From Guest Blogger Emma Sturgis: Green, Clean, and Under Control–How to Detox Your Home

According to a study published in the Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, the average home contains over four hundred unique toxins and chemicals. While it is going to be impossible for your family to avoid all unhealthy substances, there are some strategies that you can use to remove a good percentage of these contaminants from your home. Read ahead for a look at five tips that will help you start detoxifying your home today.

Leave Outdoor Clothes at the Door

Your outdoor clothes and shoes are most likely filled with contaminants from everywhere you go, and that is why it is best to leave them at the door. Pesticides, road sealant, dander, and pollen might only be in your home because you and your family members are bringing them inside on your clothing.

Strip Toxins From Your Clothes

All of your clothes should be washed as often as possible to kill off bacteria, but it is important that your detergent is not actually making these garments even unhealthier. As a general rule, you want to use a small amount of odor-free detergent and place the washing machine at its hottest setting. It is also a good idea to avoid dry cleaning and dryer sheets as both can leave a chemical residue on your clothes.

Banish All VOCs From Your Home

Volatile organic compounds are unsafe chemicals that can evaporate at room temperature find their way into every nook and cranny of a home. Unfortunately, according to a nurse with an online master of nursing degree, not many families realize just how many of their possessions release VOCs or are made from these compounds. Some of the products that you should be wary of include air fresheners, cosmetics, paints, solvents, adhesives, and sealants.

Switch to Organic Cleaners

Most residential cleaning products are designed to kill very specific germs, and they accomplish this by covering those germs with powerful chemicals. One of the most cost-effective ways to detoxify your home is to switch out all of your chemical cleaners for organic or homemade cleaners. Most messes can be cleaned with a combination of warm water, vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. Before cleaning any large surfaces, try testing out your combination on a small area to make sure that it does not harm the material.

We come into contact with a long list of unhealthy contaminants whenever we step out the door, and that is why it is so important to make sure that our homes are free of toxins, irritants, and allergens.