiene hurts

According to a study called Toxic at Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives, conducted in 2006, by researchers of the Ecology Centre in California, USA, the concentration of a major chemical pollutant PBDE [Polybrominated diphenyl ethers] found in dust and on the windscreen of the interiors of a car are five times higher than in the homes and offices of most people. And this can severely impact health, especially since traffic snarls and long commutes increase the time you spend in your car.

PBDE is a toxic environmental pollutant, mostly found in consumer goods such as electrical equipment, construction materials, plastic coatings, textiles and polyurethane foam [furniture padding]. Used to soften the seats of the cars and often contributing to the “new car smell,” it is also used in vehicle interiors to make seat cushions, arm rests, wire insulation and floor covering. The study revealed that these chemicals were released when the cars got over-heated, especially when the vehicle is parked in the blazing sun.

When combined with dust mites, they can be inhaled, leading to health risks. “We can no longer rely just on seatbelts and airbags to keep us safe in cars,” said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Centre’s Clean Car Campaign Director who co-authored the report. Most people think about cars causing outdoor air pollution, such as smog. Now we know that breathing the air and dust inside the car may be even more dangerous.”

Children exposed to PBDEs are prone to subtle but significant developmental problems, which affect brain growth. For adults, it could be carcinogenic or create problems associated with the liver.

The study found that car owners could minimise these health hazards by keeping their vehicle interiors clean and dust-free, using solar reflectors in order to prevent the trapping of UV rays, ventilating car interiors and parking in the shade whenever possible.

Why take the trouble

Besides harmful chemical contaminants, a car filled with dust mites attracts spiders and other small pests that could be harmful to young children. Floating dust mite can also enter the air passages and nostrils, resulting in sneezing and allergic cough. While driving, this can interrupt your rhythm, or worse, the dust mite could irritate the delicate lining of your eyes. This also poses an additional hazard if you wear contact lenses, as it can cloud your vision at crucial moments.

A busy family may bring plenty of unrelated material into the car – such as pens, pencils, key chains, loose change, even small toys. As these can keep slipping between the seats, they pose a choking hazard to babies and young children, who may be difficult to supervise when you are driving. If you have young children in the house, a clutter-free car is a priority.

Inside job

You’ll need to purchase a hand-held vacuum, one that is compact and can be stashed away in the trunk of the vehicle for easy access.

First, remove all the floor mats and have them beaten and vacuumed. If any mat is damp due to rains or sweat from dirty socks and gym clothing, then ensure that the mat is placed under direct sunlight for at least an hour or more to kill germs. Once the mats have been removed, the interiors of the car should be thoroughly vacuumed, with special attention to the corners [especially in the ridges of the doors]. Rubber mats retain germs easily and these should be cleaned in soapy water with a plastic hand-held brush. Insert your hand between the upholstery and ensure that there are no stray objects here before you vacuum the seats. Ensure that the plastic covers are completely removed from the upholstery before running the vacuum. Don’t forget to wipe the dashboard [you may be surprised by the number of coffee stains this area sustains], especially if you’re in the habit of having your morning cuppa as you commute.

Keep only essentials in the storage area underneath the dashboard. Your sunglasses, driver’s licence and a fresh towel would do. Lastly, ensure that the windshield is sparkling clean as is the trunk and the storage area behind your head in the back seat. Avoid placing small objects in this sloping storage area as they can fall down during jerks and possibly injure back seat passengers.

To remove any embedded contaminants such as tar spots, bug or bird droppings, tree sap, from the body of the car, you can use dissolved baking soda, which is both gentle and effective in prising out dirt. Mineral spirits and denatured alcohol act as mild solvents as well. You can also purchase sprays of cleaning solution specifically designed for this purpose. Ensure that you choose the milder varieties that will not affect the paint.

Today, a clean car is as important as a clean home to lead a healthy life! Ensure that this aspect of hygiene doesn’t pass you by.

