Spring Cleaning and CVD: Fresh Air
It’s that time of year again when the snow melts and the accumulated dust and grime of the past year has to be swept out to start a brand new, fresh year. But if someone has CVD, this may not be the easiest ritual to take part in. However, that does not mean it is any less important.
Spring cleaning is a seasonal cleaning ritual that, despite modern branding, is neither new nor a trend. In fact, it dates back to the Roman Empire. The article, “Dust off Assumptions About Spring Cleaning,” traces the tradition, all the way back to the Passover and Chinese New Year, which both hint at multicultural similarities in the customs (Hitchcock, 2010). However, in more recent times, there was “the 19th century practice of waiting until spring to spruce up by opening the window and allowing the March winds to blow out the dust” (Hitchcock, 2010). However, how could this ritual impact you if you have CVD?
Now, regarding CVD, the American Heart Association offers some advice. The article, “For Healthy Spring Cleaning, Think NEAT (And Dust Carefully)” by Michael Merschel at the American Heart Association News, recommends that cleanliness, especially deep cleaning, can be a physically draining and challenging task despite the mental, spiritual, and emotional soothing it may bring to enter a new season with a fresh environment. While it does suggest that cleaning is important, it recognizes that “no matter how you approach it, cleaning might affect your health in ways you haven't considered” (Merschel, 2024) if you have CVD.
In order to prevent exhaustion and potentially cause more harm than good to one’s health, the article recommends the NEAT method. This stands for “Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis” (Merschel, 2024). While this is “a heavy-sounding term” (Merschel, 2024), which is meant to promote light-intensity physical activity, said Dr. Jacquelyn Kulinski, an associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she directs the Preventive Cardiology Program (Merschel, 2024). This system recognizes the varying levels of energy required by different tasks. For example, the level of exertion required to sit and watch a football game is different from that required to stand and do the dishes.
Furthermore, the article offers practical advice for the process, such as using a damp cloth to tackle dust rather than a feather duster, since feather dusters only stir up dust and dander (Merschel, 2024). It also recommends vacuuming rugs once a month and, for hardwood floors, using a sweeper with an electrostatic cloth that attracts and traps dust rather than a broom, which can sweep it into the air again (Merschel, 2024). It is just as important to protect your environment while you’re cleaning as when you are living in it. However, to protect your lungs and heart, it is a good idea to wear a mask when performing these tasks to reduce the amount of dust and debris entering your system and potentially causing internal respiratory or cardiovascular distress (Merschel, 2024). Another important factor to address is the type of cleaners used. Bleach, for example, is effective but contains extremely harsh chemicals. Simple, cheap, and effective cleaners for drains and surfaces include vinegar and natron/baking soda. The less intense the chemicals and the simpler the process, the easier it is for people with CVD to implement it into their cleaning schedule. However, for your specific situation and needs, I would recommend discussing these aspects with your doctor before you start the process and see if they have any recommendations for you, given your medical profile.
Once the house is clean and the whole place sparkles with Springtime freshness, the article recommends not wearing shoes indoors to help maintain the cleanliness of the space you've created for longer (Merschel, 2024). This will allow you to appreciate your work for longer and do it less often, thereby taking a significant extra worry off your plate.
While Spring cleaning is sometimes considered a dreaded obligation, the article suggests that “cleaning shouldn't leave you down in the dumps. To the contrary: A 2014 study in the journal Mindfulness concluded that college students who approached even a few minutes of dishwashing ‘with intentionality and awareness’ boosted positive feelings and lowered negative ones” (Merschel, 2024). This mindfulness can become cheerfulness by engaging in personal, cheerful rituals while working. Perhaps singing, listening to music, and having a television on in the background may make the process more enjoyable. (Merschel, 2024). Spring cleaning with CVD should be tailored to the individual's needs and preferences, as well as the environment, so this Spring, have fun with it and enjoy yourself!
Personally, while organization is natural to me, the concept of cleanliness is more difficult, depending on my environment and the prevalence of irritants that trigger my asthma. Regardless, I find it important, and I do this every Spring: I get a few fake flowers and put them in some thrifted vases to brighten the room. So each area I clean gets a flower. This reminds me to be proud of each area I clean and to appreciate the prettiness of Springtime, even with fake flowers, which, again, is done to prevent unnecessary allergies. I also listen to Evanescence and other nostalgic songs in the background as I work. This allows me to keep track of time and enjoy the process along the way.
Throughout my research on the topic, I found far more documentation on broader cleanliness issues related to CVD than on the tradition of Spring Cleaning. This is why I will address the broader topic of the importance of maintaining environmental and personal hygiene and the stereotypes surrounding CVD in my upcoming article.
Would you agree? What are your Spring cleaning traditions?
Comment below.
Tune in next Monday and Friday for more! I will be writing more now that I’m finally feeling better, so I’m getting a new, more frequent schedule.
Keep ticking, everybody!
P.S. Are there any aspects of CVD health or pacemakers you’d like to know more about?
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blairmueller28@gmail.com
Reference List
Hitchcock, H. (2010). Dust off Assumptions About Spring Cleaning. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, [online] 90(1). Available at: https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A7%3A25716647/detailv2?sid=ebsco%3Aplink%3Ascholar&id=ebsco%3Agcd%3A48736476&crl=c&link_origin=scholar.google.com [Accessed 29 Mar. 2026].
Merschel, M. (2024). For Healthy Spring Cleaning, Think NEAT (And Dust Carefully). [online] www.heart.org. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/03/27/for-healthy-spring-cleaning-think-neat-and-dust-carefully.
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