A healthy house should have healthy air quality and many objects in the house unknown to you spread unhealthy toxins which can harm you and your family. Opening the windows does not necessarily let out the bad air, and let clean air inside. In fact, with pollution high, opening windows may not be a good idea. But you can improve the air quality, and by noting which products in your home are made from harsh chemicals and petroleum, you’d be making your home a whole lot healthier. Check out these 8 things you could do to make your home healthier:
- Eliminate VOCs and go natural
Kitchen and bathroom cleaners are composed of VOCs that are toxic both short term and long term. Personal care items, nail polish, cleaners have VOCs. Even some air-fresheners emit VOCs inside your home, so be careful when you buy one.
Aerosols too contain chemicals and as companies do not disclose all the ingredients, it’s hard to know which chemicals, especially phthalates which disrupt hormones, you might be introducing into your home. While buying an air freshener, check to see if it’s marked green, organic, or has natural ingredients. An alternative to air fresheners is using diluted essential oils.
- Installing a heat recovery ventilator
Humidifiers were popular when houses were big and drafty, and there was a lot of outside air got inside the house which was dry and had little moisture. But these days, houses and apartments are much more tightly packed and there is little outside air, leading to moisture building inside the house.
A ventilator which transfers excess indoor heat to incoming air so that you can get a controlled volume of fresh air which is heated up, and your energy bills are less too, as you do not have to pay extra to heat up your home. You can install it near the furnace if the ductwork is conventional or it can be installed separately in an apartment.
- Control the mold
Moldy walls cause allergies and if you’re prone to nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing or sore eyes, it could be due to mold in your walls. Usually you can tell if there is mold in the house by the moldy smell. But you can stop the mold before it even starts, by keeping your house free from moisture. You should check your insulation as poor insulation could cause moisture to condense on exterior walls and ruin the papered surfaces of the drywall.
- Eliminate formaldehyde
A heavy dose of formaldehyde is poisonous. Within your home, formaldehyde is present in the glues gluing together building products and particle board, and eventually they outgas, making it dangerous for your home. While buying new furniture, be sure to check that it is free from formaldehyde. Vintage furniture too is a good option as it is often made out from solid wood and if there was any formaldehyde, it probably outgassed quite some time ago.
- Throw out plastic food containers
Plastic food containers or beverage containers may leach chemicals like phthalates and BPA which may disrupt your hormones. Daily use and excessive heat can aggravate the problem. You could replace plastic containers with stainless steel and glass containers.
- Microwave popcorn
It’s something which has gained immense popularity but it’s one of the most dangerous foods around, as it is often PFC coated. PFCs are chemicals have been associated with many cancers, birth defects, immunity problems and hypothyroidism. You could pop some popcorn into your pressure cooker, add a spoon of ghee or butter for that wonderful flavor.
- Add indoor plants
Plants produce oxygen and absorb CO2 and eliminate toxic chemicals from the air, so keeping a few plants like Caribbean tree cactus, dracaena, spider plant etc will clean the air inside naturally.
- Minimalist déco
Minimalist modern furniture is not just chic but also designed to be maintained easily, to clean and wash so that the dust bunnies cannot lurk underneath. Minimalists prefer hard wood floors instead of carpets which are hard to maintain and have dust mites etc.
Your home should be a safe place where you and your family can live in a healthy environment. By making some lifestyle changes, you can be assured to have a healthier home.
