How to Keep a Healthy Home
Many American homes don’t meet basic healthy homes principles: dry, clean, ventilated, free from pests and contaminants, well-maintained and safe. This is costing our country billions of dollars annually in housing-related healthcare costs for asthma, lead-based paint poisoning and injury, as well as lost productivity.
Besides the physical health toll an at-risk home can have on its inhabitants, including thousands of unnecessary emergency visits annually due to accidents and illness, the monetary costs of unhealthy homes are enormous. On the other hand, the remedies to create and keep a healthy home are cheap and effective. Here are a few tips.
Recent research has revealed that a chemical commonly used in air fresheners, toilet deodorizers, and mothballs may negatively affect lung function, particularly in people that have asthma or other lung disorders. If we want aromatherapy at home, a better way to achieve it is via a diffuser that heats and volatilizes essential oils.
We can make our own green, safer cleaning products. Tackle almost any cleaning dilemma with combinations of three key ingredients; baking soda, white vinegar and liquid soap. Read labels of cleaning products, avoid fragrances and antimicrobial products. Old-fashioned soap and water is still the healthiest cleaning method.
Bring green plants into a home, especially varieties that filter indoor pollutants. According to the Foliage for Clean Air Council, these include Gerbera daisies, Boston ferns, English ivy, chrysanthemums, Areca palms, spider plants and golden pothos. The Council recommends two plants for every 100 square feet.
Clean out the clutter. A low-maintenance home is refreshing after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores. Fewer items can mean less frustration. Create an atmosphere of love.
Safely store and properly label products, keep poisons out of the reach of children, secure loose rugs and items that can fall, and keep children’s play areas free from hard or sharp surfaces. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and keep fire extinguishers on hand.
Keep the home dry. Prevent water from entering through leaks in roofing systems. Prevent rainwater from entering the home due to poor drainage around the outside and check interior plumbing for any leaks. Fix moist and molds; they can ruin a home and our health.
Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS, provides holistic and biological dentistry at Holistic Dental Center, located at 91 Millburn Ave., in Millburn, NJ. For more information, call 973-457-4688 or visit HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com.
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