We all like to think of our homes as being our havens; our safe spaces where we can relax with our families and not have to worry about a thing.
However, for many of us, that might not be the case. You see, there are lots of subtle ways that your home could be making you sick. Let’s take a look at some of the most common now:
Window cracks could be making your allergies worse
If you suffer from allergies and your home’s windows have cracks in the frames or panes, then they could be letting in more pollen and other pollutants than you would like, which could be making your allergies, or asthma, even worse. Luckily, a good local window installer can soon help you with this. Once your windows are fully sealed and secured, you should find that you are able to breathe a lot more easily as a result.
Your vacuum cleaner could be causing you breathing issues
Another thing that can cause both allergies and worsen asthma symptoms and other breathing difficulties is your vacuum. Well, more accurately, it is the dust around your home that can contain pollen, dust mites, and other toxic substances, but if you have a decent vacuum cleaner and you vacuum regularly, you can minimize this problem.
The issue comes when you use a vacuum cleaner that does not have a high level of suction and/or does not use a HEPA filter. These vacuums tend to not pick up as much dust and debris as they should, instead of moving it around the room where it can still do you harm if you breathe it in. Investing in a decent vacuum cleaner is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family, especially if you have asthma, allergies, or other breathing issues.
Mold and Mildew can make you sick
If you have mold and mildew in your home, it can cause a range of issues from breathing difficulties to allergies and infections. Toxic mold, as the name might suggest, can be particularly nasty and with prolonged exposure could have a serious effect on your lung health.
If you notice mold or mildew, in the first instance, you should use a bleach and water solution to clean it away (wear a mask so you do not breathe it in). Then, you should look for any damp patches or leaks that could be causing the problem and have them repaired. Improving ventilation in your home and running a dehumidifier to keep moisture at bay will also help.
Your cleaning products could be harming you
Don’t worry, you aren’t going to drop dead from using a store-bought oven cleaner or antibacterial spray, but it is worth being aware that many of the cleaning products you buy at the store contain Volatile Organic Compounds, which again can aggravate allergies and cause symptoms like itching, red eyes, and sore throats. Many of the chemicals in store-bought cleaning products have also been identified as being mildly carcinogenic, which means prolonged exposure could increase our cancer risk.
That’s why it’s a good idea to wear gloves, and maybe even a mask, if you can when using said cleaning products. It may also be a good idea to make your own cleaning supplies using natural ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda if you want to keep the chemicals in your home to a minimum.
Your pans could be giving you a headache
Pans, especially those with a non-stick coating, can release problematic chemicals into the air when you are cooking, which have been known to cause headaches, fatigue, and again aggravate allergies in some people.
Luckily, having a cooker hood and using it whenever you are cooking will help to filter these chemicals out of your kitchen environment. You could also open the window to increase ventilation and let plenty of fresh air in when you are cooking too.
Lead paint
You might think that lead paint is a thing of the past and not something you ever need to worry about, but that may not be the case. Sure, you can’t buy lead paint anymore, but if you live in an older home, and you have not renovated it recently, it could be that there is still lead paint in the place. If that is the case, it could cause poisoning of any pets or children that ingest any flaking paint by mistake.
If you think there may be lead paint in your home, it is a good idea to call in a professional who can test it, and then safely remove it if needs be. This is something you should probably not do yourself due to the risks associated with lead paint.
Your air-con could be giving you a cough
If you do not regularly clean and service your air conditioning unit, then it could be fostering some nasty bacteria, which will then be circulated around your home along with the cool air pumped out by the unit. This could lead to allergies, fatigue coughs, and in some cases, even nasty lung infections which is why air-con maintenance is so important.
Your dish towels could be harboring germs
If you do not wash your dish towels as often as you should, they could be spreading more bad bacteria around the kitchen than they remove, which could lead to food poisoning and all manner of other sickness bugs that you would rather avoid.
The good news is, it’s really easy to keep dishcloths clean by rotating them daily and only using them for one day without washing. Sponges can even be cleaned in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
If you have identified any of these issues in your home, there is no need to panic, but you should do what you can to rectify them as soon as you can if you don’t want to run the risk of your home making you or your family sick.
P.S. This post contains affiliate links.
