Alex Trelinski
CALIMA- known as blood rain- has been sweeping across parts of Spain on Thursday with the Madrid region recommending that vulnerable people with respiratory issues should stay indoors.
It’s a weather phenomenon that covers the atmosphere and at ground level with suspended dust which comes to Spain as a result of sand particles from North Africa and the Sahara desert.
The blood rain has a nuisance value of dirtying cars, windows, patios and terraces, but there are things you can do to clean the sand away.
One of the most effective methods to clean away the dust is to simply use lots of water.
Hosing down a car is effective, and a high pressure cleaning- if possible- works in tricky to access places such as corners.
Blasting some pressurised air is another tool in the armoury, but the sand can still remain in the environment.
Another tip is to use warm water mixed in with soap or detergent to clean the dust off window panes, car windscreens, and outdoor furniture.
You should use a damp fibre cloth on surfaces that are susceptible to scratching like polished metals.
A good sweep with the cloth is recommended and after each motion, you should rinse it out to avoid any sand remaining on it that could cause an unwanted scratch.
Outdoor areas such as terraces, balconies and patios are the spaces that accumulate the most dirt when a calima strikes.
In such instances, it is best to sweep the dust repetitively, without wetting to avoids the formation of a muddy paste which makes the use of cleaning products counter-productive.
Once well swept, it is recommended to mop the floor intensively with a product suited to its type.
Before getting down to the mopping, make sure the surface is free of dust so that the mop doesn’t get too full of sand.
READ MORE:
- What is ‘blood rain’? All you need to know about Spain’s ‘calima’ weather phenomenon before it blows in from
- ‘Blood rain’ is coming to Spain: New DANA will bring the weather phenomenon to Andalucia and beyond this week
