We all want to live cleaner and healthier lives but may feel overwhelmed with where to start. Fortunately, our guest blogger, Paige A. Mitchell, freelance writer, has compiled a list of quick home detox solutions to get us started on the path to greater health. These tips offer ways to detox our homes, thereby reducing toxins and elevating our general well-being. Find links to more information about each tip below.
Tips to Easily Detox Your Home
No shoes in the house-Have a place to put shoes by the door or leave them in the garage. Wearing shoes in the house can track in dirt, dust, pesticides, lead or other toxins you can pick up from walking outside or in other environments, like a public restroom.
Clean the air-Open doors and windows whenever the weather allows for it. Add a plant to every room of the house as a natural air filter. The soil can capture and trap air borne toxins. Someair-purifying plants include peace lilies, golden pothos, and spider plants. Consider adding a portable air purifier to bedrooms too.
Check the age of your mattress-As unpleasant as it is to think about, the reality is that our mattresses are the perfect spot for all sorts of gunk to build up. In order to maintain your mattress health and yours, cleaning it is a must. An easy trick is to leave your mattress uncovered with the ceiling fan turned on to air it out as you wash sheets and pillowcases.
Routine home maintenance-Hire a professional to check for carbon monoxide leaks and check radon levels, especially if your home has a basement. If it's been awhile, have your HVAC serviced to make sure filters are clean and air is flowing properly through your home. If your whole-house humidifier is on the fritz or the filter in your refrigerator's water dispenser needs to be replaced, hire a service provider, and remember, these systems may be covered under your home warranty plan.
Clean up your cleaning products-Replace toxic cleaning products and disinfectants with everyday items such as baking soda, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide lemon, lime, cinnamon, tea tree oils, and natural soaps.
Pay attention to the plastics you use-Bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to cancer and Phthalates, which are added to plastic to enhance flexibility and transparency, have been linked to endocrine and developmental problems. Avoid plastics with number 1, 3, 6 and 7 as much as possible as these have shown the greatest levels of BPA and phthalates. You could bring your own reusable bag to the supermarket next time you visit the produce aisle and avoid microwaving food in plastic containers.
Reduce the dust in your home-Mop surfaces at least once a week. Vacuum with a HEPA-filter vacuum as the HEPA filter will trap the widest range of particles and reduce allergens and chemicals in the home.
Detox your daily diet-Avoid artificial flavors and colors. Eat organic when possible, but when not possible, avoid the "dirty dozen" or items that contain the most pesticides including apples, blueberries, celery, cucumbers, grapes, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach and strawberries.
Avoid PFCs-Teflon contains perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) which have been linked to cancer and developmental problems. Avoid items with PFCs including non-stick pots and pans and bakeware, stain-guarded clothing, furniture and carpets, and certain food packaging.
Filter your water-A whole-house water filtration system is the best but expensive. If you have a water softener, make sure you flush it regularly to drain sediment. Always make sure to filter tap water and shower water with specialty faucets or showerheads to avoid ingesting chemicals or other unpleasant sediment.