Spring cleaning dilemma: How much disinfecting is too much? – National [Video]

As the warmer spring weather arrives, many Canadians are gearing up for the annual ritual of deep cleaning their homes, aiming to banish every speck of dust and grime. But amid the frenzy of scrubbing and sanitizing, a question arises: how clean should your house be?

Spring cleaning is traditionally a time when people tackle tasks around the house they may not typically get to, whether clearing out the garage, deep cleaning the oven, or finally organizing that messy junk drawer haunting them all year.

“What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to create a more fresh environment,” explained Jason Tetro, a microbiologist based in Edmonton and specialist in emerging pathogens.

“And so cleaning, getting rid of dust, that’s a really good thing to do. It helps to reduce the potential for inflammation. Spring cleaning is absolutely fantastic when it comes to preventing the likelihood of irritation, asthma and any other types of allergies.”