Airing Your Dirty, um, Air
{ Sprucing It Up - Come Clean }
Airing Your Dirty, um, Air
Even if your pad smells fine, the air could be full of nasties like pesticides and cancer-causing VOCs (typically off-gassed from plastic or vinyl products). Put your indoor air quality on the level with these tips.
Open your windows to air rooms out once in a while.
Take off your shoes at the door to avoid tracking in junk like residual pesticides.
Get a HEPA filter vacuum - these 'cuums trap tiny particles of dust, bacteria, pollen, and pet dander that ordinary vacuums spit back out.
Opt for a PVC-free shower curtain - conventional PVC-coated curtains can release plasticizers (potential hormone disruptors) up to a month after purchase.
Buy some plants - plants suck harmful particulates right outta the air; some can be toxic to dogs and cats, so read up if you're a pet owner.
STAT: A NASA study found that plants removed 96% of harmful carbon monoxide from a closed room. Not a typo.
STAT: The EPA estimates that indoor air can have pollution levels two to five times higher than outside.
Plant Buy Me Love
Our three fave air-purifying plants:
- Bamboo palm - sucks up airborne pollutants.
- Peace lily - absorbs many environmental contaminants, including benzene and formaldehyde, among others (not for cat owners).
- Orchid - as night-photosynthesizing plants, orchids help create a 24-7 filtration system.
VIP Tip: Be a Big Fan
From our pal Steve McClearn, director of Sears Green Home Services:
Run your bathroom fan every time you take a shower. Shower steam is a significant source of moisture in a home, and if that moisture's not properly removed, it can cause mold and mildew problems leading to allergies and potentially more serious breathing difficulties.
