Page 10 - Summer2011

It is estimated that approximately 90% of our time is spent indoors, and about 50% of each of our days are spent inside our homes. It is for this reason that it is imperative for us to pay attention to the air quality of our homes, to take the necessary steps to eliminate the over-presence of moisture/mold, dust, allergens, chemical inhalants, pests, tobacco smoke, radon and lead. Many of these contaminants exist in our home environment without our knowledge. In this article, I will go through each room of a common household and highlight all the possible health hazards within each room as well as ways to minimize your risk of being affected by them.

The gas appliances in your kitchen (i.e. gas stoves/ovens), if improperly used or maintained, can release large amounts of dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide into your air. These gases cannot be detected by smell. Be s ventilate your kitchen while cooking by opening the windows, using a hood or space fan to help circulate the air. Also make sure have all your kitchen appliances checked annually for prope

In addition, common household cleaning products (i.e. antibacterial counter wipes, window cleaner, bleach, etc.) can be quite hazardous to your health, as many of them contain toxic chemicals. These chemicals can enter your body through skin contact, ingestion or inhalation. While shopping, look for non-toxic cleaning products, or m your own common household supplies. Vinegar, baking soda and lemon are three of the most useful, powerful, and completely natural cleaning agents. Vinegar can be used to clean your floor, windows, countertops, and refrigerator. Baking soda is a great air freshener, and can be combined with vinegar to get rid of tough stains. Lemon as well an excelle

Another common kitchen/household problem is pests and insects, which are especially drawn to kitchen environments because of the food and garbage. To minimize the risk of these creatures affecting your pleasant eating environment, make sure to clean up promptly and cover leftover food. Also regularly remove your kitchen garbage. Try to identify cracks where insects and rodents are entering, and seal them off. If rodents are the problem, stuff steel wool in the holes (they can’t chew through steel wool).