5 Tips for Making Our Homes a Healthier Environment to Be In 2015

Nobody likes a stuffy, musty, damp, messy or uncomfortable house, and as the place where your family lives, it's essential that your home's environment is as clean, ventilated and healthy as it can be. Follow these steps to ensure a happy and healthy home for 2015:

Eliminate mould

Mould releases spores that are harmful to health and are generally a sign of a cold, damp living environment, which isn't very beneficial to health. Mould can grow on walls and in corners, especially if you have any leaks in the guttering or roof. It's especially common in areas that are a bit colder than the rest of the house, such as in a window alcove or on an external wall. Maintaining an even temperature will help prevent mould from growing, as will reducing the amount of moisture in the air. Top tips to reduce humidity include keeping lids on boiling pans, shutting the door when showering, installing a powerful bathroom fan, and avoiding drying laundry on radiators.

Oh gosh, we don't have a tumble drier, so drying things on radiators is a common thing till the weather gets good enough once again for line drying outside. I do try to keep it to an absolute minimum though.

I must admit I do detest opening the curtains in the morning to find that the glass is covered in condensation - yuk!

Get a dehumidifier

A healthy environment is one without excess moisture in the air - but cooking, drying, washing, showering, and the weather tend to increase humidity in the home. Dehumidifier appliances help to reduce humidity levels by extracting air moisture, leading to a healthier living environment. It's especially worthwhile using a dehumidifier during the damp winter months. Plus, dampness can aggravate certain health conditions - I know for me personally it plays havoc with my joints!

Buy a salt lamp

For years it's been noted that workers in salt mines rarely suffer from respiratory problems. Some people claim that salt lamps have been beneficial to their health and improved conditions such as persistent headaches, insomnia and rheumatism. Whether you believe in the ionising properties of salt or not, these lamps do shed an attractive light. Oooh excellent I do actually HAVE ONE of these! Tick!

Install a carbon monoxide detector

Aside from your smoke detector, this is probably the most valuable thing you can do to create a healthy and safe environment in the home. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully and make sure you test the batteries regularly. If you have ceiling-mounted alarms, a broom handle will help you reach the testing button. Top tip: get in the habit of testing the alarm every pay day. If you have children, make sure they understand what to do in case an alarm goes off. This may include how to escape if trapped upstairs.

Replace your mattress and bedding

You should really replace your mattress about every eight years. This gets rid of any build up of dust mites and accumulated bacteria, and also replaces worn out cushioning for a better night's sleep. At the same time, replace those worn out pillows and duvets. Some experts recommend replacing pillows every six months to get rid of built-up skin, dust and mites. Duvets should not be kept beyond five years. If you can't replace them this often, consider giving them a wash at a launderette as these often have bigger capacity machines than your home washing machine. I have very expensive pillows and a kingsize duvet that are both hypoallergenic, so I will be getting them laundered rather than throwing them out. Hoovering your mattress is a great way of stopping the build up of dust mites, as is airing it, by leaving your duvet down. I've blogged about that in the past: no hidden dust.