Does your family always seem to be sick? When you’re constantly battling sniffles and breathing problems, your immune system may not be to blame. Your home may be what’s really making you sick. Allergens, toxins and pollutants can hide in the air and on surfaces around your house, and cause serious issues for your family. So how do you protect them? Here are some super simple healthier home steps, presented below by Simmons Fitness and Nutrition. Make Cleaning Part of Your Daily Routine One of the simplest precautions you can take to keep toxins out of your home is to stick to a consistent cleaning schedule. You’ll want to use a high-quality vacuum that can tackle whatever kind of flooring you have in your home, whether you have tile or hardwood, rugs, or carpet. Even the variation of carpet can determine which vacuum will be best for thoroughly picking up dust mites, pet dander and all the allergens hidden in the fibers of your floors. So if your home has long-pile carpet, look for a model that will reach deep to really keep carpets clean. There are also models that are ideal for removing pet hair. A robot vacuum is another smart choice, to maintain clean floors between deeper vacuuming. For all other cleaning, be sure to use green cleaning practices, so that you are not dumping more toxins into your home. A good rule of thumb is to only use cleaners that list the ingredients clearly on the label. You can also check
the EWG’s list of products, if you want to be positive that a product is toxin-free. Put Extra Care into Any Upgrades or Home Repairs A fresh coat of paint can make any new house really feel like your home. Before you commit to any new home repair or upgrade projects, however, make sure the materials you use are safe for your family. Choose toxin-free paints, or paints that will not release VOCs into the air in your new home. No-VOC paints are best for protecting your family, and the shade range will cover any room, from nurseries to kitchens. Other building materials can release toxins into your home as well, so it’s important to know which materials to avoid, if you need to make changes (or if you’re currently shopping for a new home). For example, fluorescent lighting can release toxic mercury when bulbs are broken, so it’s much safer to use LED lighting instead. Also, if you are working on a home maintenance list, be sure to include changing air filters. Many homeowners miss this task and potentially put their families at risk for exposure to allergens and pollutants. Buy filters in bulk to keep clean ones handy throughout the year. If you’re having trouble finding filters that fit your units, you can buy custom-sized filters. Lastly, always bring in a professional if you encounter a DIY project that could ultimately harm your family’s health. For example, incorrectly installing plumbing could cause sewer gas to leak into your home, endangering everyone’s health in the process. So, use Angi.com, for example, to find an Angi plumber who’s received great reviews from their previous customers. This way, you won’t have to worry about the job getting handled correctly. Take Your Clean Air Efforts One Step Further Proper cleaning and building can help reduce indoor air pollutants and toxins. But if you really want to make your home’s air safe to breathe, you’ll want to take further quality control steps. Consider adding a pollutant-detecting camera to your home, like the Withings Home, to keep track of VOCs and toxins present in your air. You may also want to have your home’s air tested, to give yourself peace of mind. There are various testing kits available to alert you to the presence of allergens, chemicals and pollutants in your residence. Thorough testing will make it easier to resolve potential issues, such as mold growth and high levels of VOCs, which are just some of the odors and gases that can affect your family’s health and cause serious symptoms and illnesses. Using an air purifier can reduce the presence of these harmful substances and improve your family’s health overall. Models with HEPA filters are especially helpful for those with allergies, and there are options to fit various room sizes, filter needs and price points.
Take Care of Your Health Finally, make sure you’re taking good care of your family’s health through diet and exercise. If you’re eating fast food on a regular basis and you’re spending a lot of time sitting on the couch, there’s a very good chance that you’re going to feel terrible. If this scenario sounds a little too familiar, take steps to improve your situation. A strong constitution can your body fight off any indoor toxins that may be causing you problems. The services provided by Simmons Fitness and Nutrition can help your family get on the right track for their overall wellness. There are plenty of things that could make your family sick. Your home shouldn’t be one of them. Make your home safer for yourself and your loved ones by taking the right steps to keep it toxin-free.