Most Michiganders know there are plenty of things that create a toxic environment inside and outside of their homes. However, according to most commercial duct cleaning services, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many people don’t realize that some of the things they do every day are actually helping to increase the toxicity of the air in their homes. Therefore, we are going to go over some of the most common things you probably do every day that are adding to the toxicity levels in your home and what you can do to avoid them. If you are like most people, you probably use a mat outside of your bathtub or shower to step onto after you’ve finished bathing or showering. But what you might not know is that your bath mat serves as the perfect environment for mold, mildew and dust mites because it traps the moisture from your shower and creates the perfect environment for them to flourish. Therefore, you should only use a durable bath mat that can withstand frequent hot water washings and you should be washing that mat every week.

Additionally, after you’ve finished your shower, take that mat and hang it up to dry in an area that has some air flow, or you can simply leave your bath fan running for a while. You probably don’t relate cooking to an indoor toxin, and it’s not. However, when you use certain types of cooking methods that create steam, such as boiling pasta, etc, that will result in the steam being released into the air. indoor plants air purifierThat airborne steam will then disperse throughout your kitchen and settle in areas you don’t clean very often causing a buildup of mold to occur.  are air purifiers safe during pregnancyBut what happens next is even more disturbing. air purifier miAsk any professional duct cleaning service and they will tell you that all that steam is also being drawn into your HVAC system where it will settle and cause problems there as well.

Therefore, when cooking, always use the stove’s exhaust fan to vent the moisture out of your home. Then don’t forget to wash your exhaust fan filters  with a solution of bleach and water periodically to remove the potential for mold growth there as well. Well, here again, you probably haven’t ever thought of your washing machine as contributing to a toxic environment. And it isn’t always, depending on your clothes washing habits. If you are in the habit of allowing wet clothes to sit in your hamper or in your washing machine for more than a couple of hours, you could be allowing mold, mildew and other germs to enter not only your clothes, but the air as well. And once these allergens are released into the air, they will also be drawn into your HVAC system and could be spread throughout your house. Therefore, you should never allow wet or damp laundry sit in your laundry basket or washing machine. You should get into the habit of completing your laundry tasks as soon as the washing machine has stopped.

And while we’re talking about laundry habits, we thought we should take a moment to remind you how important it is to hire a dryer duct cleaning service periodically to clean your dryer’s ducts. Dirty dryer ducts are a major cause of house fires. So don’t let that happen to you! If you have live indoor plants, you need to listen to this. Sometimes when watering your plants, the water can spill and/or splash onto the environment around them. This water will then create mold and/or mildew growth that will then be released into your air where it will enter the air return vents and be dispersed throughout your house. Then you will have to call a Michigan vent cleaning service to remove that residual from your air ducts. Keeping your potted plants on a tile surface and away from your curtains and carpets will cut down on how often you will need to have your air ducts cleaned. As you probably know, mold grows on the parts of your tank that are outside of the water because due to the nature of a fish tank many of the surrounding areas remain moist or damp.

In addition to that, sometimes when you feed your fish, the food is strewn about and gets into and onto parts of the fish tank allowing dust mites to grow and flourish. Then the buildup of mold, mildew and dust mites gets into your air introducing yet another toxic into your environment. Therefore, if you have a fish tank, you should use a dry rag to wipe the above water parts of your tank daily and when you feed your fish, be careful not to allow the fish food to go anywhere but into the water. When it comes to air duct cleaning Michigan residents will tell you how important it can be for eliminating toxins in your home which in turn will help keep you healthy. Great, but, do it yourself air duct cleaning is not recommended. Because the toxins and other debris are usually located deep within your ducts and DIY duct cleaning isn’t capable of removing them properly. Additionally, air duct cleaning companies in Michigan have the proper tools and expertise to clean your vents without damaging them.

Cleaning up after cooking is not much fun, but the real chore is cleaning up after cooking several times. It doesn’t take long until grease and related things are everywhere: the floor, the walls, the refrigerator, the stove and places that make you wonder how it all got there. After you get those done, you might realize that you missed on important step: cleaning the kitchen air vent. The trick is, how do you clean it without making things worse. Traditional household cleaners may do more harm than good, and you certainly don’t want those chemicals lingering over your stove. Researchers have estimated that 9 out of 10 poisonings comes from common household cleaners. Some of these poisonings may be short term, but some may result in lung diseases such as asthma and cause repeated asthma attacks. Some of the results of these toxic chemicals may not reveal themselves for many years. Some doctors blame these chemicals on everything from cancer to rashes and depression to hormonal dysfunction.

Not only do these substances affect people, but they affect pets as well. You have to ask yourself if it is worth using those products, or would you rather use a chemical-free cleaner around your stove and on the kitchen air vent. Of course, the kitchen air vent is not the easiest thing in the house to clean because you have to clean the whole duct. If you are handy at that type of thing, you can do it yourself. Fortunately, you can clean the over-the-stove vent easily, but when it comes time for a thorough cleaning of the entire duct vent, you will probably need to hire a professional. First, we will go over some of the best eco-friendly air vent cleaners. Safe cleaners should be nontoxic and biodegradable. If you are considering purchasing a product and the label is riddled with warnings, it’s probably not what you want. If it has any cautions about poisoning, it’s definitely not what you want. For a simple natural cleaner, you can use a combination of hot water and an all-natural dish soap to clean the hood vent that is over the stove.

If you choose to use a detergent rather than soap, make sure it is biodegradable. A combination of white vinegar and citrus may be strong enough to do the job safely. Another product that is environmentally safe and cuts grease is washing soda aka Sodium Carbonate, or soda ash. That is not to be confused with baking soda, but it is a close relative. Like baking soda, it will also remove odors. You must wear rubber gloves when cleaning with it because it may irritate the skin. In the vent hood, you will see the filters. Gently pull these out of their housing. Allow them to soak for a while in hot, soapy water. After the grease starts to come loose, wash them with a brush, rag or sponge. If the grease is stubborn, try one of the other solutions recommended above. Hiring Someone to Do the Deeper Dirty Work Unless you are very knowledgeable about cleaning air ducts, you are better off to hire a professional service to clean the kitchen exhaust. While they are cleaning, they can also check for potential problems and leaks.