Deflategate II: air quality and the big game

Gearing up for the big game? If you’re hosting a party, perhaps the last thing on your mind are the contaminants your excited guests are likely to bring with them. But the fact is your visitors may arrive with more than happy vibes and a few cases of beer. They also can be the bearers of various contaminants that cause indoor air pollution.

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. Here’s a look at just how your friends might unwittingly introduce pollutants into your air and what to do about it.

Shoes

Whether your guests prefer comfortable sneakers or the latest fashion in booties, their foot garb is sure to carry a largely invisible army of contaminants into your home. Researchers at the University of Arizona recently found an average of 421,000 bacteria with nine different strains on the outside of shoes. That included E. coli, a particularly vicious critter, which can cause everything from diarrhea to meningitis. Another big problem: pesticides. They can remain on shoes long after the wearer traipsed across a recently sprayed lawn. Pro tip: Adopt a no-shoe policy at your party and make it part of the fun with team socks.

Coats and bags

Is your most fervent football fan friend also messy? Or are you unsure how tidy your guests are in their own abodes? Unless they’re clean freaks, it’s likely their home environments are filled with potentially harmful contaminants, from fine glass dust and fiberglass to lead dust, that also collect on their clothing, coats, bags and other items they bring with them.

Decorations

Do your friends have tchotchkes they haul out from the attic once a year and invariably bring with them? Those foam fingers may add to the festive atmosphere, but they have likely collected a lot of dust and microscopic mold since the last big game.

One way to improve your indoor air when the party arrives is with a smart air purifier with a HEPA filter for your home. It’s sure to be a touchdown.