Killing Household Germs Is as Simple as Opening Your Blinds, According to This Study

Looking for something that naturally kills household germs? Well, you might be surprised to know there’s a solution right outside your window.

According to a new study in the journal Microbiome, sunlight kills bacteria living in your house. This means you can reduce your risk of inhaling dust-borne bacteria by simply leaving your blinds open during the day. Easy enough, right?

Although UV rays are known germ-killers, they can’t penetrate through windows, which is why no one has studied the affect sunlight has on dust. However, researchers from the University of Oregon recently conducted an experiment to see what would happen, and the results are astonishing.

After creating 11 identical rooms and exposing them to daylight, UV rays or no light at all, the study found that sunlight effectively kills bacteria that stems from human skin (aka dust).

So, next time you put off dusting, be sure to open the blinds. (You know, just in case.)

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