Headache? Achy joints? Runny nose? Itchy eyes? You’re probably thinking you’ve got a cold. It might just be that your indoor air quality stinks – literally.

Indoor air quality can be a LOT more polluted than the air outside. That’s bad news for those of us who live inside – which, I think, is everyone reading this post.

⇒ In addition to making us feel like we’ve got a cold, polluted indoor air can zap our energy and turn us into cranky grumps.

⇒ If you have asthma or another respiratory illness, poor indoor air quality will make them worse.

⇒ Lousy indoor air quality can even contribute to cancers caused by exposure to the toxic chemicals that pollute the air we breathe when we’re inside.

Because indoor air quality causes so many health problems, I’ve teamed up with the smart folks at HomeLab to make it easier for you to figure out what’s actually in the air you’re breathing at home and how you can create a Healthy Home.

Indoor Air Pollution Sources

The HomeLab Healthy Home Program to Create a Non-Toxic Home

HomeLab was started by Nate Bellino.

After working in energy efficiency for over a decade, Nate realized that the air inside our homes was pervasively bad.

His wife battled cancer twice and his daughter has asthma. When trying to create a healthy home for his family, he found trying to remove toxins and pollutants exceedingly difficult.

He started HomeLab so that more people could easily create a healthy home on any budget.

Nate’s ingenious Healthy Home Program is designed to help you make sure that the air you’re breathing is actually worth breathing!

Step 1 – Identify – First and foremost, you need to know what’s in the air you’re breathing. Once you sign up for HomeLab, you’ll get a monitor that will give you vital readings that show you what invisible toxins and pollutants are lurking in your home’s air. (NOTE: You can sign up for a Healthy Home Program for less than $10/month.)

Step 2 – Monitor – Once you know what’s in your air, you can use the monitor together with the HomeLab smart phone app to view toxin levels so you’ll know at any given time where problems exist and whether you need to act.

Step 3 – Take Action – HomeLab’s team of “Home Doctors” – experts with deep knowledge and experience working on indoor air quality – will prescribe the most effective ways for you specifically to create a healthy home that is right for you. They always start with no-cost activities that are surprisingly simple, some of which can remove up to 40% of the toxins and pollutants found in your home’s indoor air.

Step 4 – Continue to Monitor – “Our monitoring service places an effective shield against incoming pollution,” reports Nate. “We remotely observe your air quality monitor and notify you of critical spikes or alarming trends, proactively providing solutions and partnering with you until we kick pollution to the curb.”

Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?!

“Air quality is ever fluctuating in a home,” says Nate. “Different seasons, outdoor pollution events, different rooms all contribute to spikes. We start people off with simple activities and continue guiding them in creating a non-toxic home.”

Once you’ve got a handle on your home, you can continue to use the app as a sort of air quality watchdog.

Free eBook!

If you want to learn more about indoor air and how yours might be polluted, at least get a copy of HomeLab’s Free Healthy Home eBook.

Here’s what’s in it:

√ A list of the most common forms of toxins and pollutants
√ A description of how different products we have at home add to indoor air pollution
√ Common products and services to avoid
√ A step-by-step process for creating a healthy, non-toxic home
√ Recommendations for apartments and rentals

Here’s the link to get your free copy.

25% Discount for the Big Green Purse Community

As a special bonus for the Big Green Purse community, HomeLab is offering you an 25% discount off either the start-up or the premium package. You can check out the advantages of each one right here.

By the way, now is the perfect time to monitor your indoor air. Most of us have either closed our windows tight against the cold weather or , if you live in the south, buttoned your house up to keep air conditioned in.

Either way, the air could be stagnating a bit, which might actually make indoor air pollution worse.

Why not see what’s in your air, and take steps to fix it?

You’ll feel better and stay healthier, right away and in the long term, too.

DISCLOSURE: We’re partnering with Home Lab because we know how important it is to breathe clean indoor air. We will earn a small commission if you sign up for the Healthy Home Program, but we’d recommend Home Lab regardless because we want you to be well. Thanks!

The post You Don’t Have a Cold. Your Indoor Air Quality Stinks. appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Did carpet cleaning almost kill me?

Well, not exactly. But it did make me so sick, I suffered for several days with what felt like a terrible flu.

