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Friday 27 January 2017

16 Dangerous Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Breathing polluted air can make you sick, increasing any health problems in your life.

The World Health Organization estimates that 6,400 people die every year in Mexico City and more than 1 million people suffer from permanent breathing problems because of air pollution.
People spend 90 percent of their time indoors. Indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. 
The good news is, indoor air pollution is created by us, so we have the power to reduce pollutants.

16 Possible Sources of Pollution and Healthy Alternatives

1. Cleaning products are responsible for nearly 10 percent of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers! Take time to find alternatives or Make Your own Natural Cleaning Solutions.

2. Laundry detergent and fabric softeners can be very toxic.
Mainstream laundry detergents caused itchiness. It’s a direct result of the toxic chemicals found in these laundry detergents. For example…

  • Sodium lauryl sulfate – EVS Rresearch studies on SLS are linked to: Organ and Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology, biochemical or cellular changes and cancer.
  • Phenols have been linked to serious health conditions and even death.
  • Optical brighteners make clothes look whiter, but studies have shown them to be extremely toxic to fish. They can also cause mutations in bacteria.


3. Many house cleaners are filled with toxins.
Some cleaners are among the most toxic products found in the home.  If I use the wrong ones, I have breathing issues. In 2000, there were 120,434 reported exposures involved children under six to Poison Control. These were children swallowed or spilled cleaners stored or left open inside the home. It’s best to make your own cleaning products or use to use non-toxic products.

4. Chemical air fresheners! They should be called Toxic Air Polluters!

5. Use eco-friendly paint and glues in your home. Do not use products with methylene chloride. This includes spray shoe polish, water repellents, spot removers, wood floor and panel cleaners, adhesive removers, lubricants, wood stains, varnishes and finishes or paint strippers.

6. The best time to paint the house or do other repairs that use glue is during the summer so doors and windows can be open for full ventilation.

7. When cars idle in the garage, toxins can easily fill into the home.

8. Keep the home a smoke free zone. 
Tobacco smoke contains many pollutants at high concentrations. “Tobacco use kills more than five million people every year – more than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.”


9. Creams and lotions also need to be unscented with chemicals.

10. New carpets not made of natural fiber can be a source of formaldehyde.

11. Candles and incense can release lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air making it toxic. Use beeswax or soy candles instead.

12. Shoes bring in dirt and toxins tracked in from the outdoors. Best to have mats at the entrances to the home and to leave shoes at the door.

13. Regularly have the furnace cleaned to ensure good indoor air quality, which can help to with environmental allergies and asthma. Also, it will help it to operate at maximum efficiency.

15. Pillows, sheets and comforters can be full of allergens, including dust mites. It’s best to wash them weekly.

16. Carpets are a major source of dust, mold, and allergens; regularly clean them with an eco-friendly solution.

What To Do With this Information?

If you think your health or someone in your family’s health is being affected by any of these sources, it would be very difficult to tackle everything on this list at once.
I suggest you pick one to three of the items on this list and do what you can in that area for stop toxins from entering your home.
After this is completed, then you can tackle one or two more.

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