Our health is our wealth, and what constitutes healthy living extends far beyond our plates and our exercise regimes. Many of us spend a lot of time at home – especially since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it’s become more important than ever for us to make sure that our homes are healthy and safe environments for ourselves and our families.
The air we breathe, the products we use and consume and the way we live our lives can all have a serious impact on our health. We’ve rounded up some important things you should be doing in order to keep your home in tip-top shape.
Pest Control
Creepy crawlies are gross, there’s no doubt about it. But there’s often a lot more to the picture than just that. Often, the bugs and other creatures we see in our kitchens and other spaces in our homes can be carrying harmful diseases and spreading them through the house.
Bugs in your pantry or rodents in the house could damage or contaminate the food your family eats which could be seriously dangerous. On top of this, certain bugs can damage wood and other structural elements of your home and compromise the safety of the building you live in. If you suspect pests, it’s really important to get in touch with a reliable exterminator like Biotech Termite & Pest Control as soon as possible to deal with the problem and help ensure that the creatures won’t make a return.
Air Purifiers
Air pollution isn’t just a problem on the highways you drive to work on – it can permeate our homes too. The air we breathe has a profound impact on the health of our lungs and overall, and this is something we should be paying closer attention to. An air purifier filters the air in your home and cleans toxins and other harmful particles from it before it reaches your nose – keeping you breathing easy all day.
These devices are helpful for asthma and allergies and can even improve sleep. If you’re not ready to invest in an air purifier just yet, certain indoor plants are great for cleaning the air. Some examples you could look for are English ivy, Gerberas and Spider plants.
Carpet Cleaners
Especially when you have kids and pets, you know the endless struggle of various unidentifiable objects being stomped into your carpet each day. That grime builds up, and it’s not healthy! Getting your carpets thoroughly cleaned every few months is a really good idea to ensure that any build-up bacteria, dust mites or other messes are cleaned away leaving your carpets fresh. This is especially important for parents of younger kids who are still crawling around on the floor.
Many families recommend renting carpet cleaning equipment and handling the situation themselves. Others vouch for hiring professional carpet cleanings to get the job done right. Keep in mind that different carpets are made of different materials and may need specific treatment.
Deep Cleaning
This is not a term that has many people jumping for joy with excitement, but you got to do what you got to do. Deep cleaning is an important part of maintaining a home and keeping it clean, healthy, and safe. It’s not something that needs to happen too often, but every few months, your place needs a good scrub down to get to the hard-to-reach places.
What your deep cleaning routine will be up to you and your home. You might need to spend time removing mould or mildew from moist areas like the bathroom. Perhaps doing a deep clean of your fridge and freezer will be important. Moving big items of furniture and getting to the dust underneath them will be great for your breathing. Cleaning your sofas and mattresses might be in order too. You get the idea – there are loads of jobs that don’t need to be done often but are still important. Make a checklist and run through it over a weekend.
Regular Cleaning
All your deep cleaning efforts will go to waste if you’re not maintaining a neat and tidy home each week. Running a household is no easy task and the best way to make sure you’re on top of your chores is to keep some form of cleaning schedule. Work out which days of the week you have time for certain tasks and try to stick to the schedule – that’ll also help you avoid a big day of cleaning over the weekend.
If you have kids, get them involved in regular house clean-up with tactics like the Joon chore app to motivate them to help out. Making sure that dust, dishes and laundry are cleaned on the daily will help you feel at ease that your environment is clean and healthy.
Shop Mindfully
There’s more to your shopping than what you think. Keep in mind that certain cleaning products, beauty products and even some materials like plastics can be harmful to your body. Look out for harmful ingredients in the products you buy, especially when you’re likely to be breathing them in or applying them to your skin on a regular basis. Taking care of our bodies and homes extends to what we consume, and chemicals can play a major role!
Certain harmful chemicals can cause irritation in your skin, eyes and throat, and even more serious health problems like cancers if used extensively. Shop mindfully and learn to look out for ingredients that you don’t want in your home or body.
The Bottom Line
It may seem complicated, but living a healthy life just involves being aware of what’s around you in your life. When you’re on top of your cleaning, you have nothing to worry about in terms of bacteria and you can rest assured that you and your family are living in a healthy, germ-free environment. Of course, we cannot eliminate every possible risk to our health but as long as you’re doing your best, it’s enough!