Let’s take a look at all this rubbish.

Garbage can be of various types.

You can facilitate proper waste management by keeping the garbage segregated than mixing all together in a heap. It helps protect the environment, as well as keep the city cleaner. Not only does it affects soil, water, and air quality, waste management practices have impacts on energy consumption too. The method of segregation depends upon the collecting agencies. The types of garbage generated commonly are as follows:-

Dry and wet

This goes simply by the definition of the words dry and wet. Papers, cloth, wood shavings and other waste fall in the dry category. Some of this can be reused and is removed before destruction.

Wet primarily constitutes the kitchen waste. This includes vegetable peels, and garden wastes. The organic material can be used to process compost with the help of vermiculture. Also, there is no reusable material content in this category. While putting out such garbage, ensure that there is no leakage or spillage.

Combustible and non-combustible

In these methods, things that can be burned are separated from those that cannot. Toxic wastes should not be included in this. This type of segregation is done where incineration is used to manage waste. Non-combustible items include cans, CD cassettes, aluminium foils, small electric appliances, bottles, mirrors, and glasses. Combustible garbage includes kitchen scraps, rubber and leather products, garden refuse, paper trashes, and paper diaper.

Recyclable

This type of refuse can be reused and recycled. Hence, they should be stored separately in plastic bags for easy segregation. The categories are:

• Glass bottles and jars of food and medicine
• Cans of food, beverages, and ingredients
• Plastic bottles and food packaging
• Newspapers, magazines, cartons, cardboards and other loose papers
• Used clothes.

Toxic

These waste items may be toxic or dangerous, and may pollute the environment. Hence, they require special disposal systems. These include florescent light tubes, dry cell batteries, aerosol spray cans, gas canisters, mercury thermometers, lighters, paints, pesticides, and medicines. Ensure that the aerosol cans, lighters, and gas canisters are empty before disposing.

The garbage is usually collected manually or mechanically by agencies run by the city administration.

Recycling

This method involves segregation of garbage and its reuse. Instead of sending all the garbage out to the landfill, some things that can be used again are removed and circulated. By this method, things that would just take years to decay in the landfill can be put to alternate use. The most popular categories are cans, cardboard cartons, glass bottles, newspapers, and plastics.

Compost

There is another wonderful way to deal with garbage. Every day our homes generate a lot of waste material that we usually throw. This goes into the landfill where the airless condition prevents the natural decomposition of the matter. This waste material, particularly kitchen waste can be gainfully utilised to produce compost for your garden instead.

Compost releases the nutrients into the soil, slowly. It is a substitute for peat that improves the soil structure and water retention. Compost can be made easily in pits in your backyard with garden and kitchen refuse.

If you do not have the space available for pits, compost piles can also be built in enclosures. Alternatively, it can be made in large bins or pots too. Apartment dwellers can keep their composting bins in the balcony or under the sink.

The ingredients for making compost can easily be generated out of the house, specially the kitchen. You can use material like leaves, weeds, and animal manure. Stuff from the kitchen like carrot tops, vegetable peels, fruit cores, tea leaves, can also be used. Tea leaves and egg shells provide minerals for plants. They decompose speedily if shredded into small pieces.

Erecting twin bins can provide an unending supply of compost. The bins have wire mesh at the back for air supply and detachable boards in the front for easy approach. In the first bin, organic material is placed in layers. Starting with garden waste at the bottom, place kitchen waste, leaves and grass in layers, alternating it with soil until the heap is 3-4 ft. Sprinkle a dusting of limestone and a pint of fertiliser over the layers. The compost heap requires moisture for decaying. Water the pile for a few minutes and cover the top with 2″ of soil to seal the heap.

It will take about 3-6 months for the compost pile to be ready for use. Water the pile from time to time to dampen it. After a month or so, keep turning over the top layer with a pitchfork. This will speed up the decomposition process. When the compost turns crumbly and dark in colour and its individual constituents lose their original form, the pile is ready. Now it can be transferred into the second bin for use in the garden. So, go ahead and use your waste in your garden and see it flourish.

