It is easy to forget what we cannot see — but your home plays host to a large number of pollutants that can have long-term detrimental effects on your health. It is now a proven fact that the air inside our home is more polluted than outdoor air, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are four things you can do right now to get those toxins out of your house.
Clean Natural
Conventional wisdom drives us to believe that the harsher the chemical, the better the clean. However, for most domestic tasks, effective and cheap household cleaners can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. There are lots of simple recipes available — some of them have been proven true over centuries of use! Another useful trick to prevent potentially harmful dust from spreading in the air: using microfiber clothes instead of dusters.
Use Less Plastic, Use Safe Plastic
In 2010, the FDA declared that Bisphenol A (BPA), an element frequently found in plastics, could have detrimental effects on our health, ranging from heart defects to cancer. You’ve probably seen most baby bottles and other sippy cups in your local store proudly bear the ‘NO BPA’ logo; this is one-way manufacturers are trying to make things safe for their consumers.
However, the rule here should be to use as little plastic as possible. Don’t wrap your food in plastic, and don’t use plastic containers to heat your food in. Plastics are not just a risk in the kitchen; your PVC shower curtain, for example, could be a real problem.
Filter Your Water
Our bodies are made of at least 70 percent water, and so is our planet. Making sure water is clean around your home should be one of the first precautions you take. Get a water filter to get rid of the most common waterborne toxins, both in your drinking water and your shower water. Pollutants can differ depending on where you live, so be sure to check what is the most appropriate filter system in your area.
Aim for Purer Air
There is clear evidence that indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Taking steps like the ones mentioned above are only effective if you ensure proper ventilation inside your home. Leaving your windows open whenever the weather allows it is a good first step, but it is crucial to give the wind a hand by installing and maintaining an updated HVAC system and air purifiers, which can even filter pollutants from the air.
Starting with these four things should bring you and your family a long way to a cleaner and healthier lifestyle. Most importantly, it will widen your understanding of your environment and the ways in which your choices can affect it, especially when these choices have become a habit. When shopping for new products, always research and understand what you’re bringing home, and consult professionals whenever you think the need arises.
