http://www.care2.com/greenliving/4-easy-fixes-for-airborne-toxins.html
4 Easy Fixes for Airborne Toxins
By Susan Fecko, Delicious Living
Using natural cleaning products is one way to rid your home of health-damaging toxins. But even so, levels of indoor air pollution can still soar. The first important step is to be aware of these 10 cancer-causers to remove from your home–then try these quick, inexpensive ways to reduce airborne toxins.
1. Change your filter. To help clean up forced air from the furnace, replace your standard filter with one that is pleated (increased surface area collects particles more efficiently) and electrostatic (helps capture small particles and allergens). Look for a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating of 10 or higher.
2. Ventilate. Bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans are helpful in reducing humidity, which breed mold and mildew. Microscopic particles from these can trigger allergies, asthma attacks, and, in rare cases, lung infection or poisoning.
3. Lower VOC exposure. Household materials such as paints or paint strippers can contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause headaches and upper-respiratory health problems as well as liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage. Use low-VOC products whenever possible.
4. Purify with plants. Houseplants can remove common chemicals from the air, such as formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide. Some plants actually thrive on them! Peace lilies, bamboo, palms, English ivy, mums, and gerbera daisies are among the top air-purifying types.
Delicious Living is the go-to resource for the natural and organic lifestyle, helping readers eat well, live green, and stay healthy. Visit deliciouslivingmag.com for more articles and free recipes.
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9 comments
add your comment »Excellent tips! Thank you Susan!
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OMG!! This is sooo important! Thank you for this amazing information. I also believe that rugs need to GOOOOOOOOOO!! It's impossible to keep my walltowall clean, can't wait to have hard wood again. I'm concerned it's making me sick! and I'm NOW switching to safer air purifiers! Thank you!!
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thank you...
Kabin
Konteyner
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You can use plants but you have to ventilate your house very often (both for you and your plants) and remember to keep a window open( just a little), especially during the night!! It really works!!
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I recently had a problem with mold in my Texas home. I tried everything to get rid of it and reduce humidity levels. I eventually had to call someone about it. If you're having problems mold or problems that arise from humidity, I'd look into getting it fixed professionally right away. We used Blackmon Mooring (http://www.blackmonmooring.com) and we haven't had a problem since.
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Thank you: ventilation is something that is usually overlooked! If your bathroom isn't properly ventilated, mold grows everywhere.
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We have plants but I also have cool air mist diffusers in my home that I use to diffuse therapeutic-grade essential oils(oils that have not been altered with chemicals or extenders). I have timers on my diffusers so they run for 15 minutes every 8 hours, diffusing TGEOs that kill 99% of harmful viruses and bacteria,according to tests done at Weber State University. We stay very healthy.
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I have diffusers on timers in my home, diffusing therapeutic-grade essential oils that kill 99% of harmful viruses and bacterial that happen to be taking up residence, as well as neutralizing toxins in the air. A therapeutic-grade essential oil (one that hasn't been altered with chemicals) will be effective in the air for about 8 hours, so I have my timers set for 15 minutes every 8 hours and we stay healthy. I also put the TGEO on my furnace filters.
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YES...Plants, plants and more plants!
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