Keeping a Healthy, Clean Home

Housecleaning seems like less of a chore when you know you're helping your kids stay healthy. Indoor air can actually be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And that's a challenge because children breathe in and absorb more contaminants that adults do, pound for pound. Thankfully, it's easy to reduce their exposure, with these healthy cleaning tips from the EPA:

• Dust surfaces, wipe window ledges and crib rails, mop floors and wash floor mats regularly, to reduce exposure to lead, a toxic metal linked to cognitive deficits. The EPA recommends a solution of powdered automatic dishwasher detergent in warm water, as most multi-purpose cleaners will not remove lead in ordinary dust.
• Launder bedding weekly in 130-degree water to kill allergy- and asthma-triggering dust mites.
• Empty the water from a cool-mist humidifier after each use, and disinfect it regularly, to avoid potentially toxic and allergy-provoking mold.
• Use a central or high-efficiency filter vacuum to clean carpets and furniture, thereby reducing molds, dust and dust mites.
• Open a window to freshen your indoor air.

For other cleaning ideas, read about the top 5 household bacteria carriers and clean toy tips. It's easy to get behind on cleaning, of course, given how busy our lives are these days. To stay on track, print out our housecleaning checklists:

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