5. Bathroom
• Replace cracked tiles and failing seals to prevent the growth of mold behind your bathroom’s walls.
• Don’t use cleansers with chlorine and ammonia because they are skin and lung irritants and may trigger asthma.
• Sanitize faucets with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to help prevent germs and viruses that can cause flu.
• Replace vinyl shower curtains with polyester or washable nylon shower curtains. Vinyl contains phthalates, which can affect reproductive health.
Use natural cleaners, such as baking soda paste, to clean grout.
6. Playroom/Kids’ Room
• Dust and vacuum the entire playroom regularly and make sure there is no incombustible residue from electronic toys and furnishings.
• Test the room for lead paint. If you just bought your home and didn’t have it built yourself, you can’t be sure if the paint used in the house contains lead. Paint made from lead can cause kidney and nervous system damage, so use a reliable lead test kit not only in the playroom but also in the entire house.
• Regularly sanitize your children’s toys and doorknobs as they are prone to germs and bacteria.
7. Basement and Crawl Space
• Test for radon, a harmful natural gas, which is one of the leading causes of lung cancer. This is especially important if there are smokers in your house.
• Clean your furnace every three months to help remove allergens.
• Check for peeling asbestos around boilers and pipes. If there is any, call an asbestos removal expert right away to get rid of it.
• Make good use of the dehumidifier in your basement. This can help maintain an ideal humidity level to prevent mold growth.
8. Laundry Room
• Wash bed sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers weekly in hot water (unless the manufacturer’s instructions state otherwise) to control dust mites that may cause asthma.
• After loading your laundry machine, wash your hands, especially if there’s a sick person in your house, so you will not catch the virus and germs from the clothes or fabrics you washed.
9. Garden
• Remove dried, fallen leaves and kill weeds immediately once you notice them.
• Examine your plants regularly. Check plants for pests or diseases that may harm them as well as your health.
• If you have a pool, clean it often to prevent the growth of algae. Use an efficient and reliable pool pump when cleaning your swimming pool to make the task easier and faster.
