Owning a home is a major life milestone, but it means that you have lots of extra work to do. There’s yard work to think about and annual inspections to schedule. On top of that, homes can get dirty pretty quickly, which is a major problem if you have or expect to have kids.
Kids need a safe and healthy place to grow up, so how exactly can parents make that happen? It could take a few changes to your current lifestyle, but they’ll be worth it when your kids are happy and rarely sick.
Check out these simple ways to create a healthier home environment. By making these adjustments, your home will become a better haven for your kids and family to grow in.
1. Watch What You Buy
It’s easy to assume that whatever is at the store is safe to buy. Products go through rigorous testing and standards to be placed on shelves, so why be bothered by what’s available or on sale?
The truth is that while products like cleaning solutions and sprays are safe to use in your home, they’re made with chemicals that aren’t naturally occurring. Letting these chemicals dry and leave residue around your home introduces your living space to substances that may have unknown long-term effects on your kids.
A good thing to do is watch what you buy. Purchasing natural cleaning products removes chemicals from your home and will still clean just as well as chemically altered solutions.
2. Keep Humidity Low
Some modern thermostats display the humidity in your home, but most standard thermostats don’t. When was the last time you checked your home’s humidity?
Homes that have high humidity levels are the best places for mold to grow. Condensation left on the walls of the bathroom after a shower, in the carpet after a drink spills or even on the kitchen ceiling after cooking all leave dampness that turns into mold.
It’s recommended that homeowners keep their humidity between 30 to 50 percent. It prevents harmful growth that could trigger symptoms similar to allergies or asthma.
3. Spray for Pests
Keeping bugs and rodents out of your home is an easy way to make your home a healthy space. Pests carry harmful bacteria all over your home when they invade, which is why you should spray for pests with a trusted pest control company.
Depending on where you live, you may only need to spray once or twice a year. Other families in older homes may need to spray more often. Consult with a pest control specialist to determine how often you should schedule a pest control visit. Find more tips here.
4. Filter Your Kitchen Water
Many people grow up drinking straight from the kitchen tap. It’s the water you trust to clean your dishes and cook your food, but is it actually purified?
Although city water does get run through a filtration system, it often still contains impurities by the time it arrives at your home. Take the extra step to filter your kitchen water by attaching a filter to your tap. It will catch things like lead, sediment and chlorine that would otherwise cause your kids to drink dirty water.
5. Buy an Air Purifier
Homeowners must regularly replace their air filters, but an air purifier will make the air you breathe much cleaner. Standard filters will catch contaminants like pollen and dust. What your home really needs is a filter that finds smaller particles.
A recent EPA study has shown that air particles under 10 micrometers are the biggest threat to human health. They settle deep in the lungs and after an extended period of time, increase the risk of lung and heart disease in people of all ages.
Finding space for an air purifier may be one of the best moves you make to create a healthier home environment. Buy small ones to keep on shelves around your home or one large purifier to put in the room your family uses the most.
6. Bring a Pet Home
Kids are famously known to beg parents to let them have a pet. A fish, hamster, dog or cat could be what their heart desires, and while a pet causes more work for parents, they also improve the quality of your home.
Pets have been linked to decreased cardiovascular disease, improved moods and even lower blood pressure. They bring happiness to the places they call home, no matter their size or shape. Starting with a small pet will also teach your kids about responsibility, so everyone will benefit from living with a new pet.
Try New Things
When you first started thinking about how to make your home a healthier space for kids, you may have thought about feeding them more fruits and vegetables or vacuuming more often. While those are great to do, trying new things could be exactly what your home needs.
Spray regularly for pests, purify your home’s air and consider bringing a pet home to start improving your home’s health. Your family will be better for it, helping everyone live a longer and healthier life.
Sources:
EPA –‘keep their humidity between 30 to 50 percent’
Pestech – ‘spray for pests’
NVBI –‘linked to decreased cardiovascular disease’
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