Every parent wants to ensure that their home is a safe place for their family to live in, however, it can be very difficult to know which steps to take when it comes to making improvements. You’ve probably already tackled all of the most obvious things – installing smoke alarms, fitting protective covers to hard corners and electric power outlets and testing your air in case it contains radon. No doubt you’ve already put antibacterial soap in your bathrooms and fitted a carbon monoxide detector just in case… However, if you’re still looking for more ways to improve the environment of your home there are a few more steps that you can take to protect your loved ones.
Here, we’ve detailed some of the best ways to make your home healthier for your family so you can have complete peace of mind.
1.Use Natural Cleansers
Probably the easiest change that you can make, and one of the most effective ones, is to switch to using natural cleaning products instead of harsh chemicals. Bleaches and store bought cleaning products are full of noxious ingredients which could prove harmful to your well-being. Luckily, there are numerous homemade alternatives which are just as effective but which won’t damage your own or your family’s health.
You can make an all-purpose cleaning solution by dissolving four tablespoons of baking soda in a liter of warm water. This will be highly effective no matter which surfaces in your home you’re cleaning. If you need a little more power when cleaning tricky surfaces such as toilet bowls, you can make up a paste using borax and lemon juice. Simply apply it to the affected surface, allow it to set for 2 hours then scrub it clean and rinse thoroughly. When it comes to cleaning your own, just heat it up then sprinkle some water onto any burned on spills, add a little salt over the top and allow it to cool before scraping away the spill.
2.Cleaning Mold
Mold spores are one of the most common causes of wheezing, coughing and allergies in the home. If you find that you or your children are experiencing respiratory difficulties, the problem can often be resolved by getting rid of mold in your house. High humidity levels are responsible for mold spores inside your home, so controlling moisture levels is essential. Check to make sure that you’ve properly vented and calibrated all furnaces, fireplaces and space heaters, check the roof for leaks and faucets for dripping so that you can rectify those problems. Next, buy a dehumidifier and this will keep mold effectively at bay.
3.Eradicate Germs
Even if you clean really carefully, eradicating every single germ in your home is impossible. However, you can limit the amount of viruses and colds your family suffer from by taking a few simple precautions. Always ensure that everyone has thoroughly washed their hands before eating and every time they use the bathroom. Toothbrushes are often home to germs so consider keeping three toothbrushes and cycling through them so you use a dry one every time. If you become ill, replace all your toothbrushes as soon as you’ve recovered. Sponges also often harbor germs, so change your kitchen sponge once per week and always ensure that it has been thoroughly air-dried before being used again.
4.Get Rid Of Dust Mites
Although the idea of dust mites might make you feel sick, they are extremely common and live in every home. The problem is that these microscopic creatures leave behind droppings which can trigger allergic reactions. It’s impossible to see dust mites, but eradicating them isn’t as hard as you think. Vacuum all of your upholstered furniture and rugs every week and wash all of your towels and bed linens in very hot water. If you have comforters or quilts which you don’t wash frequently, pop them in your dryer every week to kill the dust mites that lurk in them.
5.Keeping Lead Out
Although you’re no doubt aware that lead typically lurks in old paint and in water from your faucet, there are other sources of this toxic metal to be aware of. While leaded gasoline no longer is in use, there remains contamination in the topsoil of many areas so you should ensure that you regularly dust your home and ensure everybody removes their shoes before they come inside. Lead can also contaminate your home in the form of newspaper ink. If you handle a newspaper, always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, and avoid using newspaper when lighting a fire since lead dust could linger behind in the ash.
6.Reduce Your Chlorine Intake
Water that you get from your faucet is usually chlorinated, and while this comes with benefits since chlorine can kill germs very effectively, it can also cause problems like rectal and bladder cancer. Use an activated charcoal water filter fitted to your kitchen faucet to remove chlorine from your tap water and install one on your shower head so that you reduce the chlorine-containing compounds which you inhale while taking a long shower.
7.Purify Your Air
Having pure air in your home is essential for health and well-being, especially if there is anyone elderly or very young living in your house. Keeping your home environment’s air pure can be very difficult if someone in your home smokes, however, there is a way of resolving the issues. There are many high quality air purifiers which can be found on pureairreviews.com which have been designed especially to eradicate harmful particles from the air so that you and your loved ones can all breathe easily once more.
If you follow this helpful advice, you can be confident that you’ve taken every step to protect your family’s health and well-being. By making a few simple changes, you can keep your loved ones safe from all of the primary contaminants and harmful substances which we come into contact with in our homes on a daily basis.
