Avoiding Toxic Chemicals In The Home
Below are tips and ways to keep your home’s air quality fresh and safe for the whole family. We face toxic chemicals every day and while many think the air inside their home is safer than the air outside, you may be surprised to learn that the air inside your house may be 2-5 times more hazardous than the air and pollutants outside.
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- Most homeowners spray the inside and outside of their property once or twice a year for pest prevention. Make sure when you are ready to spray, the animals and kids will not be around for a few hours and you ventilate the home well before entering. If you don’t want to opt for the chemicals, a good way to prevent ants from entering your home is to sprinkle a line of black pepper around the perimeter of your home. Re-apply often after rain. Ants and other insects won’t cross a line of black or cayenne pepper. Vinegar is also a good barrier product to use.
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- We often forget about the hidden dirt on ceiling fans, basement ceilings and corners, light bulbs, behind appliances, mini-blinds, on curtain rods and the curtains themselves. Make sure you don’t forget about these items that store dust and dirt.
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- Try avoiding the popular plug-in or spray air fresheners. They contain numerous chemicals and linger in the air you breathe. Instead of spending the money and jeopardizing your home’s air quality, try boiling cinnamon sticks on the stove or decorating with natural eucalyptus, dried flowers/herbs or using essential oils in jars around the home.
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- In the kitchen, it’s a good idea to use a carbon water filter to remove lead, chlorine and bacteria. A basic Brita water pitcher will do the job. Don’t buy meat or dairy products with growth hormones. Try to buy organic dairy, meats and vegetables. Make sure you always wash your fruit and vegetables before eating. Pre-washing them and keeping them in the fridge will ensure your children aren’t grabbing and running away with potentially harmful, cancer causing pesticides. Since buying organic can be costly, choose organic produce that have the highest amounts of pesticides like, peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines and strawberries. If organic isn’t possible, at least wash and peel them.
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- Remember that the air that comes from your furnace or central air circulates around the home and is pulled from the basement and cold air ducts. Keep the basement, registers and ducts clean. A yearly or bi-yearly professional cleaning of the ducts in your home should suffice. Another good habit to get into to obtain better air quality is to change your furnace filters frequently in the home. Invest in more expensive filters that have a higher level of filtration. HEPA filters are a great investment.
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- Storing food in plastics that contain BPA, a harmful chemical linked to heart disease, cancer, and sexual dysfunction is not safe. Check the recycling label on the bottom. If it’s a number 7, it likely contains the chemical BPA unless it clearly states it does not. An alternative is storing your food in glass or stainless steel. Another tip to pass along to the kids in the house is to not freeze their plastic water bottles or microwave their food in plastic or Styrofoam. Instead, use glass.
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- The air quality in the home is sometimes more dangerous than outside. The inside of your home is 2-5 times more poluted than the air outside. Dust mites, chemicals in furniture, drapes, air fresheners and more can lead to asthma, central nervous system damage and possibly cancer. Getting a house plant can remove up to 90% of toxic chemicals in the home.
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- We all love our non-stick cookware but these types of pots and pans contain PFOA. It’s listed as a chemical of concern and some solutions to avoid this is using stainless steel cookware or cast iron. Cooking with glass pots is also a safer option. At the very least, don’t scrape the bottom of the non-stick cookware. Make sure you use plastic or wooden utensils to avoid scraping off the harmful layer of chemicals. If you notice your pots and pans have excessive scrape marks and scratches, it’s time to toss them. If there is material missing, it’s likely in your food.
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- Brush or hose down your screens in the spring before it’s open window time. using a bristle brush will remove built up dust and dirt from your screens and hosing them down will naturally clean them and remove all the not-so-pleasant particles that you don’t want in your air space. Remember that your screen acts as a filter. Cleaning them regularly will not only keep your air cleaner, it will increase air flow and also look much more appealing from the outside and inside of the home letting in more sunlight and a new, fresh appearance.
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- Take off your shoes and remind others when coming into your home. By doing this, you can instantly reduce tracking in the amount of hazardous chemicals such as garden pesticides, lawn fertilizers, herbicides, workplace chemicals, feces and dirt. This will be most helpful to babies and toddlers who spend a lot of time on the floor.
I’m a RE/MAX Realtor assisting Northeast, Ohio home buyers and sellers. Contact me anytime to start the process of buying or selling a home. Always here to help!
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Post Tagged with Home Cleaning Tips, Home Toxins, Improving Home Air Quality, Real Estate Tips, Removing Chemicals In The Home
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