Keep Your Floors Fresh
Table of Contents
Suck it up. Dust can accumulate chemicals and allergens for decades. You can reduce the concentration of lead in your home by using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Furthermore, you can eliminate other toxins, such as brominated fire retardants (PBDEs) and allergens such as pollen, pet dander, and dust mites.
Dust and dirt are not blown back out of the exhaust by vacuum cleaners with strong suction, rotating brushes, and filters. The same place should be vacuumed several times in areas with a high traffic flow. The edges of carpets, upholstered furniture, and walls should also be dust-free. Clean your filter regularly and vacuum at least two times a week for best results.
Mop it up. Vacuums leave dust behind, so mopping picks it up. If there are any lingering dust or allergens, just wash the area with plain water instead of soaps and cleaners. In contrast to traditional fibers, microfiber mop (and dust cloth) devices reportedly capture more dust and dirt than any other cleaning solution.
Keep it out. Make sure every door has a large floor mat. Foot traffic brings all sorts of chemicals into the house. Doormats reflect dirt, pesticides, and other pollutants away from your home so that they cannot enter. You will not only remove most pollutants from your home’s flooring if you use a larger mat.
There is a good chance that lead paint remains on your walls if the house was built before 1978. However, even in newly built homes, lead dust from outside can expose you to lead. Young children are at risk of exposure to lead dust, a serious health risk that can damage their brains, nervous systems, and kidneys. In young children, pesticides may also cause brain damage. Since kids put their fingers in their mouths after getting dust on their fingers, they are more susceptible to higher exposures.
Ask everyone to remove their shoes before entering your home in order to provide the best level of protection. Place slippers, socks, and shoes near the door.
Keep a Healthy Level of Humidity.
Moisture is a favorite of dust mites and mold. In order to keep them and other allergens under control, keep the humidity at 30%-50%. Lang says dehumidifiers (and air conditioners in summer) reduce indoor moisture and control allergens effectively. Another benefit for allergy sufferers is that an air conditioner reduces indoor pollen levels.
Here Are Some Tips for Dehumidifying Your Home:
- -Cook, run the dishwasher, or take a bath with an exhaust fan.
- -Overwatering houseplants is not recommended.
- -The clothes dryer should be vented to the outside.
- -Make sure your plumbing is leak-free to prevent mold growth.
- -Keep your dehumidifier and window air conditioner’s drip pans empty.
Make Your Home a No-Smoking Zone.
Secondhand cigarette smoke is probably the most important source of indoor air pollution. In cigarette smoke, there are thousands of chemicals. Secondhand smoke is associated with ear and respiratory infections, asthma, cancer, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), among other illnesses. Smoking leads to cancers, lung problems, heart attacks, and strokes. That is why you have to take the alternative of smoking which is a smokeless non tobacco pouches. Where all you have to do is to chew it. In this way, your house will never be smoky again.
There are a number of supplements, medications, and support groups available to help you stop smoking. Think positively and find a method that helps you (friends, family, fellow quitting people, counseling). Don’t let cravings overtake your motivation to quit.
That’s not the only kind of smoke you may have to worry about. Wildfire smoke doesn’t just affect the air quality of the place surrounding the fire. It can spread and be carried over hundreds of miles to settle in inversion zones. Consider upgrading your air purifier for wildfire smoke if this is a problem you have to deal with in your home.
Test for Radon
There is a possibility that your home is affected by radon, whether it’s new or old. There is a significant link between exposure to this odorless, colorless gas and lung cancer. A substantial amount of lung cancer is due to radon in the U.S. today. In homes with high levels of radon and smokers, lung cancer risks are increased more than usual.
Radon is radioactive. It is formed during the natural decay of uranium, which is found in nearly all soil. The moisture usually moves through cracks and holes in your foundation and up into your home. Whether your home is drafty or airtight, whether it has a basement or not – there’s a possibility of radon buildup.
Radon has also been linked to granite countertops. Generally speaking, experts agree that granite countertops emit some radon, but whether their levels are dangerous is debatable. Testing is quick, cheap, and easy. Fortunately, radon can be reduced in most homes without being too costly. There are ways to reduce radon levels even if they are high. An EPA consumer guide that offers information on reducing radon is available.
Create Nice Scents Naturally
If you associate the smell of lemon or pine with clean clothes and a clean kitchen, you are mistaken. Synthetic fragrances in laundry products and air fresheners release an array of chemicals into the air. The labels of the products don’t mention their names. As a result, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and oils and sprays that are used for air freshening may release such gases.
Plug-in air fresheners emit 20 different types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including seven regulated as hazardous or toxic under U.S. federal laws. There was no mention of these chemicals on the label — only the word “fragrance” had to appear. A fragrance’s composition, however, is considered to be a “trade secret.”
The majority of fragrances are petroleum products, and they have not been extensively tested to determine if inhaling them may cause adverse health effects in humans. Some that have been tested raise concerns. (These tests look for whether a fragrance will irritate the skin.) Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in many fragrant products as well as in softening plastics. Phthalates disrupt animals’ hormones according to studies. So then what are your options?
- -Look for products with natural scents or fragrances that are fragrance-free.
- -Ensure the cleaners you use do not have artificial fragrances. We recommend staying away from aerosol sprays such as deodorants.
- -Ventilate the room. Make sure your home doesn’t accumulate toxic chemicals by opening windows. Is your child allergic to pollen? Make sure that filtered air- conditioning is used to ventilate rooms.
- -To freshen up your kitchen, slice lemons and use baking soda.
-Natural elements can be brought inside. Plants like ferns, spider plants, and aloe vera make any room more beautiful. Aside from that, it’s also healthier. NASA research suggests that indoor plants such as naturally purify the air. Both the roots and leaves work together to absorb chemical pollutants released by synthetic materials. Make sure that the plants you use are not harmful if ingested by your children or pets.
