Clearing the Air

There is nothing like stepping outside into the warm, fresh spring air.

In fact, the idea of coming inside seems downright silly. Our homes, which were once our private sanctuaries against the bitter Canadian cold, have become stuffy boxes we can’t wait to leave in favour of long walks and picnics.

Now that you’ve read through Lifestyle’s Spring Décor guide, featuring yellow as the “it” colour of the season, I have another suggestion: Bring the springtime inside with more than just décor by airing out your homes.

During the winter months Canadians breathe the same recycled, filtered air. As the months progress this inevitably builds up with dust, animal hair, dirt — you name it, and it’s probably floating around.

There are three key steps to refreshing the air you breathe in your homes:
    1.   Thorough dusting and vacuuming
    2.   Cleaning out the filters of your ventilation systems
    3.   Opening those windows!

It is easy to let dusting fall to the wayside during the winter months. It’s freezing outside and the last thing we want to do is kick up clouds and climb on chairs to reach those hard spots (read: fan blades). Now that the weather is warmer, however, and we’re ready to spring clean, remember to reach those neglected places to begin the season with a clean slate — or blade.

Our homes have many ventilation filtration devices that range from our air conditioning units, to portable fans, to the filtration ducts in our kitchen ovens. These get clogged up and require regular cleaning, just like the rest of your home. There are companies available to clean and replace your ventilation filters for you; check your local Yellow Pages. You’ll be astounded at how much of a difference a clean filter makes.

Now that your house is dusted and your conditioners are breezing through the filtration process, let Mother Nature do the rest of her work! The air in springtime is lush with the new growth of leaves and grass. We’re in that magical in-between before insects and pollen begin to flourish, so take advantage of this time and open your windows and doors to welcome the season home.

— Stephanie Maris