Easy Tips to Reduce Toxins and Create a Healthy, Kid-Friendly Home

,Several hidden dangers can lurk in a typical home, including toxic chemicals, mold, and bacteria. Even dust and dirt can lower your indoor air quality and make allergy and asthma symptoms worse for kids and adults.

Here are a few simple ways to reduce toxins and make your home a Healthy, Kid-Friendly Home.

Use natural alternatives to chemical cleaners and natural alternatives to personal care products.
Take time to check for additives in the foods you buy. Easy things to look for and avoid are artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives like BHT, and hydrogenated oils to name a few.
Buy organic milk and produce, when possible, to limit harmful pesticide exposure for your kids.
Monitor expiration dates and discard things like old paints, pesticides, and other harmful chemical products. Reducing your use of old paint (which can be high in harmful VOCs), pesticides, and other harmful chemicals can enhance air quality and the overall health of your family.
Store paint, fuel for your lawnmower, and other potentially toxic substances in a storage room or garage far away from kids. If you’re having lots of work done on your home, stay in a hotel for a few days to avoid dust, chemicals, and fumes. It will be much more convenient than tolerating noise and disruptions, and you can enjoy a short vacation.
Change your HVAC system’s air filter once per month, or according to your filter’s guidelines, to prevent pollutants, keep your system efficient, and lower your utility bills.
Instead of an air freshener, use homemade potpourri or essential oils. Simmer cinnamon sticks, oranges, cloves, and other spices on your stove. You can also make your whole house smell great and have fun with your kids by baking.
Use inexpensive, homemade alternatives to conventional cleaning products. Lemon juice with olive oil makes a healthy wood polish. You can prevent mold by cleaning your bathroom with a few drops of tea tree oil mixed with water.