Is your home Environment clean and chemical free?

A clean environment is essential to your good health. You might think your house is clean, but the air inside it can be very dirty without looking or smelling as if it is. The chemicals you use to clean your home can pollute your surroundings. Allergies, respiratory problems, and reduced immune function can all be induced or complicated by toxins in the environment.

Environmental illness occurs when a person’s immune system is so sensitive that they are allergic to such everyday things as the carpets in their home or the fabrics in their clothes. Early research found that such people were often sensitive to the chemicals used to produce these everyday products, not to the products themselves.

Some companies make non-chemically-produced products for the home, such as mattresses, bedspreads towels, and shower curtains. No matter what kind of products you buy, always wash any new fabric products before you use them. This removes the residues from the manufacturing processes and decreases your exposure to toxins.

You may not be as sensitive as someone who can’t ride a bus without being sickened by the bus exhaust, or other people’s perfume or cologne or cigarette smoke. However, you could be sensitive at a sub-clinical level, where the reaction is never fully manifested but still puts stress on your immune system.

If you are often sick and/or tired, you may be sensitive to your environment. Why not keep your living space as free of toxins as you possibly can, just in case you are sensitive? It couldn’t hurt.

At home, start by cleaning or replacing all air filters on your furnace and air conditioners. Have the furnace Ducts cleaned on regular basis- it's a investment, but a good one- you would be amazed at how many pounds of dust is lurking in the furnace ducts! While you’re at it, change the filters on the exhaust fans for the bathroom, clothes dryer, and stove. Make sure all fans are working properly to vent outside the home. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to change them again in six months.

Use humidity controls. If you live in a damp climate, use a dehumidifier to discourage mold. If your home is too dry, use a humidifier to make the air more moist, and friendlier to your respiratory system. If you live in an area high in dust or pollen, keep your windows closed at high-risk times. The same goes if you live near a well-traveled road or freeway whose traffic pumps a lot of exhaust into the air.

If you use humidifiers, clean them at least once a week. Drain all the water, clean the inside with a brush, and soak the filters in a natural cleaner. Young Living Essential Oils makes several different oils that work to clean the air when added to the water in your humidifier. For instance the oil called Purification contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ingredients that will ride the water droplets into the air, and decrease the pollutants in your home. If you don’t humidify, you can purchase an oil distiller, choose one that does not use heat - a cold distiller uses air pressure to release the oil molecules into the air. If you decide to use essential oils, be sure that they’re pure oils, with nothing added that might affect the oils’ detoxifying efficiency. I only use Young Living Oils, I'm sure they are pure!

Don’t pollute your home with cigarette smoke—if you must smoke, take it outside. Don’t use candles or incense excessively. Be sure charcoal burners and chemical fire-starters are used well away from open windows and doors. And when you clean dusty areas of your home, such as the attic or the garage, wear a facemask.

If you live in an area where household pests are a problem, try to use natural products to discourage the visits of ants, roaches, termites, and the like. Essential oils like peppermint and lemon discourage bugs.  If you feel you must use an exterminator, ask about natural products that can be professionally applied. Most insecticides include neurotoxins: they kill bugs by poisoning their nervous systems. Repeated exposure to such chemicals in your home can’t be good.

Limit your use of toxic cleaning products. There are many natural cleaning products on the market today—use them first. If you then find that you must use your favorite chemical cleaners, use them sparingly. Pick one or two, and don’t mix them. Choose products that pump or pour rather than spray—or, better yet, ones that you wipe on and off. This way you limit chemical over-spray, and breathe in less of the stuff as you clean. Always wear rubber gloves while cleaning, and don’t clean in small, unventilated spaces. If you do use chemicals, open the windows to let the house air out during and after use

Don’t use excessive amounts of chemicals to clean your clothes. Pick natural detergents and softeners. Use chemical spot cleaners sparingly. You might even consider running clothes through your washing machine’s rinse cycle twice to be sure all the cleaners are removed.

Clean your carpets and furniture at least once every six months. A carpet-cleaning company can do both. Use a company that uses environmentally friendly cleaners. And don’t forget the drapes—they catch a lot of dust, and should be washed regularly with natural cleaners.

Use houseplants to clean the air in your home. Studies show that houseplants actually remove toxins from the air, so fill your home with leafy plants and let them go to work for you. Remember, plants must be dusted, just like anything else in your home. For them to work as little air purifiers, their leaves must be clean.

If you work in a profession where you are exposed to environmental toxins like wood dust or gas fumes, always wear your protective mask. And be kind to your neighbors—make sure your car is kept well-tuned.

last but not least, take a close look at your personal care products- what chemicals are in them? I recently visited a friend who has respiratory problems. I had to leave the house when she sprayed her hairspray and the scent engulfed the house. I could smell chemicals and asked her if she had considered that breathing that spray a time or two a day could be part of her problem. She had never considered it. Use all natural personal care products, remember anything that goes on your body gets into your body!