Air Purifiers are amazing but can get very costly! Here are some easier, less expensive ways to clean the air around you!
- Himalayan Salt Lamp: Himalayan pink salt is a natural air purifier that pulls toxins from the environment and neutralizes them. Salt lamps can help reduce airborne irritants, allergens and pathogens by pulling water vapor out of the air. Please read my article on How to Choose one!
- House Plants: Different kinds of houseplants can purify air and they are the best medium to counter the pollution indoors, especially if you are dealing with respiratory illnesses. Some varieties of houseplants require very little or indirect sunlight. Houseplants can purify and rejuvenate air within your houses and workplaces, safeguarding you from any side effects associated with toxins like ammonia, formaldehyde and also benzene. Keeping a houseplant at every 100 square-foot of our homes is a very effective and efficient method for obtaining clean air. The most effective plants that can filter toxins from the air are Lady Palm or Broad-Leaf Palm, which prefer bright indirect light, and Peace Lily, which prefers very moderate light. The Butterfly Palm, Golden Cane Palm and Bamboo Palm, all grow in indirect light and can be kept anywhere in the house. They should especially be kept in carpeted rooms or those recently painted. While all kinds of houseplants help purify air, the English Ivy or common Ivy are suitable to be kept in rooms with computers or printers. The Spider Plant is useful in a kitchen with a gas stove, as it helps control the carbon monoxide and xylene in the air.
- Activated Charcoal: Activated charcoal (or activated carbon) is charcoal that underwent an additional heating step in the manufacturing process. This essentially cleans the charcoal of its impurities. It increases its surface area and creates more micropores, making the charcoal even more effective at trapping odors. The pores provide no nutrients or moisture, so the trapped bacteria are left to die. Please note, as you keep using charcoal in your home, eventually the pores will become full. The charcoal becomes inactive. In other words, it stops working and needs to be cleaned out again.
- High Quality Essential oils: like rosemary, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, grapefruit, lemon, clove and tea tree have the ability to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and mold. Studies from Webster State University have shown that Thieves oil (MY FAVORITE that you can get right here), which is an antiseptic blend of pure essential oils like pine needle, cinnamon, thyme, eucalyptus, lemon and grapefruit, has a 99.96 per cent kill rate against airborne bacteria. This mixture of essential oils helps keep the home free of germs and purifies the air. You can easily add it to soaps and detergents to breathe fresh and clean air. You can even add a few drops to a bowl full of lukewarm water and let the bowl sit in the room you spend the most time in.
- CLEAN WITH NON TOXIC CLEANERS! If you are spraying toxins into your air by doing regular household cleaning you are making the air your breath toxic as well. I make my own all purpose cleaner by adding castile soap, water and essential oils into a glass sprayer! SIMPLE and very COST EFFECTIVE! Another option is Vinegar or water with essential oils (Thieves works amazing) for bath tubs. Spray, let it set in and then scrub.
- STOP BURNING CANDLES! If you can’t than switch to beeswax or soy which are much cleaner burning and usually contain essential oils instead of artificial fragrance.
The list above is easy to do and will not cost a fortune! Small steps to rid your home of toxins is the best way to begin purifying the air in your home! Good luck and please contact me with any questions that you may have. Also please connect with me on Facebook and Etsy to view my non toxic products and healing stone bracelets! Have a great day and thank you for reading!