10. Take off your shoes. Ask your guests to remove their shoes as well. We can track in things a lot more dangerous than mud. This is especially important if you have children or pets that play or crawl on your floors.

9. Grow some fresh air. Keep leafy house plants. Plants naturally absorb carbon dioxide and provide fresh oxygen. Growing healthy, organic plants is like growing fresh air.

8. Ditch the dry-cleaner. If you must dry clean, air out dry cleaned clothing before you put it in your home. The chemicals used in the dry clean process are very toxic. If you must have an item dry cleaned, remove the plastic and hang it outside to let the residues dissipate. (continue reading…)

Microbes living with several readily available houseplants help remove sickening pollutants from the air. This valuable information is derived from The Plants for Clean Air Council – an affiliate of the American Landscape Contractors Associations co-financed research by Dr. Roy Wolverton in 1987 at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Wolverton said the experiments showed that the plants effectively consume the toxins after they are digested by the soil bacteria.

Pollutants such as benzene from cigarette smoke, fumes from copy machines, cleaning compounds, paints and formaldehyde from carpeting, drapes and particle board in furniture are creating a condition called “sick building syndrome”. (continue reading…)

Volatile Organic Compounds are in the news more and more these days.  A few Volatile Organic Compounds are formaldehyde, phenylcyclohexene, benzene, xylene and toluene.  The VOC of most concern in homes is formaldehyde.  It is found in pressed-wood household products.  Phenylcyclohexene leaches from carpet backing into indoor air.  Paint fumes and wood strippers can contain a toxic mix of several VOCs.  Many VOCs are suspected in sick building syndrome and short-term respiratory problems.

Many wonderful companies are coming out with ‘no VOC’ or ‘low VOC’ indoor paints!  We have used these paints for several years now and are pleased with the coverage and new vibrant colors coming to market!  Next time you are planning an indoor painting project, try one of the safer paints and let us know what you think.

Searching for the perfect air purifier can be overwhelming with the many types of filters and the numerous brands to choose from. When considering which air purifier is perfect for your home, it is important to know about the different cleaning methods air purifiers use.

Air purifiers are an ever changing technology and the best manufactures are constantly improving the science. Here’s a quick run down on how the most popular air purifies do their job: (continue reading…)

Most people do not think about air as being something we put into our bodies.  The importance of clean air is then relegated to the bottom of our list of Healthy Things To Do.  This is unfortunate since the lungs have an amazing ability to absorb the toxins from the more than 3,000 gallons of air we breathe daily.

Since we can’t wish away air pollution, here are a few things a Green Diva Mom can do to ensure her family gets cleaner air at home. (continue reading…)