Turns out, it wasn’t the flu. It was an unexpected and very severe reaction to the chemical compounds in the cleaning fluid I was using to clean my carpet. And I swore, “Never again!” In fact, I’ve teamed up with Pro Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners, a company that is committed to non-toxic carpet cleaning, to offer my top tips so you won’t get as sick as I got.

Why Choose Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaning?

Most carpet cleaners use cleaning solution that contains two particularly toxic chemicals: perchloroethylene, and napthalene.

• Perchloroethylene (commonly called Perc in the industry) is a chemical commonly used in dry cleaning that can cause dizziness, fatigue and nausea if inhaled.
• Naphthalene is a solvent that is considered toxic to the human central nervous system.

Many carpet cleansers also contain synthetic fragrances. Synthetic fragrances contain phthalates and other compounds that are notorious for causing headaches, itchy eyes, aches and pains, and even breathing problems.

When you spray cleaning solution that contains these chemical compounds, misty toxic particles waft into the air, where they are easy to inhale.

In my case, I used a commercial carpet cleanser not knowing it could make me sick.

Within about a half an hour of working on my carpet, I started to feel something like the flu coming on. I finished cleaning the carpet because it never occurred to me that the cleaning solution was what was making me sick.

In fact, I didn’t put two and two together until some months later, when I cleaned my carpet again – and the same thing happened.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about carpet cleaning compounds, what they contain and how they affect our health.

I realize these compounds can be dangerous for babies crawling around the floor, and for our pets that are constantly licking their paws.

I don’t use commercial cleansers any more.

Instead, I work hard to keep my carpet clean so it doesn’t need to be washed as often. When it does get dirty, I only use certified non-toxic products on it.

Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaning Tips

First, try to keep the carpet from getting too dirty.

1) Remove your shoes at the door. – Not only do your shoes track in mud and dirt they can also bring in invisible pollutants like pesticides. At home, wear socks, slippers or house shoes (shoes that never leave the house) when you are inside the house, not your street shoes.

2) Pick up after your pets. Pets can track in a lot of dirt and grime, especially after it rains. Keep a towel by the door to wipe your pets’ paws when you bring them in.

3) Keep a throw rug at every door you use to go inside and outside. The rug can wipe dirt off your shoes and your pets’ feet, in the event you can’t kick your shoes off right away.

4) Vacuum twice a week – Vacuuming gets rid of surface dirt before it has a chance to set. Another advantage? You’ll reduce the level of dust mites. Dust mites can trigger an asthma or allergy attack. Not only will frequent vacuuming decrease dust mites it will also help get rid of surface dirt on your carpets before it gets a chance to set.

5) Use the right type of vacuum – A vacuum cleaner that has strong suction, rotating brushes and comes complete with a HEPA filter is best.

6) Clean spills up at once – The faster you clean up food, wine or juice, pet messes, and other stains the better.

TO CLEAN A STAIN OR GET RID OF GUM

⇒Blot as much of the spilled liquid up as soon as possible after it spills.

⇒Then pour a little cold water or soda water on the spot and continue blotting.

⇒If stain still remains, make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water and spread the past on the stain.

⇒Let it dry, then vacuum it up.

⇒If gum is stuck in your carpet, use an ice cube to free it, then pull it off.

My own experience is that many liquid dish soaps contain something that also removes the color from the carpet, so I only use liquid dish soap (or any actual soap) as a last resort.

How to Actually Wash the Carpet Without Toxic Chemicals So It Gets Clean

Be safe. When you need to wash your carpet, choose cleansers that are certified non-toxic or work with a company like Pro Carpet, whose cleansers are certified by Green Seal.

Hire a company that uses only certified non-toxic cleansers. Ask to see a list of the ingredients in their cleansers if it’s not on their website.

If you clean your carpet yourself, choose cleansers that are certified non-toxic. Again, check the Green Seal data base for options.

Wear a mask that covers your face and nose. No matter what products you use, it’s easy to inhale misty particles when you use a shampooing machine. Reduce what you inhale by wearing a face mask that covers both your nose and mouth.

Run fans and open windows. Keep the windows open and air circulating while your carpets are being cleaned, then run fans to speed up drying afterwards.

If possible, have bedroom carpets cleaned early in the day so you don’t have to sleep in a room that still might have cleaning chemicals in the air.

NOTE: Sponsors like Pro Carpet help us bring you the expert advice you want to create the greener life you want. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post How Carpet Cleaning Almost Killed Me appeared first on Big Green Purse.