The average person likely doesn’t think twice before lighting a candle or polishing the floor. Surprisingly, many common household products are chock full of potentially harmful chemicals, such as VOCs! What are VOC’s?
But fear not! With a little more thought, these chemicals are easily removed or reduced from your home. The first step is to store all VOC-containing products outside of your home by placing them in either a shed or the garage. If a product containing VOCs is necessary, ensuring proper airflow will decrease your consumption of the hazard. If you feel ridding your home of these chemicals entirely is necessary, there are many VOC-free products available to you. Below, I will delve into some of the most common sources of VOCs in the average home, and how you can eliminate them!
Some of the most common VOCs are acetone, benzene, butanal, carbon disulfide, dichlorobenzene, ethanol, formaldehyde, terpenes, toluene, and xylene. Many are found are more obvious offenders, such as paints, furniture polish, gasoline combustion, detergents, carpeting, and glues; but others are much more surprising, and may take a little more effort to identify. You may be taking in VOCs when burning a candle, using nail polish remover, or drinking from your home’s tap. Formaldehyde can even be found in many plastics!
The good news is that keeping these toxic compounds away from your family is an easy job. It simply means being aware of the items you allow into your home and consciously taking steps to reduce exposure when these chemicals cannot be avoided.
Sometimes, this means simply opening a couple of windows when you paint the bedroom, not allowing the car to idle in the garage, and purchasing a quality water filter. Making a couple of simple swaps in the products you purchase will make a lot of difference in your home and your health! Acetone-free nail polish remover is better for your nails as well as your lungs, and soy-based, cotton wick candles are the safest to burn while still giving your home a cozy ambiance!
While of course it’s best to avoid plastic entirely, BPA free plastics are the safest of the plastics to choose from.
Despite all of this fuss about VOCs, remember not to worry too much about it. If you’re working to make healthier choices, and educating yourself on what goes into the things you buy and use, there’s no reason to worry; you’re already doing your part!
If you have concerns about the indoor air quality of your home consider contacting Habitation Investigation. We can sample and test the air to find out what you are breathing and the potential sources of the substances. We can also test for molds.
The Habitation Investigation company provides mold testing and home inspections in the Central Ohio Columbus and home inspection in the Dayton Ohio areas, Hilliard, Powell, Pickerington, Pataskala, New Albany, Delaware, Gahanna, Westerville, Galloway, Grove City, Worthington, Dublin, Marysville, London, West Jefferson, Mechanicsburg and other cities surrounding Columbus, Ohio. The most/best-reviewed home inspection company in Columbus Ohio is Habitation Investigation LLC. The website is: https://www.homeinspectionsinohio.comWritten by Kaitlyn Troth of Troth Media
