Nowadays, when the food we eat is full of various chemicals and when the air we breathe is polluted, it’s essential to try and at least make your home a healthier place. This is no easy task, given that we accidentally bring a lot of debris and from the outside into our homes. Needless to say, all of this impacts our health and well-being. Luckily, although it takes some effort, transforming your home into a toxin-free sanctuary is possible. Here are a few tips to help you start.

Use natural cleansers

First things first. It’s only logical that a healthy home needs to be spotlessly clean. However, in order to achieve this, people usually resort to harsh cleansers packed with chemicals and toxins. They release harmful fumes which can lead to serious respiratory damage if accidentally inhaled.

When they’re mixed, their effects are even worse, which is why you should be extremely cautious when you’re using them. But, the best option would be to completely eliminate them and switch to natural mixtures. They can clean your home equally successfully without any side effects. To make an all-purpose, chemical-free cleanser you’ll need only two ingredients: 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 litre of warm water. Vinegar is another powerful natural homemade cleanser with disinfecting properties. Pour a half-cup of baking soda and the same amount of white vinegar down the drain. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, pour some boiling water and voila – your drain is unclogged and disinfected.

Keep the air fresh

As you may suspect, air fresheners aren’t the best way to keep your indoor air fresh and clean. Saying that they also contain chemical and substances you shouldn’t inhale would be an understatement. According to research studies, less than 10% of air freshener ingredients are disclosed to the public. It means that they’re full of harmful chemicals. All this applies to scented candles too.

Luckily, you can make your own air fresheners by mixing ¾ cup of water with 2 tablespoons of vodka or rubbing alcohol and adding various essential oils. Airing out your house will remove the stale air, but if you’re suffering from allergies, then you should be really careful because together with the fresh air, lots of allergens will invade your living space. In that case, getting the best air purifier for allergies will help you feel better.

Get rid of germs

Germs worm their way into various places of your home and sometimes you’re not even aware that they managed to infest, for example, your toothbrush or laptop keyboard. Even if you’re cleaning all surfaces very carefully, you simply can’t eliminate all of them. However, you can start by introducing a few simple rules – washing your hands before meals, after toilet trips, and after coming home from the outside. The already-mentioned toothbrush is a perfect host for colonies of germs. That’s why it’s recommendable to change it every two or three months, as well as after every cold or flu. Similarly, warm, wet surfaces and fabrics make excellent breeding ground for germs, and that includes your sponge and loofah. Some experts even suggest that you should stop using them, but if your skin needs exfoliation, rinse your loofah after using it and dry it properly. Soaking it in a 5% bleach solution is another way of destroying swarms of germs and bacteria. Finally, make sure to replace it on a regular basis.

Remove electronic devices from your bedroom

When we’re talking about pollution, people tend to forget that their laptops and mobile devices can also contaminate your living space, especially bedroom, in the sense that they can disrupt your sleep. All mobile devices emit blue light which is bad for your health. Namely, blue wavelengths, which are beneficial during the daytime because they help us focus and be more alert, wreak havoc on your circadian rhythm, that is your body’s internal clock during the nighttime. Some researchers even claim that this kind of night light which comes from smartphone and tablet screens is linked to diabetes and cancer. What we know for sure is that people whose circadian rhythms are disturbed can experience increased sugar and low leptin levels, which eventually leads to obesity. Finally, poor sleep patterns make you feel exhausted and sleepy all the time. Turn off your smartphone and tablet before going to bed, and try to read only regular, paper books.

These simple tips can help you detox your home and make it more comfortable, pleasant, and what’s most important, healthy.

Photo credits: Huffington Post, imgur and Pixabay