Your place looks beautiful. Every room feels comfortable. But wait. Is your house or apartment a healthy home?
There are lots of things you can do to make your environment healthier and safer, without spending a lot of money. Here are 12 fast and easy ideas:
1. Open your windows and air your rooms and mattresses whenever you change linens. Allowing fresh air in, as often as possible, will allow unhealthy off-gases to escape from furnishings.
Open your windows as often as possible
2. Remove dry cleaning bags and air clothing before bringing garments inside and storing, to allow “perc” fumes time to escape.
3. Microwave and store food in glass, not plastic, containers.
4. Turn off Wi-Fi and other electronic devices before going to bed to reduce the electro-magnetic fields (EMF) in your house.
5. Remove any EMF devices (telephones, chargers, clock radios) from your bedside tables or keep them at least 1-2 feet away from your head.
6. Switch from harsh chemical bathroom and kitchen cleaners to natural cleaning options such as vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice.
7. Be sure to regularly dust and vacuum the tops of bookcases and other tall furniture pieces to prevent allergy or asthma flare-ups.
8. Use LED rather than compact florescent bulbs (which have mercury inside and can be a bio hazard if they break).
9. Opt for zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, which is almost odor-less and will not compromise the air quality inside your home.
10. Change your kitchen sponge regularly to keep bacteria from building up.
11. Use plain cotton sheets instead of ‘non-wrinkle’ linens that are made with chemicals.
Use natural cotton sheets and bring in green plants
12. Bring in green plants such as peace lilies (spath plants) to clean the air of toxins and carcinogens.
Now your house can be well-decorated, comfortable and healthier. Cheers!