Have you been enjoying our natural cleaning series? We’d like to think we’ve provided some great home-cleaning tips that you’ve tried out yourself.
But what if I told you that just a couple of tweaks in your home cleaning routine could mean you’d have to clean it less often? Here’s a few really easy things you can do to keep your house cleaner for longer, while creating a more hygienic, healthier home.
How Can I Make My Home Healthier?
1. Let the fresh air in
Don’t tell my husband but his annoying habit of opening every window in the house (even when it’s freezing) may actually have benefits. Many modern homes have a lack of natural air flow, which can contribute to mould and bacteria growth. Try to open windows as much as you can during the warmer months and if it’s chilly outside, just five minutes or so of open window time a day should do the trick.
2. Dust top to bottom
It isn’t something I’ve thought of before but it makes total sense. If you’re dusting the house, work from the top down. This ensures that you’re not ruining your freshly-cleaned floor when you’re dusting higher surfaces.
3. Invest in a doormat
Dirty shoes bring outside gunk and debris into high traffic areas, damaging carpets and scratching floors. You may also be bringing more germs inside. A doormat with bristles can remove some of the dirt before it gets in the front door. Worried about the carpet? Despite popular belief, bare feet aren’t the best for your carpet as our feet shed body oils and dead skin into carpet fibres, attracting bacteria and dirt to those oils. Pop some socks on instead.
4. Decorate with plants
Indoor plants look great, are easy to look after and have some great benefits. Some plant varieties absorb toxins and allergens, helping to purify your indoor air environment. We recommend Spider Plants, Aloe Vera or Areca Palms for bigger areas.
5 .Refresh Your Mattress
Make your sleeping environment as healthy as possible by showing your mattress a little love. Here’s why your mattress may need a spruce-up. Dust-mites and their droppings are the tenants your mattress needs to evict right now. Dust-mite droppings contain allergens that enter our respiratory system and can create an allergic reaction that presents as cold-like symptoms. UV light kills dust-mites so once a month, put your mattress out in the sun for an hour or so. Open up your windows when you can to let natural sunlight in. A professional mattress clean is also a great way to ensure that your mattress is the freshest – and healthiest – it can be.
6. Send Furry Friends Outside
Pet lovers may not want to read this, but you really need to leave animals outside as much as possible if you want to keep a healthy home. As much as we adore them, our beloved pets bring dander, dirt and a smorgasbord of germs inside. Ensure ‘inside’ pets are neatly groomed, vacuum often and have blankets or their own furniture for them to use. Many people don’t realise how harmful pet urine can be for their health. The ammonia in your pet’s urine (that becomes crystalized after the liquid evaporates) can be a lung irritant, or potentially cause eye or skin irritations. It’s a great idea to potty train your animals or at least remove the stain as quickly as you can after it happens.
7. Go All-Natural
Using natural cleaning products around the home is a great way to ensure you are keeping your environment as toxin-free as possible. It can take a little while to get used to, but once you have systems in place, keeping the house clean with natural products is a breeze. At times, commercial cleaners are needed but natural cleaners should suffice for most jobs. I recommend buying a few litres of white vinegar, keep lemons and bi-carb soda always on hand and buy some glass spray bottles and microfiber cloths to get started. Subscribe to our blog so you’re armed with the knowledge you need to naturally tackle any job around the home!
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