Environmental toxins are everywhere these days ranging from pesticides in our food, PFAS and heavy metals in our water, sulfates in our beauty products and forever chemicals in our homes air and cleaning products. Due to my health issues, I had to learn how to find non-toxic ways to keep a clean home, while not breaking the bank! There is ALOT that we can touch on for cost-effective ways to keep a clean and healthy home, but let’s start with air quality.
The Troubles with Clean Air Quality
I am sure we have all been there. Walking into someones home and smelling a purge of synthetic fragrances hit us in the face. For me, this is a nightmare. Ever since, I was a kid I couldn’t handle strong smells, but since dealing with lyme and mold toxicity – it has magnified 100000% with instant headaches, rashes, asthma symptoms and/or sinus pressure. I have been told by my medical team this is due to potentially Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), which is typically triggered by various food sensitivities, stress, environmental toxins, infections and even the heat!
The truth is 75% of households have been found to use some sort of air freshener in their home. Sadly, air fresheners are among the most toxic products you can put in your home. This ranges from sprays, plug-ins, potpourri, or oil stick diffusers. They are the primary source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in our environment, which create formaldehydes, free radicals, phthalates and acetaldehydes.
In masking the smells this will only cover up a potential deeper issue in the home – like mold from water damage. Covering up a musty smell in a home will not fix the root cause!
Why are air fresheners so bad according to scientists?
Ultimately, they are terrible for everyones health, not just people with compromised immune systems like me! Plus, I don’t want Lola to be exposed to this stuff either! We need to keep our furry friends safe as well, especially since their noses are incredibly sensitive. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) “86% of plug in air fresheners tested contain phthalates, which have been shown to cause negative effects on cardiovascular and reproductive systems.”
Phthalates are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with our hormone balance. These chemicals bind to the same receptor sites that hormones can and hijack hormone function and quantity. They have been referred to as “xenoestrogens” for their ability to “mimic” estrogens. Because of this, phthalates have been linked to lowered sperm counts, low testosterone, damage to sperm, genital defects, and early puberty.
Additionally, plug-in air fresheners are also known to release formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen that has been linked to cancers of the nose and throat, ongoing irritation of the throat and airways, and frequent nosebleeds.
Below are non-toxic ways to ditch the air fresheners and say hello to fresh clean air quality in your home!
- Find the source of odors & fix.
- Buy an Air Purifier
- Buy Dehumidifier
- Use HEPA vacuum weekly
- Routinely deodorize each living quarters
- Utilize natural non-toxic cleaners, plants or natural fragrances
Find Source Of Odor & Fix
I am a root cause kind of girl (obvs!), so finding the source of the odor and taking action to fix it is step #1!
I can smell mold from a mile away. My body tells me instantly. Thanks to my hard work with Primal Trust and brain retraining, I do not panic anymore. I just take note and take the right precautions in that moment to lesson the stress on my body! This means removing myself from the situation if possible, a bit more sauna that day and binders to help support my body in detoxing it out of my system. Nervous regulation was key to helping me navigate this to start living again.
But if this was my home, I would absolutely start with getting an idea of the amounts and types of mold in my home. A great starting point is a test called ERMI from EnviroBiomics. Then find the source causing the mold damage and go from there. I have never had to truly remediate a home because I have always rented and moved if mold became an issue. What I do know is many people find success in hiring mold sniffing dog (amazing what dogs can do!)! How cool is that?
Every 3 months, I routinely check my home for any indication of water leaks or areas of moisture accumulation to get ahead of the issue. I got lucky and Lola girl is very tidy and doesn’t get into much around the house, but pets can definitely cause some water messes, so be sure to stay on top of that! Also, I open my balcony door on a nice breezy, low humid day to help with ventilation!
Buy a Dehumidifier
In order to keep the humidity low to avoid mold growth, resulting in musty smells and even worse mycotoxins in the air, getting a dehumidifier in the home is an excellent way to remove excess moisture from the air. Things to consider when buying a dehumidifier is the size of your space, noise and tank capacity or need for a drain pump. Needing to empty everyday all day is a drag – been there! Whole house dehumidifiers can be integrated into your HVAC system as well. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the indoor humidity should be between 30 – 50% to preserve air quality. In the summer months, using your AC will help reduce the moisture in the home.
