Resolve to Make Your Home Healthier in 2017
The new year is the time when many people make resolutions to get healthier. In addition to cutting down on sugar and upping time at the gym, you can improve your health by making some simple changes in your home. Try these 3 healthy home resolutions and feel your best in 2017!
1. Kick your air-freshener habit.
Most air fresheners – aerosol, spray, solid, candle or plug-in form – get their “fragrance” from a combination of chemicals including phthalates, carcinogens, and other synthetic chemicals have been classified as substances hazardous to human health.
Instead of using air fresheners, open a window, run a fan, or open a box of baking soda! A HEPA air filter with charcoal or other absorbent is a good way to safely remove odors and allergens. Most importantly, get rid of the source of the odor you are trying to cover – they can often cause much bigger problems than just a bad smell!
2. Resolve to always run the bath fan during and after bathing.
Excess moisture leads to a number of problems in a home, one of the unhealthiest is mold. Running the bath fans during and for about an hour after bathing helps to exhaust moist, humid air and allowing drier air to enter the room. It also helps to exhaust odors, allowing fresher air to enter the bathroom (reducing the need for fragrances!).
3. Swap out your non-stick cookware.
If you are resolving to cook healthier in 2017, make sure your cookware is up to the challenge! Teflon and other non-stick cookware may make clean-up easier, but overheating while cooking can release toxic chemicals into the air in as little as 2 minutes on a conventional stovetop (EWG 2003). These toxic fumes can cause people to develop flu-like symptoms and may be dangerous to pets especially birds. The safest options are stainless steel, cast iron, and glass.
If you can’t swap out your cookware, follow these tips to ensure you are cooking safely:
- Never preheat nonstick cookware at high heat; use the lowest temperature possible to cook your food safely.
- Don’t put nonstick cookware in an oven hotter than 500 degrees.
No matter what you are using to cook, always remember to run the range hood to vent out chemicals, odors, and excess moisture!
4. Get your Hayward Score!
The first step towards getting a healthy home is learning what is really going on! Invest 15 minutes in getting your Hayward Score and you’ll be on your way to keeping this resolution!
Hayward Score helps you discover how your home may be impacting your health in minutes – – for FREE!
Answer a quick set of questions then get a personalized list of action items. Transform your home and health today!
Enjoyed this article? Don’t forget to share.
Dana is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over 20 years experience helping companies achieve awareness and financial goals in consumer, technology, and non-profit industries. Most recently she was Director of Communications at Castilleja School and began her career in brand marketing with Clorox. She received her MBA from Harvard University and BA from Wellesley College.
ARE YOU CONCERNED YOUR HOME IS MAKING YOU SICK?
Our guide on indoor quality will help you diagnose possible issues and implement intelligent solutions to improve the quality of the air inside your home.
