When you come home after a long day, it’s essential to have a clean environment that is conducive to relaxation and is free of clutter and toxins. Here are some tips to making some easy swaps and changes to detox your home and breathe easy:
Add House Plants to Each Room
Certain varieties of houseplants, such as English ivy, bamboo palm and spider plants can filter pollutants from the air, allowing you breathe in the benefits. Your best bet is the Garden Mum - NASA research found this to be the air-purifying champion, removing benzene, formaldehyde and xylene from indoor air.
Purify the Air You Breathe
Himalayan salt lamps can generate negative ions in your home, improving the air quality over time - all thanks to their hygroscopic effect. Water vapor (found naturally in our air) and its pollutants are attracted to the salt lamps and these microscopic compounds remain on the salt, not in the air you breathe. An even better way to get exposure to these negative ions is the old, natural way: spending time outdoors surrounded by a body of water and plant life.
Swap Out Your Chemical Cleaners
Although many of us have been made to think the dirt in our homes is worse than the spray we use to clean it up - there is increasing evidence that it may be the other way around. A common ingredient in everyday cleaners is bleach, which can irritate the respiratory tract and mucus membranes. There are lots of non-toxic cleaners available, but one Google search can bring up plenty of simple, homemade ones for you to try with ingredients like white vinegar and lemon. Also, Norwex is a brand of microfiber towels that use an antibacterial agent (micro silver) against mold, fungi and bacterial odor. Take this one step further and remove fragrance-filled candles and room sprays. Most candles are made of paraffin wax, which creates highly toxic benzene and toluene when burned (both are known carcinogens). Instead, try out an essential oil diffuser to freshen up a room or make your own room spray with the essential oils of your choice.
Clear Clutter + Let Go
Donate and purge items that no longer serve you - whether it’s unused appliances, clothing, or books, there are several donation centers that will take them off your hands for you. Simplifying one room - let’s say your office or den - to have only what you need, makes work much more productive. Instead of shuffling through old papers, you can easily grab what you need and stay focused. Having a home for all items in a room means you can walk into the space feeling relaxed rather than stressed to tidy up.
Make Cleaning a Regular Occurrence
It seems obvious that the more frequently you clean your home of germs, dirt and dust, the better your health will be. By regularly dusting and vacuuming you’ll remove common allergens that stick to carpet, and get rid of the pet dander, mold spores and chemicals that collect in dust bunnies. Even if you can't deep clean as often as you'd like, taking your shoes off at the door will prevent pesticides and other contaminants from entering your home.
Maintaining a clean and orderly space (even organized chaos) provides the sanctuary needed to relax at home. Trying one or all of the above tips will help improve the quality of your health and create a place you feel good to come home to.