Buy an Air Purifier
Purchasing a Quality Air Purifier is key to maintaining healthy air quality in your home. While they do not remove moisture from the air, they will pull toxins from the air, such as mold spores, mites, viruses and other allergens. There are plenty of good air purifiers on a budget, but just make sure to look for a HEPA filters. Personally, I own and love AirDoctor. I also bought a small air purifier for my car as well and its super handy for when I travel!
Use HEPA Vacuum Weekly
Although simple, vacuuming is actually one of the best ways to remove odors in the home. Vacuuming once a week is best practice, but for me – I do it every other day! Aussies are quite the shedders, but I love her regardless!
Finding a vacuum with a HEPA filter (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) is extremely effective at trapping extremely small micron-sized particles – so very fine dust and allergens such as pollen, pet danger and even mold spores. When I was at my worst and triggered by EVERYTHING, I wore a mask when cleaning as a precaution and also when emptying the cartridge.
Routinely Deodorize Each Living Quarters
Keeping up with regular deodorizing and cleaning of bedding, carpet, furniture, closets, clothes and refrigerator seems like a full time job, but worth it in the long run! Make it routine to alternate and routinely deep clean certain aspects of your house quarterly, especially closets & your garage. Hello spring cleaning! Check out a few best practices below that are healthy habits for me now:
- Keep your refrigerator smelling fresh by wiping down weekly, along with adding baking soda boxes to absorb and deodorize food odors.
- Add Borax, white vinegar and baking soda to your laundry.
- Vacuum your furniture weekly with HEPA vacuum. (Especially if you let your furry friend on the couch!)
- Buy washable rugs, bedspreads and shower curtains and wash quarterly.
- Declutter paperwork and decor – this is good for the mind, as well as keeping those dust bunnies away!
Utilize natural non-toxic cleaners, plants or natural fragrances to keep your home air clean
There are plenty of low cost, natural ways to clean your home that leave a neutral smell or a lovely hint of natural smell if desired. Below are a few ideas:
- Use white vinegar and baking soda throughout the home as they are both odor removers. Keeping a spray bottle of vinegar water on hand is helpful when I want to neutralize any odors from perfumes, smoke or cooking odors. (1 tsp of white vinegar in a pint of distilled water). Baking soda can be used by sprinkling on carpets or shoes to absorb odors then vacuum out.
- Try Charcoal Air Fresheners – They are great to absorb odors and you can either DIY or purchase. I bought mine to through in my car from Moso Natural!
- Find houseplants that act as natural air fresheners whose flowers leave scents in the air as well as oxygenate the air! Here are some ideas for you.
- Select indoor plants improve air quality by cleaning the air and even reduce humidity! Popular plants include Boston ferns, English Ivy, and Peace Lily.
- Grind up lemon peel while running hot water into your garbage disposal to remove odors and freshen kitchen air.
- Grow basil, mint, lavender, thyme, in your kitchen etc. to act as natural air fresheners.
- In the fall, I love to simmer a pot full of various ingredients to eliminate lingering kitchen odors. Some great combos include: cinnamon and cloves; sliced lemon, rosemary springs and cinnamon sticks; cranberries, cloves and apples.
Disclaimer – when growing plants indoors, be mindful of mold growth and do not overwater plants! Also, if you are immune compromised, always ensure you are protected when cleaning to lessen your risk of exposure with a mask or another protective barrier.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your home air quality clean will directly impact your health! Make sure to do your diligence on making your home safe for you and your family with the tips I provided, such as finding the source of the odors and fixing, buy a HEPA air purifier and vacuum cleaner, purchase a dehumidifier, routinely clean and deodorize your home and utilize natural non-toxic cleaners, plants or natural fragrance to freshen your home when needed! Trust me, I am happy I adopted all these lifestyle habits for lifelong practice and you can too!
Hiya! My name is Amy. I am a Lyme Warrior navigating my healing journey with my emotional support dog, Lola by my side! I rescued Lola girl in 2022 when I needed her the most, she is an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie Mix with lots of love to give. Buzz along with us as I share all things pet therapy, dog training and my personal healing journey from Lyme and all the things that accompany it!