11 WAYS TO DETOX YOUR HOME FOR IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Decluttering your home is not the only way to create a home that’s better for your physical and mental health and wellbeing. In this guest post from Mia Barnes of Body+Mind magazine, we explore 11 ways to detox your home.

11 WAYS TO DETOX YOUR HOME FOR IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Toxins could be lurking in the corners of even the cleanest homes. Give these tips a try to identify and detoxify possible pollutants and bring a renewed sense of freshness to your home.

1. Buy New Cookware

While it might be a bit of a financial investment at first, replacing your nonstick cookware may be the safest option for you and your family. These nonstick options often contain PFAS, which can leech into your food and stay in your body for years, where they may not break down as they should.

Consider replacing your cookware with stainless steel and cast-iron options — they’re generally safer and make for a great cooking experience.

2. Filter Your Water

You can’t always be sure what’s in your tap water — buying a filter for your sink or investing in a home water treatment system could make all the difference in taste and quality. Clean, quality water is better for your body, skin and hair.

3. Change Your Cleaning Products

Having a clean home is safer and more enjoyable — a tidy house can also significantly impact how you feel. That said, some commercial cleaning agents are harsh and unsafe to inhale. Fortunately, safer, eco-friendly cleaning products are easier to find than ever, and introducing them into your cleaning regime is simple.

There are eco-friendly alternatives for many necessary supplies, but you’ll likely retain one or two harsher agents for the parts of your home that require optimal sanitation. In these cases, try to rotate where and how you clean each day so you never inhale too much of the chemicals at one time.

4. Use More Nourishing Self-Care Products

Always review the ingredients listed on your skincare packaging and check with a dermatologist to see which blends are best for your unique skin type. Knowing what’s in each product also helps you know which combinations to avoid.

One common substitution many people make is swapping more chemically-based sunscreens for mineral-based formulas.

5. Use Natural Fragrances

Synthetic fragrances may smell nice, but they could negatively affect your or your loved one’s health, including any pets you have in the home. Some fragrances are known to trigger headaches or allergies, possibly contributing to existing respiratory distress.

Fortunately, you have several less toxic ways to fill your home with enjoyable scents, like fresh-cut flowers. You can also create your own simmer pot on the stove filled with your favorite hearty ingredients, like cinnamon sticks or citrus slices.

6. Keep an Eye Out for Mould

If you’ve started to experience allergy symptoms out of the blue, you should begin searching for mould in dark or damp areas of your home.

While you can generally get rid of some moulds with bleach or other products, the best move is to prevent it entirely. Make sure you dry out spaces well, especially the bathroom. For example, leaving the fan on after a shower can help dry the room quickly so mould doesn’t have the chance to grow.

7. Use Himalayan Salt Lamps as Decor

These natural lamps are more beneficial than you might think. Halotherapy occurs when a person inhales sodium chloride in an environment with no more than 60% humidity, and it can have vast benefits for the human body.

If you have a Himalayan salt lamp nearby, you may notice you feel better overall. While they’re no substitute for going to a healthcare professional, they can purify your space little by little while offering a relaxing glow.

8. Take Off Shoes at the Door

One household rule should be to leave your shoes at the door. You never know what you could track in from the outdoors. Encourage guests to leave their shoes on the mat or a shoe rack, and ensure you have an option to keep your feet warm throughout the house, like socks or slippers.

Keeping your footwear out of the way will keep your floors cleaner for longer, and it’ll benefit any pets or kids who spend more time closer to the ground than you do.

9. Swap Plastic for Glass

Consider using glass instead of plastic to store food and items. Glass lasts longer, and it won’t potentially leech chemicals into your food or other items, keeping your entire household safe.

Glass containers, while more expensive, are also easier to clean. Wear and tear don’t create grooves or warping — as it would in plastic — which can potentially harbour bacteria or render the vessel unusable.

One of the best things you can do is remove single-use plastics from your life wherever possible. Several studies have shown the damaging effects microplastics can have on several areas of the body, including respiratory and digestive functions, among other major bodily functions.

10. Refresh Your Air

An air purifier can work wonders in keeping toxins, pollutants and some odours out of your breathing space. Alternatively, you can refresh your home by throwing open the windows and letting the fresh air in as long as you don’t live with seasonal allergies.

Contaminated air can be hard to detect and oftentimes one doesn’t experience symptoms of severe lung conditions until later stages. If you think your air is contaminated or live in a place with a less-than-ideal air index, consider getting screened for lung conditions more frequently, especially if you’re already at risk.

11. Make Home Upgrades Wisely

You may think most of the brain power of a do-it-yourself home renovation goes into the logistics of how to make something — but the materials you use matter more than you think.

Plenty of items, like household cleaners, contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can harm your health. The indoor concentration of VOCs is nearly five times higher than the outdoor concentration, so ensure you complete as many projects as possible outdoors.

Even a task as simple as painting a room can become hazardous if you don’t choose the right materials and prioritise ventilation. Search for a low-VOC paint that won’t leave your home smelling like fumes for hours — it might be more affordable than you think. Check online to find products that align with your health and encourage you to lean toward greener renovation and cleaning.

Detox Your Home in the Little Ways

Making several swaps at once might be unrealistic, so try to do what you can to make a little difference in your life. Take small steps to replace the toxic things in your home or the habits you’ve fallen into. Once you make a few changes, you may start to notice yourself feeling better. Then, you may not want to stop — and you could just tell everyone about the changes you made to improve your quality of life at home.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you do around your home to enhance your physical and mental health? Do you have any other tips to share that might help others detox their homes and improve their health and wellbeing?

Please leave a comment below as I’d love to hear from you.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Here are some more articles to help you create a better quality of life for you and your family in your home.

• How to Create a Calm Home: 20 Tips for A Peaceful Home – If you’re busy, life can feel anything but calm! In this article I’m sharing some ideas on how to create a calm home and 20 tips for a peaceful home. Make your home a relaxing, stress-free space for you and your family.
• How To Make Your Home A Sanctuary – I wanted to share some ideas on how to make your home a sanctuary from the busy outside world. Here are some tips to help you create a calm, cosy and inviting haven where you can rest, reset and recharge.
• How Minimalism Helps Chronic Illness and Poor Health – The minimalist lifestyle helps simplify our lives in many ways. In this article I explore some personal ideas around the benefits of minimalism if you’re suffering from poor health and how minimalism helps chronic illness sufferers and their loved ones and carers.
• High Impact Decluttering Strategies for When You’re Struggling to Clear Clutter – Sometimes decluttering can be difficult and the traditional decluttering checklists and tips just don’t work. If this is a problem you’re facing, here are some high impact decluttering strategies for when you’re struggling to declutter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mia Barnes is a freelance writer and researcher with a passion for mental wellness and healthy living. Mia Barnes is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the online health publication, Body+Mind magazine.