On the path to a healthy home life, anti-bacterial products have sprung into the market, and many people are caught in the wrong spot: as long as anti-bacterial products are used in the home, there is no need to open windows for air and air, as if the anti-bacterial products have created a healthy and unventilated line for the family. However, that is far from the case.
The variety of antibacterial products in the home environment, from antibacterial handwashing fluids, antibacterial cleaning agents to antibacterial fabrics, antibacterial coatings and so on, has contributed to household health by inhibiting or killing micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi, to some extent reducing the number of micro-organisms on the home surface and reducing the risk of disease caused by exposure to these micro-organisms. For example, the use of antibacterial hand-washing fluids can be effective in reducing the growth of bacteria in the hand and the spread of bacteria; antibacterial paints can inhibit the growth of antibacteria on the wall, maintain a clean and beautiful view of the interior wall and prolong the life of the wall.
However, this does not in any way mean that the critical link of open windows can be saved. First, indoor air pollutants come from a wide range of sources and are by no means addressed by antibacterial products alone. Carbon dioxide from human own metabolisms, pneumatic gases and skin-dissemination accumulation in the interior; the continuous release of hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, which can be released for several years; the possible distribution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soft clothing such as furniture, carpets, curtains, etc.; and the increase in indoor air pollution due to cooking oil smoke in daily life, smoke from tobacco, etc. The presence of these pollutants is not directly related to micro-organisms, and anti-bacterial products are inoperable, while open-windows can remove the polluted air from the room, introduce fresh and clean air, effectively dilute indoor concentrations of harmful gases and improve air quality.
Secondly, the flow of air is essential to maintain the balance of indoor microorganisms. Although antibacterial products reduce some micro-organisms, it is not possible to kill all micro-organisms, and overuse of antibacterial products may also disrupt the balance of indoor microbial ecosystems, leading to the loss of competition in some otherwise repressed harmful micro-organisms, or contributing to their drug resistance and the failure of antibacterial products. Open window ventilation regulates indoor humidity and temperature, inhibits the growth of micro-organisms in certain hyper-humid, high-temperature or low-temperature environments, while introducing off-site natural strains, constrains with indoor micro-organisms and maintains a relatively stable and healthy microbial community structure, which is an ecological function that anti-bacterial products cannot perform alone.
Moreover, long-term closed doors and windows, relying on anti-bacterial products to create seemingly “bacterial” environments, can make indoor air drier, reduce oxygen levels and make people more vulnerable to symptoms such as dizziness, inefficiency and sleep addiction, particularly among older persons, children and people with low immunity. In turn, ventilation increases the oxygen content of the room, improves air cleanness and comfort, and creates a pleasant and healthy living environment for the inhabitants, which is the advantage of the immediate perception dimension that antibacterial products cannot replace.
In addition, from the point of view of building energy efficiency and sustainable development, reasonable window ventilation can reduce reliance on energy-consuming equipment such as air conditioners, air cleaners, and reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, consistent with the concept of green living. On the contrary, over-reliance on anti-bacterial products and neglect of ventilation not only fails to achieve real healthy home goals, but can also create unnecessary waste of resources and environmental burdens.
While the use of anti-bacterial products at home is beneficial, it must not lead to neglect of the importance of window-opening. The two are mutually reinforcing and one cannot be separated. We should develop the right concept of home-based health, combine the rational use of anti-bacterial products with good ventilation, and together create a clean, comfortable, healthy and sustainable living space that will allow families to live well, free from disease.
