There is no doubt that we all want our homes to be the safest places for our families. So we go as far as to install extra locks on our doors and our windows, a couple of alarms, and a fully automated security system to keep bad people from coming into our homes. But what if there were dangers already present inside your homes?
And no, we’re not talking about ghosts, but the hidden toxins inside your household furnishings. That’s right, your furniture, appliances, carpets, utensils, and decor. These could all be making you and your loved ones sick. The worst part is that you don’t even know it. It’s happening right under your noses.
Your furniture plays a big part in your home’s indoor air quality or IAQ. If you thought pollution was only outdoors, you thought wrong. Indoor pollution exists, and that’s why having good IAQ is important. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), having bad IAQ can lead to irritation, allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. These are only the immediate effects of bad IAQ. The long-term effects are much worse. It can cause several respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and even cancer.
The common causes of bad IAQ or the common pollutants include fuel-burning combustion appliances (stoves, ovens, grills, furnaces), deteriorating insulation, flooring, carpets, HVAC systems, and even household cleaning items. They all contribute to indoor pollution in your homes and are possibly making your family sick. Luckily for you, you can easily solve the issue of bad IAQ by doing these things:
- Have proper ventilation in your homes. It is essential to have proper ventilation in the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the laundry area.
- Avoid purchasing carpets that are made with volatile organic compounds or VOCs. And get them cleaned by a professional regularly. Similarly, you could avoid purchasing carpets and opt for rugs that can be easily cleaned outside instead.
- Vacuum your home every week.
- Get rid of old and deteriorating furniture.
- Avoid bringing outdoor pollution into your homes by making your home a mudroom. There you can leave your dirty shoes and other dirty pieces of clothing (and the pollution that comes with it) before entering the house.
It would help if you always took the time to choose the quality of the furnishings you’re bringing into your home. When it comes to the important pieces of furniture, such as your mattress, couch, tables, and chairs, you always want good quality furniture. It is more than just the aesthetic element that it adds to your home but the comfort. Comfort is related to your body’s well-being. If a piece of furniture is not comfortable, such as a bed, a couch, or a chair, you’ll feel all sorts of cramps and muscle pains and strains all over your body. Why would you buy furniture that isn’t comfortable anyway? Do you want to sit in a chair for hours that leave you with back and neck pain? Would you want to sleep on a bed that is hard as a rock? The answer is obviously no. Make comfort a priority as well because this can also affect your body.
Your furniture affects not only your physical health but your mental health as well. This is where the aesthetic elements or the interior design of your home comes in. Who can deny that having a beautiful living space affects our mood? I know that when I walk into a cluttered room versus an uncluttered room, my mood changes drastically. You probably experience the same feelings as well. As the saying goes, a cluttered home is a cluttered mind. By regularly cleaning and organizing the things inside your homes, you make the environment better for your body and mind.
Did you know that the color of your furniture could be affecting your mental health as well? There is such a thing called color psychology, and basically, it discusses how the color of objects can affect your mood and performance. Having plants inside your homes can affect your mental health as well. Experts say that by having plants in your homes, you can decrease stress and anxiety. A study conducted by NASA has also shown that plants help give your homes better IAQ by removing toxins from the air.
Next time you go out shopping for home furnishings, make sure to consider these things. Ensure that the furniture that you buy isn’t going to cause any damages to your health. You can always ask the sellers what materials the furniture is made of. Also, take into consideration the comfort of your furniture as this also affects your health. Furniture is more than just something to fill up your house. It should also keep you healthy.