How to Make Your Home a Healthier Environment
Home is a place where you’re meant to feel safe. This is where an entire family leaves their worries at the door and relishes in comfort. We expect it to be a healthy environment in every sense – psychologically and medically. However, even when we exercise regularly and watch what we eat, homes can hide various things that are detrimental to our health. In order to ameliorate these problems, here are eight ways to make your home a healthier environment to live in.
Throw chemical based products out
Cleaners are very effective against bacteria and fungus, but they can present a health hazard for the entire family. Breathing in the contents of the tile cleaning solution can irritate your lungs and do additional damage in the long run. If you have to use these chemicals for cleaning, make sure to keep all windows open until you’re finished. Keep them outside, on a terrace or in a shed, because they still tend to “leak” their content into the air. If you can, start using essential oils and other plant-based products. The combination of vinegar, baking soda, and lemon, mixed into a bucket of hot water, is a well-established and popular cleaning solution for many parents who want to keep their children away from toxic fumes. If you can, throw all of these products out, and start mixing your own cleaning solutions.
Surfaces should be cleaned regularly
Dust can amass really fast, and breathing it in can cause severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks. Dust particles can be especially hazardous in big cities, where they mix with the contents of exhaust pipes. Vacuum frequently and use a mop and the bucket to clean the floor once again after the vacuuming. This way, you’ll be 100% certain you’ve collected all of the dust. Even though dust can be invisible, the results of a thorough cleaning are very noticeable – even the most resilient people will breathe easier. Reducing humidity is another thing that can help you with allergies and asthma. Air quality in your home is crucial for healthy living.
Air-purifying plants
The scientific community has proven that some types of plants purify the air. Furthermore, some of these plants are really easy to manage and they can be a vibrant and welcoming addition to your household. The only thing you have to think about is the size and style of the pot – if chosen correctly, these green bundles of joy will seamlessly blend with the aesthetic appeal of your home. These plants are known to neutralize airborne chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde and cleaner fumes.
Proper filtering system
However, plants are not the only air-purifying line of defense at your disposal. Your AC unit can be a bona fide bacteria farm and dust collector. In order to turn it into an asset, you can purchase a HEPA filter that will take care of most invisible airborne “enemies” you’re likely facing every time you turn on air-conditioning. Additionally, you can purchase these kinds of filters for your vacuum cleaner too. In order to find the perfect filter, you can access air purifier reviews, tests and testimonials and determine which one suits you best.
Cleaner tap water for the entire family
Most of our tap water is contaminated with harmful algae and microbes to heavy metals that are hard to push out of your system. Constantly buying bottled water can be expensive and plastic can be a danger of its own. In order to get a clean source of water, you can opt to buy a water filtration system, or simply a pitcher that comes with disposable filtering. If you have some money to spare, you can get a filter that is attached to your faucet.
Clean out your pantry and your fridge
If you keep junk food in your house, even if you’ve decided to eat better, there’s a great chance you’ll end up popping open that bag of chips anyway. Buying snacks “in case the guests come” usually end up in the stomach of your family. Throw all the bad food out of your fridge and your pantry. Also, put a fruit in the bowl on the countertop and fill your fridge with smoothies.
In the end, with all this advice taken into consideration, the most important thing is to create a stress-free environment for your entire family. Unbeknownst to many, stress is probably the greatest “pollutant” you will ever face, and keeping the home atmosphere relaxed is crucial for your overall health.
Photo by Sylwia Pietruszka on Unsplash
Lana Hawkins is an architecture student from Sydney. She enjoys writing about interior decoration and landscaping. Lana is interested in sustainability and green building, and that’s where she gets most of her inspiration from.
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Amazing article. keep it up Lana 🙂