Can Your Home Make You Healthier?
Create a sanctuary of wellbeing with these easy tips for keeping your home (and you) in the peak of good health
It’s easier than you might think to keep your home healthy. Simply follow these handy tips for banishing bugs and you’ll make your property a healthier place to live.
2. Go green
Throw away toxic cleaners to make your home a healthier place. To avoid the phosphates in regular cleaners, which can be harmful to the environment, make your own all-purpose spray. Simply mix vinegar and water, and add a few drops of essential oil to give it a refreshing smell.
Keep your homemade cleaner within easy reach for everyday cleaning, as seen in this super-organised utility room. Also invest in a hand-held steam cleaner to make light work of limescale, instead of having to use heavy-duty toxic removers.
7 all-natural cleaning products
Throw away toxic cleaners to make your home a healthier place. To avoid the phosphates in regular cleaners, which can be harmful to the environment, make your own all-purpose spray. Simply mix vinegar and water, and add a few drops of essential oil to give it a refreshing smell.
Keep your homemade cleaner within easy reach for everyday cleaning, as seen in this super-organised utility room. Also invest in a hand-held steam cleaner to make light work of limescale, instead of having to use heavy-duty toxic removers.
7 all-natural cleaning products
3. Wash your hands
Insist on regular hand-washing to keep your home healthy. Door handles, light switches, phones and screens are germ hotspots, so keep your bathroom stocked up with fresh hand towels and plenty of soap to encourage everyone to wash their hands. Provide hand-washing products at every sink in your home, including the utility room and kitchen.
Insist on regular hand-washing to keep your home healthy. Door handles, light switches, phones and screens are germ hotspots, so keep your bathroom stocked up with fresh hand towels and plenty of soap to encourage everyone to wash their hands. Provide hand-washing products at every sink in your home, including the utility room and kitchen.
4. Clean your appliances
It’s not just your fridge that needs a regular health check, you need to tackle your oven, dishwasher and washing machine too.
Vinegar is great for cleaning kettles and coffee machines, and baking soda is a good way to remove stains from your fridge.
Regularly remove food debris from your dishwasher filter and wipe down the inside of the door with hot soapy water to keep the bugs at bay.
It’s not just your fridge that needs a regular health check, you need to tackle your oven, dishwasher and washing machine too.
Vinegar is great for cleaning kettles and coffee machines, and baking soda is a good way to remove stains from your fridge.
Regularly remove food debris from your dishwasher filter and wipe down the inside of the door with hot soapy water to keep the bugs at bay.
5. Ensure a good night’s sleep
It’s essential that your bedroom is a healthy haven to relax in. A slatted bed like this one is easy to vacuum underneath, but try to avoid clutter collecting below it. You’ll get a better night’s sleep if the room is cool and well ventilated, so turn on ceiling or pedestal fans and keep windows open at night to allow cooler breezes in.
How to get a better night’s sleep
It’s essential that your bedroom is a healthy haven to relax in. A slatted bed like this one is easy to vacuum underneath, but try to avoid clutter collecting below it. You’ll get a better night’s sleep if the room is cool and well ventilated, so turn on ceiling or pedestal fans and keep windows open at night to allow cooler breezes in.
How to get a better night’s sleep
6. Choose healthy materials
This vinyl floor not only looks stylish, it’s a healthy alternative to tiles, as it doesn’t have grooves or indentations that can trap dirt, so it’s easier to keep clean. When updating your decor, try to use odourless paints that are less toxic, or go for exposed brickwork to avoid paint altogether.
This vinyl floor not only looks stylish, it’s a healthy alternative to tiles, as it doesn’t have grooves or indentations that can trap dirt, so it’s easier to keep clean. When updating your decor, try to use odourless paints that are less toxic, or go for exposed brickwork to avoid paint altogether.
7. Go mad with plants
Houseplants are good for your health as they reduce carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They also act as natural humidifiers to keep moisture levels up. Aloe vera is a good choice as it’s well known for its ability to reduce toxins and clean the air.
Houseplants are good for your health as they reduce carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They also act as natural humidifiers to keep moisture levels up. Aloe vera is a good choice as it’s well known for its ability to reduce toxins and clean the air.
8. Hide the gadgets
Laptops, TVs and phones are a constant part of our daily lives, but excessive use of them can cause stress and eye strain. Avoid the temptation to browse before bedtime by tidying away all gadgets each night.
A clever storage unit like this one will hide gadgets away when they’re not in use. Make sure you have enough sockets to charge your gadgets while they’re hidden from view.
Browse TV-free living rooms
Laptops, TVs and phones are a constant part of our daily lives, but excessive use of them can cause stress and eye strain. Avoid the temptation to browse before bedtime by tidying away all gadgets each night.
A clever storage unit like this one will hide gadgets away when they’re not in use. Make sure you have enough sockets to charge your gadgets while they’re hidden from view.
Browse TV-free living rooms
9. Stick to a morning routine
Make time at the start of each day to carry out a health check in your kitchen. Wipe down surfaces, rinse the sink and remove any food from the drain to stop the build-up of bacteria. Empty the bins and recycle all waste to avoid any unpleasant smells later. If you have time, also throw away any out-of-date food in the fridge and sweep the floor.
Make time at the start of each day to carry out a health check in your kitchen. Wipe down surfaces, rinse the sink and remove any food from the drain to stop the build-up of bacteria. Empty the bins and recycle all waste to avoid any unpleasant smells later. If you have time, also throw away any out-of-date food in the fridge and sweep the floor.
10. Have a chill-out zone
Don’t forget to take time out to relax and keep your wellbeing in check. Find yourself a quiet spot at home, such as a comfortable armchair, and make time to put your feet up.
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How do you make sure your home is healthy? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
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Don’t forget to take time out to relax and keep your wellbeing in check. Find yourself a quiet spot at home, such as a comfortable armchair, and make time to put your feet up.
TELL US
How do you make sure your home is healthy? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
MORE
Read more lifestyle stories
Bring in a no-shoe policy to keep your house healthy. Boots and shoes carry all sorts of chemicals and nasty bacteria that you don’t want tramped around indoors. Provide plenty of baskets to store shoes in the hallway, as shown here. You could even have a basket of slippers ready for your visitors to wear to keep their feet comfy when they’re inside.