The truth is, we spend most of our time inside our home or our car. But, studies have shown that indoor air quality is poorer than outdoor air quality. And since we spend the majority of our lives indoors and the air we breathe is essential to our health, it's very important to learn how to create a healthy and clean environment in your home. However, sometimes keeping your house or apartment sparkling clean and organized all the time can be quite difficult, especially if you have small children or pets and a busy schedule. Hiring home cleaners to ensure that your home is clean and tidy is always a good idea, but if you decide to do the job yourself, here are a few tips on how to create a safe and clean environment inside your home.
1. Remove dust and dander
Dust mites and pet dander are among the most common allergens. They can be found everywhere - on rugs, carpets, to curtains and upholstery. If you want to get rid of them and reduce your chances of falling sick, you need to always maintain a clean living environment. Keep humidity levels around 45%, dust door frames, ceilings, and walls, and vacuum carpets at least twice a week to avoid dirt settling in. Wash your rugs, curtains, pillows, and bedding regularly, and wipe down the sofa and other furnishings at your home every day because they accumulate the most dust and pet hair, which not only makes your home look dirtier but also reduces their lifespan.
2. Change air filters regularly
In order to ensure a flow of fresh air inside your home, you will need to clean or change the air filters in your heating, cooling, and air purification systems frequently. Cleaning and changing air filters regularly is one of the easiest things you do as a homeowner to prolong the lifespan of your air conditioning system and increase the quality of the air you are breathing. So, always keep those air filters free of dirt and debris and you can be sure that you will keep allergens out of the air, prevent mold growth, insect infestation, and avoid health problems.
3.Use natural cleaning supplies
The majority of the cleaning supplies we have at home contain harmful chemicals that affect the quality of indoor air and lead to various health problems. Therefore, if you want to have a cleaner and healthier environment inside your home, you might want to switch to natural cleaning products that are safer and less toxic for you and the environment. Nowadays, there are a lot of safe and natural cleaning supplies on the market you can choose from. However, various combinations of products we all have at home such as baking soda, lemon juice, white vinegar, and water, can do wonders when it comes to cleaning dirt, grease, and rust.
4. Open your windows
Opening the windows of your home for at least 10 or 15 minutes once a day will remove stale air, get rid of pollutants, and bring an immediate improvement in the air inside your home. As we mentioned before, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air, so remember to open your windows every day and let in some fresh air in your home. Even if you live in a polluted area, you're going to have to open the windows from time to time, because you don't want to be stuck in a home with no ventilation all day. Regularly opening your windows each day will also help you to get rid of the stuffy smell and will improve the overall scent of your home.
5. Maintain your kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of every home, but it's one of the toughest areas to clean. If you don't maintain your kitchen clean, it can quickly become the hub of all kinds of disgusting infestations. Therefore, clean the sink and the countertops after each meal, wash the dishes immediately after lunch or dinner, clean up any spills right away, and minimize clutter in the kitchen by using only a limited number of dishes and utensils at a time. Also, be very selective about what stays on your countertops, empty the trash every night, and check your fridge frequently for perishable foods that need to be thrown away.
6. Use floor mats
Using rugs at the front door is probably one of the easiest and the best ways to prevent dirt and other debris from making its way inside your home. Floor mats can be placed both outside and inside of your front door and they will need to be cleaned regularly (at least every other week) so they can do their job properly. Also, since our shoes are covered in all sorts of dirt, bacteria, germs, and parasites, always take off your shoes at the door so that these contaminants won't be tracked throughout your home.