Irritants and allergens at school in relation to furnishings and cleaning

in order to study the influence of furnishings and cleaning on the indoor a ir quality at school, 181 randomly chosen classrooms were investigated. The amounts of open shelves, textiles and other fittings were noted, data were gathered on cleaning routines, and a number of pollutants were measured in the classrooms. In classrooms with more fabrics there was more settled dus t and the concentration of formaldehyde was higher. Classrooms with more op en shelves had more formaldehyde, and more pet allergens in settled dust, a nd classrooms with a white board, instead of a chalk board, were less dusty . Classrooms mainly cleaned through wet mopping had more airborne viable ba cteria but less settled dust than classrooms mainly cleaned by dry methods. Ln rooms where the desks and curtains were more often cleaned, the concent rations of cat and dog allergen in settled dust were lower. It is concluded that furnishings and textiles in the classroom act as significant reservoi rs of irritants acid allergens and have an impact on the indoor air quality at school.