Guest post by Will Sandford

(updated July 17,2020)

Do you think your home offers a clean and healthy living environment? If you answered yes, you are thinking like the majority of people. However, unfortunately, you are wrong. Even now, many houses and apartments are unfit for living, and we will explain why. So, let’s begin.

You are using hard chemicals

One of the most common problems with today’s households is the use of hard chemicals for everyday cleaning tasks. Sure, it’s more convenient to buy a cleaning product than to make your own cleaning solution. However, the vast majority of these products are full of hazardous chemicals that can seriously affect your health. Even if you wear protective gloves and don’t come into direct contact with them, you can inhale the fumes that these cleaners release while you are scrubbing the floors.

That is why we recommend brewing a homemade cleaning solution. All you need is a couple of readily available ingredients like lemon rind, rosemary sprigs, white vinegar, and some water. Mix all these ingredients in a bottle, and let it sit for one week before using it. This simple solution can remove stains from all surfaces. Plus, it can be used as a clothes refresher because it has lemon and rosemary in it.

There are hazardous materials in your home

Despite harsher regulations that were introduced across the whole world in the early 2000s, some older houses still have problems with hazardous materials, mainly asbestos and lead. While some homeowners have already inspected and resolved problems with these materials, companies that offer professional asbestos testing and removal services still have their hands full. So if your home is built before the 2000s, make sure you hire one of these companies. Otherwise, you are risking causing some serious damage to your health and the environment.

You are not filtering the air properly

Unfortunately, living in urban areas means that you are probably breathing bad air. All that CO2 released from car fumes, home appliances, air conditioning units, etc. is not only affecting our planet Earth, but also you and your family. While fixing the quality of the air in cities is not your concern, you can at least try to improve the air inside of your home. For example, you can get one of those air purifying units, which filter all harmful particles from the air. This is especially important if you have kids, as their immune systems are weaker and by inhaling dust and other allergens, they can develop respiratory problems.

There is too much plastic in your household

Finally, even though plastic has become a common sight in almost all households, that doesn’t mean it is good for you. In fact, plastic that contains Bisphenol A (BPA) is linked to some forms of cancer and can cause developmental problems. Additionally, recent studies have linked childhood exposure to BPA to changes in brain development and increased risk for childhood obesity

While you cannot avoid plastic entirely, you can stop using it in some key areas. For example, don’t buy plastic-wrapped food products, and don’t wrap your leftovers in plastic bags. Also, don’t use plastic cups and baby bottles. Instead, opt for the glass ones. Furthermore, don’t buy your kids plastic toys. Children love to bite things, and you can’t avoid that. But you can avoid them biting hazardous plastic products. Finally, don’t use plastic containers when heating or microwaving food, even if they are heat resistant.

As you can see, your home can indeed be an unhealthy environment. So, if you are doing any of these four things, make sure you address them immediately. While the effects won’t be visible right away, in the long run, you will be glad that you made these changes.

Will Sandford is a Sydney-based wood architect, blogger and contributor on interior design and ecology blogs. Besides that, he is also interested in home improvement combined with green technology. In his spare time, Will enjoys surfing and rock climbing. Connect with him on Twitter.

Like this? Please pin!