In This Post:
– Prepare your house for a sandstorm
– Cleaning tips after a sandstorm
A sandstorm has the power to blow away rooftops. Just in a matter of seconds this meteorological phenomenon can disrupt life in a city for a long time. But there are more reasons why dust storms are considered dangerous. Sandstorms, as their name suggests, bring a lot of dust and miniscule sand particles, which become airborne and are quite harmful to health. If you have asthmatic patients or those suffering from the coronavirus, it could be life-threatening. It is important to clean your house completely once the storm passes away. Let us check out some useful tips to clean your house after a sandstorm. But before that we will tell you how you can prepare your home for a looming dust storm.
Prepare Your House for a Sandstorm
Here are some ways you can prepare your home for an approaching sandstorm.
- Make a dust storm survival kit
- Pack the windows
- Seal the house
- Check the roof
- Trim large heavy trees
- Remove any lights outside
Let us discuss these in detail.
Make a dust storm survival kit
Some of the essential things you should have during a sandstorm are face masks. Not so fortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan, people are generally using face masks for protection from COVID-19.
Keep 3-4 spare face masks as part of your dust storm survival kit. If you can’t find face masks in the local market, then use these ways and make a mask at home. Keep an emergency light with batteries. Also, if any family member in your house uses medicines, keep anti-allergies and pain killers in the kit. It is recommended to have a pair of air tight goggles to protect yourself from dust and sand particles that become airborne in a short time after a sandstorm strikes.
These are some general items you must have ready when the weather forecasts tell you of a possible dust storm fast approaching your city.
Pack the windows
Sandstorms not only occur in desert cities like Dubai, but they are also a common occurrence in cities with beaches. The sand present in large grounds gets picked up by powerful winds and it blows over the entire city. The power of wind is so powerful in some areas that it uproots cars, buildings and trees in the process, which makes it even more dangerous.
You might be wondering how can sandstorms affect you when you are safely sitting at home? Well, it won’t do you much harm if you take certain precautionary measures beforehand. Pack those windows. Don’t let the harmful dust particles enter your home. It would become airborne and cause breathing problems for patients suffering from pneumonia and asthma. If you are a healthy individual, you could catch allergies.
Carefully inspect your windows. Make sure there are no drafts that can allow the powerful wind to enter the house with dust particles. Draft proof your doors and windows using adhesive tape and rubber strips. It is also important to use a door snake especially in your bedroom door to not allow the sand and dust to enter your room. Using storm shutters are also effective in controlling the impact of a sandstorm when it hits your home.
Seal the house
Once you have drought-proof your home, move around your house and search for any opening that should be closed before the sandstorm hits your city. Check the air conditioner duct and close that opening. For all electric circuits, seal the openings to protect your home from the sandstorm.
Check the roof
Is your roof in top shape? Does it need any repair? Ask a professional to fix any errors you spot in your roof before the sandstorm strikes your city. Do you have any structure on the roof that could be thrown away by powerful winds? Some people use old carpets to cover and insulate the roof. This could be blown away. Or if you have a rooftop garden, make sure the pots are under the green house shelter and can’t be blown away by powerful winds.
Trim large heavy trees
If you have a property with a garden, make sure all the trees are trimmed. There should be no large boughs and branches that can fall off and cause injuries or damage to your property.
When there is a weather forecast that a sandstorm can strike any day, you should immediately tend to your garden.
Remove any furniture outside
If you have a patio or a gazebo or a terrace, make sure you store away the furniture before the sandstorm or else it will all be covered in dust and cleaning it would be a great hassle.
If the furniture is too big and you have no space to move it inside the house, then wrap it with plastic.
Take out light bulbs, and any fancy lights outside or they could be shattered.
Once you have taken the necessary steps before a sandstorm strikes, and the storm has passed], now is the most difficult part – cleaning your house. Fret not, take a look at these tips to clean your house after a sandstorm.
Tips to Clean Your House After a Sandstorm
Following are some useful and effective ways to clean your house after a sandstorm strikes your city.
- Vacuum clean the floors and upholstery
- Wipe surfaces clean
- Wash everything you can
- Use air purifiers
- Manage air conditioner system
- Increase ventilation
Let us discuss these tips one by one.
Vacuum clean the floors and upholstery
Once the sandstorm has passed, you will see that fine dust particles have managed to find their way in the house and have now settled on your sofa, carpet and the decorated curios on the centre table. You would be tempted to pick up your sweeping brush and quickly sweep the dust off the floor. But, that would be even more dangerous. The dust particles will get suspended in the air and can cause breathing problems and suffocation.
Take out your vacuum cleaner and move it over your upholstery. It will suck away the dust and sand particles from your sofa. Same goes for chairs on your dining table. Once done, use the vacuum cleaner to clean the floor. The dust would simply be taken away by the powerful machine, leaving a dust-free floor for your kids to play.
Remember, it is important to first clean the floor or else members of the house would walk over it and spread the dust to other parts of the house.
Wipe surfaces clean
Instead of dusting the windows, doors and furniture, take a small bucket of soapy water. Dip a clean cloth in it and wipe the surfaces with a damp cloth. This will lift the dust particles off your furniture pieces without blowing the dust in the air, from where it could land into your lungs.
One of the best tips to clean your house after a sandstorm is to wipe off surfaces instead of dusting them down. Don’t forget to change your bedsheet. It is also recommended to use these ways to clean the fans around your house or the settled dust on fans can spread the sand particles everywhere in the house, something the sandstorm failed to do so.
Wash everything you can
Anything that can’t be wiped down and can be easily washed, don’t hesitate to run it in your washing machine or dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, wash your utensils in batches, but washing the already washed utensils is important as you don’t know where the dust has settled down. Some dust and sand particles can be seen while some are not visible from the naked eye.
Use air purifiers
It is important to improve the air quality in your home. While there are many ways you can do that, keeping a piece of activated charcoal in places where your kids can’t reach it, is the best. Himalayan salt lamp also improves the overall air quality in your room. You should also keep these air purifying plants in the house for all times.
Manage air conditioner system
When the storm hits the city, switch off the air conditioner or else the dust particles can slowly creep into the room. Once the storm has passed, clean your air conditioner. It is important to clean AC’s filter for better functioning and clean air.
Increase ventilation
Sandstorms in Karachi are common before the beginning of the monsoon season. So, it’s best to be prepared beforehand. These tips to clean your house after a sandstorm are effective methods of keeping sand and dust at bay.
When the storm is over and you have cleaned the house thoroughly, open up the windows for better ventilation. If you open up the windows before cleaning the house, the winds can blow up the settled dust and cause breathing problems. Therefore, it is important to go for this step in the end when you have thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny of your house.
So, these were some of the best tips to clean your house after a sandstorm. You should also look at the ways to protect your house during a flood. Don’t forget to write to us at blog@zameen.com and we will surely get back to you. Subscribe to the Zameen Newsletter appearing on the right hand side of the page. Stay tuned to Zameen Blog, the best lifestyle blog in Pakistan.
