Clean Doesn’t Have an Odor
We all think that cleaning our homes and offices adds to a healthier lifestyle and environment. However, studies show that we could be making it worse. This is not to say that cleaning will negatively impact our health but rather the way we clean may be adversely impacting our health.
For example, the chemical triclosan is an aggressive anti-bacterial agent. Triclosan can be found in most chemicals and soaps labeled “anti-bacterial”. But wait, isn’t anti-bacterial a good thing? The constant and consistent usage of anti-bacterial enables certain microbes to develop immunity to these household cleaners and in some cases even the antibiotics that are necessary for fighting illness.
So How Can You Protect Yourself and Your Home?
A good start is reading the ingredient list. The shorter the list, the less chance that you are dealing with potentially harmful substances.
Here’s another tip: Clean doesn’t have an odor. So, if you are basing your cleaning chemical choice on the smell of daisies then you are probably only doing more harm than good.
Another thing that people take for granted is ventilation. In this day and age buildings are built tighter and more energy efficient than ever before. The problem is the lack of ventilation. Spray foam insulation is a great way to insulate your attic and add shear strength to your roof. However, this type of insulation seals the structure and is in effect suffocating it. Outdoor ventilation (preferably filtered) is a must. Good ventilation allows the home to breathe and dilute the toxins that are always present inside. Side note: proper ventilation can help prevent mold growth.
If you are concerned about your indoor environment testing is never a bad idea. It can help to pinpoint what concentrations are impacting your health, whether it’s microbial, bacterial, viral, or volatile.
For more information take a look at these informative sites.
