(NAPSA)—According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors— where pollutant levels are often higher than those outside. Indoor pollution is estimated to cause hundreds of thousands of respiratory health problems each year. According to the American Academyof Allergy, Asthma and Immu- nology, 50 million Americanssuffer from allergic diseases each year. Now more than ever, providing a healthy, safe and clean environment in your homeis essential. Laura Dellutri, the “Healthy Housekeeper,” has some smart, easy solutions for creating this balance in your own homethat will help you protect yourself and your family. 1. Clean air ducts and vent work. We often think of pollution outdoors, and don’t prepare for high pollutant levels inside our homes. Makeit a habit to clean air ducts and vents twice a year and replace furnace filters monthly to ensure good air quality conditions. Allergen filters, such as 3M Filtrete capture nearly all airborne particles and will ease respiratory problems. 2. Choose smart cleaning products. Many kitchen and bathroom cleaning products use toxic chemicals to get a sparkling clean. This can be particularly dangerous in the bathroom becauseof the typically small space and poor ventilation. Kaboom Shower, Tub and Tile Cleaner uses no ammonia, phosphates or harsh acids, and has a patented no toxic fume formulation. The best part is, Kaboom is a powerful cleaner and will erase all of your soap scum, dirt, grime, hard water stains and evenrust. 3. Wash the sheets. All bedding should be washed weekly in hot water (130 degrees). Purchase protective covers for pillows and mattresses. This will help kill the dust mites in the bed. According to Expert, author and cleaning service entrepreneur Laura Dellutri. the Environmental Health and Safety Organization, you are sleeping with 100,000 to 10 million dust mites every night in your bed. They are invisible to the human eye andthey live off the dead skin that falls from your body. They can cause sinus issues, sinusitis, runny noses, andtriggerallergies. 4, Reduce and capture dust. Heavy drapes and curtains accumulate dust and are likely washed or vacuumed less often. Choose blinds or light weight curtains that allow less area for dust to accumulate and are easier to clean. When dusting, you should use microfiber cloths that capture dust particles, instead of old rags andT-shirts. 5. Vacuum right. Your old vacuum may very well be making you sick by blowing out dust mites, pet dander, mold spores and other airborne particles. Use a HEPAfiltration, micro filtration or other high filtration filter in your vacuum that captures at least 99.7 percent of airborne particulate. This will not only keep the carpets clean, but it will stop recycling the dust back into theair. More valuable tips and information can be found on Laura’s Web site, www.healthyhouse keeper.com or in her latest book, “Speed Cleaning 101.”
