Looking for greener baby products? Lear more about how to be a new green mom:
The New Green Family Guide: A Beginner’s Guide to Going Green as a Family
Going Green for New Moms: A Beginner’s Guide
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Category: Eco-friendly home
The Best Ways to Clean the Air in Your Home, Part 2
(Continued in Part 1)
Now that you know the benefits of keeping the air clean in your home, it is time to consider how to clean it.
5 Ways to Keep the Air Cleaner Inside Your Home
Improve the quality of the air in your home easily with these quick tips:
*Change your air filters.
Filters remove certain pollutants from the surrounding air. This includes, dust, dust mites, allergens, pollen and smaller particles. Every time you open the door or window, you are letting in more than just air. Not cleaning the filters in your A/C or heating units causes them to circulate dirty air plus, it forces them to work harder as well. This in turn makes them burn more energy and operate less efficiently, resulting their losing even more of their ability to pull the dirty particles out of the air.
*Buy houseplants.
Houseplants absorb the waste products we breathe out, provide cleaner air as a result. Several houseplants can help to keep the indoor air free of pollution. Some varieties to consider include, Peace Lily, Gerbera Daisy, Red-Edged Dracaena and English Ivy. For optimum results, keep houseplants wiped down and well-watered and fed, and keep out of reach of all children and pets.
For some people, however, who are allergic to mold or spores, plants might not always be the best idea. Here are some suggestions for helpful house plants which can even beautify your home (with excellent pictures): http://www.aerias.org/DesktopModules/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleId=126#plants-problems
And information about which plants can help counteract certain chemicals in the home.
http://www.aerias.org/DesktopModules/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleId=126
It also discusses health reasons for not to having a plant in the house.
*Keep your ceiling fans clean.
Ceiling fans are an environmentally friendly way to keep the air circulating in your home, but they also collect dust. A dusty fan can keep all sorts of pollutants blowing all around the room and the house. Dust them regularly to cut down on poor air quality. Also remember to turn the direction of the paddles depending on the season. Warm air rises. Have them face down in the winter and up in the warmer weather.
*Check for mold and mildew.
Keep moisture from creeping into the little nooks and crannies of your house, such as around bathroom fixtures, under cabinets and in bathtubs. Mold that becomes airborne can make your family sick. Let shower curtains dry flat and completely after washing. Clean out washing machines and dishwashers to stop mildew from forming. Keep your refrigerator, basement and closets clean and dry. Beware of wall to wall carpeting, as it can absorb a great deal of moisture and start to get moldy.
*Open your windows
You might not want to open them all the time, but letting in fresh air from outdoors can boost the air quality of your home. Also clean the inside of your windows so that dust doesn’t blow back into your home.
How good is the quality of the air in your house? Try these simple ways to keep the air quality high and see if it makes a difference to your family’s health.
The Best Ways to Clean the Air in Your Home, Part 1
When it comes to pollution, we often think about the air outside our house or apartment, picturing smog and exhaust fumes from cars and trucks. But the truth of the matter is that a great deal has been done to curb harmful emissions from factories and vehicles.
If you are subject to allergies, have you ever stopped to think about the quality of the air in your home?
If you have not had a good spring cleaning yet, now is the time to start thinking about not only improving the cleanliness of your carpets, curtains, counters, and other surfaces, but the air in your home as well.
The Need for Clean Air
Air is a mixture of elements including nitrogen and oxygen. The unique mix provides us with fresh air to breath into our lungs to help us feed all the cells in our bodies with nutrients through the oxygen in our blood stream.
Trees take in the carbon monoxide we breathe out and turn it into the oxygen that we need to breathe in. it is a symbiotic relationship that has kept life thriving on this planet for billions of years, until of course we started to de-forest our planet.
When it comes to clean air in your home, you really can never have too much of it. Most people don’t think about the air that they breathe in their homes, but they might be polluting it far more with their own habits than any factory or car exhaust. Polluted air can fill the lungs with particles that can predispose us to certain illnesses and other health problems if we are not careful, including asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
The air passes through our nasal passages, our sinuses, down the back of our throat, all the way down to our lungs. If you find yourself coughing or sneezing more than usual, it could be seasonal allergies, but more than likely, it will actually be the air quality in your home.
If you or any member of your family suffers from respiratory problems, you might want to consider the best ways to purify the air inside your home.
(Continued in Part 2)
Saving energy this winter in your home
Even though oil prices seem to be dropping at the moment, why pay more than you have to? And, you might also want to consider global warming.
There are a lot of myths about being energy efficient in the home. Here are a few myths versus facts. The more you learn, the more you can save.
So stay warm this winter with these handy hints and tips.
Myth
Furnace filters work no matter how long they’re in use.
Fact
Replacing or cleaning old filters can reduce dust and save 5% in heating costs.
Myth
Keeping drapes and blinds closed keeps in heat.
Fact
Opening up drapes and blinds on windows facing the sun lets the sun in, heating your home for free. Southern exposures will catch the sun pretty much all day.
Myth
Fireplaces are great sources of warmth in the winter.
Fact
Fireplaces pull heated air out of the house, so use it sparingly and be sure the damper is closed when it’s not in use.
Myth
Humidifiers add moisture to the air, making it feel cold.
Fact
Moister air feels warmer, so by adding a humidifier, you can set your thermostat lower, to help you save money.
Myth
Only experts can tell if your outer doors have air leaks.
Fact
Place a piece of paper between the door and frame and shut the door. If you can pull the paper out without tearing it, you should weather-strip around the door to keep the heat in and the cold out this winter.