CLEANING FOR IMPROVED INDOOR AIR-QUALITY - AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS

A study was conducted to characterize the indoor environment of a mult ifloor, multiuse, nonproblem, noncomplaint building through long-term monitoring for biological, chemical, and particulate pollutants. The s tudy also assessed the effects of cleaning on indoor air quality by pr oviding a program to monitor baseline levels, providing a rigorous (de ep) cleaning of the building, and then continuing to monitor after imp lementation of a standardized, improved, cleaning program. To assess t he effectiveness of the cleaning program, air, surface, and dust data from monitoring prior to the cleaning program were compared with those obtained while the improved housekeeping program was in place. Correl ations between pollutants and other environmental factors were studied . The data suggest that the improved cleaning program contributed to i ndoor air quality through the reduction of airborne dust mass, total v olatile organic compounds, and culturable bacteria and fungi.