Battling Your Home’s Invisible Dangers

I spent the better part of this week battling a severe cold, sore throat, etc. The rest of the time was spent trying to figure out how it was that I got sick in the first place (I hate being sick and try to maintain a lifestyle that prevents me from having to deal with illnesses). The time I wasted trying to re-track my steps was fruitless, save for the fact that I stumbled upon some interesting information about hazardous pollutants that hide in all of our households (for about an hour I was convinced my sickness was triggered by … Continue reading

Reducing Air Pollution

Various kinds of air pollution can aggravate your allergies. Much of the pollution in the air comes from industrial sources and cars, but there are lots of things you can do on your own to help decrease air pollution. Small changes can make a big difference over time! Get your family involved! Here are some ideas for reducing air pollution at home: Use energy-efficient lights and appliances. Look for the Energy Star label to find the most efficient products. Recycle paper, plastic, glass, aluminum, and cardboard. Reuse materials — like plastic and paper bags or plastic containers — whenever possible. … Continue reading

Purchasing A Home Air Purifier–Part 2

In “Purchasing A Home Air Purifier—Part 1,” I went over some of the reasons why a home air cleaner is a good investment. In Part Two we tackle the question: “How can you tell if the air purifier you are buying is going to work or do the job it is intended to do?” To answer that question we need to review the different filtration methods each system uses. Long ago the standard of effectiveness for eliminating dust particles was set by the HEPA system, which eliminates particles that average .3 micron in size. This is the particle size most … Continue reading

Really Clean Sheets

How often do you wash your bed sheets? A few years ago Oprah interviewed a “germ expert” who mentioned that bed linen should be washed in extremely hot water every 3 days. A gasp went up from the audience and it was later revealed that the majority of Oprah’s fans routinely sanitized their sheets bi-monthly. So, in case you answered “twice a month—at best” you needn’t feel bad… though you may feel itchy. According to scientists, during the night your body sheds cells, which mites live off of. What’s more, doctors say breathing those microbes in as you sleep can … Continue reading