Affordable Ways to Make Your Home Safer and Healthier

Making your home healthier and greener doesn’t have to be expensive, or overwhelming. Just a few changes can improve the health of your home, everyone in it -- and the planet it sits on.

Some of these are easy fixes. Others challenge us to re-examine a lifetime of habits.

Avoiding or limiting exposure to toxic chemicals is at the top of every parent’s list. “Toxic chemicals are everywhere, so exposure is really difficult to avoid," says Sonya Lunder, MPH, a senior researcher with Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that researches environmental issues. "But there are things people can do to be proactive."

Among the key toxins are lead, fire retardants, and pesticides. Studies have linked overexposure to lead and pesticides with brain and central nervous system damage, behavior problems, asthma, cancer, and more. And in animal studies, flame retardants – used in everything from electronics to mattresses and upholstered furniture -- have been associated with cancer, abnormal brain development, and hormone problems.

Released into the environment, these chemicals affect wildlife, too -- as well as your pets. In one study, house cats had 23 times more fire retardants in their blood and urine than people. That’s significant because cats, like infants and toddlers, play close to the floor. They also often lick their paws, just as children put their hands in their mouths.

"Researchers believe this may be causing a sharp rise in hyperthyroidism [overactive thyroid] in cats," says Nena Baker, author of The Body Toxic. "Cats may be the canary in the coal mine when it comes to effects of flame retardants."

So how can you cut down your exposure to these chemicals, and other potential household risks? Here are the suggestions from experts. (And in some cases, you'll even save money!)

. Get house dust under control.

House dust aggravates allergies. It also contains more hazardous chemicals than you might think, including lead, fire retardants, pesticides, and other chemicals.

"It's nothing you can afford to take lightly," Lunder tells WebMD. "Even if these chemicals were used decades earlier in your home, they can still accumulate in your house dust today."

The solutions: The best -- and most expensive -- option is to replace wall-to-wall carpeting (a collector for dust and allergens) with wood, cork, tile, or non-vinyl linoleum. But if that’s not economically feasible, some old-fashioned elbow grease can help. Vacuum frequently -- meticulously getting into corners, along the floorboards, and moving furniture to get those dust bunnies.

Make sure your vacuum has strong suction and a HEPA filter so that dust and dirt go into the bag.

• Vacuum at least two times each week.
• Clean the vacuum bag and filter every time, so dust isn't spewed back into the air.

You can also cut down on the chemicals in your house dust, though it’s a more expensive undertaking. Next time you upgrade your computer or TV, look for brands that have phased out fire retardants in their newer models. Visit greenelectronics.com to find products that are RoHS compliant (“Restricted Use of Hazardous Substances”).