How to Make Your Home Toxin Free
Contributed by Stephanie James
A home is meant to be your sanctuary – a place for you to relax and unwind. It’s also a place to feel safe. However, many people do not realize that their homes can be threatening to their health by housing unwelcomed guests like pollutants and toxins, that can have detrimental effects on one’s health. Poor air quality and toxins can lead to things like asthma, allergies, migraines, and even cancer. Removing toxins from your home needn’t be difficult. Below we’ve compiled a few easy ways to remove toxic chemicals from your home and lifestyle.
Use Soy or Pure Bee Wax Instead of Perfume Scented Paraffin Candles.
Avoid the use of the perfume scented paraffin candles, as paraffin is a petroleum by-product that is bleached chemically and hardened. When you light a regular (not eco-friendly) candle, the air in your house will be polluted. Paraffin candles are also not regulated, and their synthetic perfumes can be containing more than 3000 or even more toxic ingredients which are hazardous to your health. Another reason for why you should avoid these fragrance scented paraffin candles is that the wicks of these candles contain lead. But if you’re a candle lover, don’t worry. There are several eco-friendly options that will not release harmful chemicals into the air when burned.
Use Glass Containers Instead of Plastic Containers.
Most plastic containers emit chemicals, which can cause certain cancers when they are microwaved or when you put hot foods or drinks in them. Glass storage containers are easy to clean, and there are no chances of leaving residue during your cleaning. It is also easy to see what you have stored in glass storage containers unlike in plastic storage containers which are made up of opaque materials.
Remove Harmful Cleaning Chemicals from Your Home.
Instead of using harsh and harmful products like air fresheners, drying cleaning chemicals, bleaches and ammonia, opt for all-natural, and organic cleaning products. While some of these harsh cleaning products could cause skin and eye irritations, others may invoke chronic lung conditions. The American Lung Association recommends limiting your exposure to these harsh chemicals in order to improve air quality and promote respiratory health.
One of the most harmful of these home toxins are Dry Cleaning Chemicals. Most dry cleaning chemicals are made of perchloroethylene (PERC). PERC is a combination of carcinogen and neurotoxin. Carcinogens are substances that are capable of causing cancer. They can destroy your genome and even disrupt your cellular metabolic process in your system.
Neurotoxins destroy your nerve tissues, causing neurotoxicity. The neurotoxins are also a great class of exogenous chemicals which are capable of adversely affecting the function of the mature and developing nervous tissues in your body.
PERC is not only retained in your dry-cleaned clothes but also piles up each time you do the dry cleaning and hence increases the risks.
Instead of using the dry cleaning chemicals, go for the eco-friendly cleaners, which can be easily found in a nearby store or online.
When you must use the traditional way of dry cleaning, make sure you have removed your clothes from the plastic bag. Take them outside for airing for few hours before putting them in your closet. This will help in reducing the toxicants in your closet and your home in general.
Keep the Windows Open.
This is a natural, easy, and free way of making your home toxin-free. When you keep your windows open, your home will have a circulation of fresh air and the fresh air will replace those air impurities. You can also keep indoor plants in your home as it helps in reducing the amount of CO2 in your home and gives out oxygen. Frequent dusting and vacuuming also help to remove the toxic particles in your home hence a healthy atmosphere.
Keep in Green in the Bedroom.
People spend approximately 1/3 of their lives in bed, so don’t forget to have a green bedroom. Replacing mattresses and sheets with organic bedding is a great way to start, because bed linens and accessories can be covered in chemicals and formaldehyde to keep them shiny and unwrinkled. To avoid snuggling up with these harmful toxins, consider the alternatives.
You don’t have to completely change your lifestyle to incorporate healthy habits within your home. Use these simple tips and make a couple product swaps to ensure that your home maintains its purpose to keep you relaxed, and healthy, and safe.
