What is that Smell?

Did you know that the air inside the average US home is 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside regardless of whether it's located in a rural or highly industrialized area? The culprits are Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs and are found in everything from common household cleaners and paint to furniture and building materials --anything containing organic chemicals. And all of these products can release organic compounds through off-gassing while you are using them, for some time after and even while they are stored.

So what can you do to improve the air you breath in your home?

1. Start with your cleaning products. Next time you run out of a cleaning product, reach for an eco-friendly substitute. Or, better yet, make your own! Our grandparents and great- grandparents managed to clean houses for generations with just a few simple ingredients lying around the house.
2. Thinking about painting a room in your house? Why not try a low- or no- VOC paint? Today there are many varieties on the market and some will not break the bank.
3. Switch to an eco-friendly dry cleaner. Perchloroethylene, the chemical most often used in dry cleaning, has been shown to cause cancer in animals and people breath low levels of this chemical in homes where dry cleaned goods are stored and as the clothes are worn.
   
4. Clean out your garage and remove the hazards sitting around your home. Make sure all items are disposed of properly and as per local ordinances. In the future buy limited quantities of paint, strippers, gasoline, etc.

Making some or all of these changes may help you and your loved ones breath a little easier.

Sources: EPA.gov