Swirling dust is the most common source of allergens. So are pollen, mould spores and pet dander [the dead skin flakes and saliva]. With rapid industrialisation, air is not as pure as it used to be. Loads of industrial waste mingle with it, and creep unseen in our homes. Though breaking into hives may just be a temporary discomfort, repeated exposure to these allergens can harm the internal system.

However, simple steps around the house can reduce pervading allergens. Let’s go areawise to suggests ways.

Living rooms

• Often, the living areas are spotlessly clean but have you looked at any surface above eye level. The fan blades and lamp shades are replete with dust puffs and dirt. Use a long handle and wipe them with a damp cloth. Take care that the electricity mains are switched off before tackling them. Similarly, cornices and crown moulding gather a lot of dust mites. Clean them with a duster that will collect the dirt instead of just displacing it.
• Carpets, curtains, comforters, pillows and sheets accumulate plenty of dust inside them. Take them outside and shake thoroughly to dislodge the dust mites. The washable ones can be given a thorough cleaning with soap and water. Carpets are the greatest source of allergens. It is healthier to have a linoleum, stone or hardwood floor. If you must have carpets, choose washable, small throw rugs instead of the wall-to-wall variety.
• Choose leather or wooden furniture over upholstered ones that gather too many allergens. If you must choose upholstered furniture, get those with removable slipcovers that are easily washable.
• Other dust magnets are stuffed toys. They harbour dirt and allergens that may be harmful for kids. Bundle them in pillowcases and tumble wash in the machine.
• If the windows have a net screen, check it out. Usually the holes get clogged with dust. Clean it with soap and water if washable or vacuum clean them.
• Thoroughly clean the air conditioner before the start of summer. It is better to enlist the help of a professional to get rid of allergens trapped inside the coils. Thereafter, clean the air filters every month.
• Ensure that your home is dry and the humidity is low. So, soggy carpets, mouldy shower curtains, dripping clothes, and seepages in the walls are to be avoided as moisture gives rise to moulds and bacteria.
• Sunlight is effective in killing off germs and bacteria. So let fresh air and light into your house as much as you can.
• The rainy season increases the level of humidity. Ensure that rain water is not getting logged somewhere. The drains and gutters should be kept free of leaves and other debris.
• Above all, keep the humidity in check. The hot and humid atmosphere is perfect breeding ground for a variety of allergens. Installing a hygrometer – a device to measure humidity – could be of great help. Ideally, the humidity should be below 40 per cent. If the humidity is too high, get a dehumidifier. The drier the house is, the better you will breathe.

Kitchen

Traditionally, it was essential to keep the kitchen absolutely spic and span. That practice may not prevail as strongly now. There are some areas that are commonly neglected. Kitchen appliances like blenders, microwave, oven and toaster get coated with dust and other allergens. They must be wiped clean once a week. Utensils that are used less frequently must be rinsed with soap before using. The countertop gets a thorough cleaning, but the cabinets and other storage spaces get ignored. They should be cleaned and dusted once a month.

Empty the kitchen bin daily and try to keep the floors and countertop dry. Ensure that the kitchen gets some direct sunlight. That itself is good enough to ward off most of the bugs and allergens.

An exhaust fan keeps the kitchen free of soot and smoke. So get one installed to keep the air fresh.

Bathroom

There are a lot of invisible allergens accumulating here. Dust mites and pet hair may build up on shower curtains and bathroom rugs. Take them outside and give a thorough shake. Then, wash them with lukewarm water and dry properly. Empty the trash cans frequently.

Areas that are permanently damp develop mould spores. So keep all the leaks fixed to avoid their growth. Clean up mouldy areas like bathtub corners and under the sink frequently. Avoid carpeting in the bathroom as they may cause spores

Take care of these small things and notice the much sought after relief from allergens.