We're wrapping up our Healthy Spring Cleaning Checklist series with our final Bathroom checklist to make sure your home is clean and healthy for another year to come.
What exactly makes this checklist "healthy" compared to another cleaning checklist?
It turns out some common spring cleaning practices can actually put our health at risk. Most cleaning products fail to protect us from a dangerous flaw that lies within their ingredients–while we are warned that direct contact with cleaning products is unsafe, we aren’t told about the lasting effect the chemicals in cleaning products have on the air quality in our homes.
Your home’s indoor air should be it’s cleanest feature–but it usually isn’t. In fact, indoor air can be 5x more polluted than outside–affecting allergies, asthma, concentration, sleep quality, and much more.
It’s especially important to make sure you’re properly spring cleaning your bedroom, since the air quality in your room can actually disrupt your sleep.
Luckily, it’s easy–and cheap–to clean your home the healthy way. To help you get started, we’re creating a series of simple checklists to help you clean your way to a healthy home–one room at a time. If you haven’t checked yet, our Healthy Living Room Checklist , Healthy Kitchen Checklist and Healthy Bedroom Checklist are a great place to start.
Or if you've completed most of your spring cleaning, read on for our Healthy Bathroom Checklist:
We all know bathrooms can easily accumulate bacteria, so it's important to make sure you deeply disinfect surfaces often. Before you reach for the bleach, opt instead for one of our favorite disinfectant recipes:
In a glass spray bottle, add 1 part water, 1 part vinegar and 5-15 drops of 100% essential oil (we recommend lemon for a fresh kitchen scent). Spray your surfaces thoroughly, let the disinfectant work for 10 minutes, then wipe down with a microfiber cloth.
Leaks are a great way for moisture to sneak into your home, causing it's humidity levels to rise. High levels of humidity will lead to mold and mildew, which trigger allergies and make your overall air quality unhealthy. Use this time to thoroughly check for any lingering leaks in your bathroom.
Sodium hydroxide is very effective for unclogging drains, but it comes at a price–fumes have been known to cause sore throats that last for days.
A mixture of baking soda and vinegar can effectively unclog a drain. After the bubbles disappear, run hot water through the drain.
Bathroom mirrors can accumulate water stains, which are actually mineral deposits left behind from tap water. You may be tempted to break down those tough stains with a trusted glass cleaner, but to avoid adding additional chemicals to your air, spray the mirror down with vinegar instead. The acidity in vinegar will make those stains disappear and leave your bathroom mirror sparkling!
Ammonia and chlorine are popular ingredients in toilet bowl and bathroom cleaners. Both can instantly irritate your lungs, and long-term exposure can lead to bronchitis, asthma, and thyroid issues.
Baking soda and vinegar are highly effective at disinfecting surfaces while leaving shine--some even say vodka is effective at polishing.
Fragrances are a necessity for bathrooms, but they can also put your health at risk. Air fresheners and soap usually list “fragrance” in their ingredients–and this should be taken as a red flag. “Fragrance” typically refers to the presence of phthalates, a chemical that is notorious for disrupting the endocrine system and causing reproductive complications. Aerosol air fresheners are also known to trigger migraines.
Try to avoid products that list “fragrance” in their ingredients. If you want to freshen up your bathroom, opt for pure essential oils instead.
Awair monitors toxins and chemicals in your home and gives you the insight you need to breathe easier and live healthier. To learn more about how Awair, simply follow the link below.
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