Living Magazine doTERRA Spring 2018 Living Magazine | Page 16

Cleaning the Air
in Your Home
Other Easy Ways to Clean Your Air
Some simple things you might not think of can also improve
the pollution in your home. These include:
With pollution being an ever-present issue in modern times, most people probably assume they are safer when indoors.
On average, most people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. However, most homes have air pollution two to
five times greater than the air outside. But don’t despair—by making small and simple changes around your home, the air
quality can dramatically improve.
Three Deadly Pollutants
Three deadly pollutants have the potential to harm your
family’s health the most. They are carbon monoxide,
secondhand smoke, and r adon gas. Combat the first by
installing a carbon monoxide detector to alert you if gas is
present. As for secondhand smoke, the Surgeon General
states that no amount of secondhand smoke is safe. Ask
smokers to take it outside to keep the air in your home
clean. Finally, your home may be harboring a silent killer.
Radon gas is the leading cause of death among nonsmokers,
and the second leading cause of lung cancer. Odorless,
invisible, and naturally occurring, radon testing is the only
way to catch this deadly gas.
Using the Green Approach
The following five plants will help naturally purify the air
in your home. Each is NASA-certified as plants that can
remove harmful compounds from the air.
1. Peace Lily–Possesses the ability to improve air quality
indoors by 60 percent. It also helps keep shower curtains
and tiles free from mildew, and can absorb the vapors from
alcohol and acetone.
16 / SPRING 2018 LIVING MAGAZINE
2. Eucalyptus–The leaves are filled with tannins that can
raise healthy fluids in the body’s air passages. Breathing
the scent of this plant promotes feelings of clear breathing.
dōTERRA Eucalyptus oil comes from eucalyptus leaves.
The oil’s ability to promote feelings of clear breathing and
relaxation are two of the main reasons eucalyptus makes a
great houseplant.
3. English Ivy–This is the perfect plant for pet-lovers and
office workers alike. It has the ability to clean the air of
airborne fecal matter and benzene, a chemical commonly
found in office equipment that makes focusing difficult.
4. Boston Fern–Great for anyone who suffers from
occasional dry skin. This plant acts as a natural humidifier.
It helps restore moisture to the air, especially in the cold
winter months. It also removes traces of formaldehyde,
commonly found in surface cleaners.
5. Spider Plant–Do not let its name fool you, this plant is
anything but creepy. Within two days the spider plant can
remove almost 90 percent of toxins in your home. It gets
rid of harmful substances like mold and dust allergens, but
its real power is the ability to absorb formaldehyde and
carbon monoxide.
1 Take your shoes off as soon as you get home. Chances
are that at some time during the day your shoes walked
across the grass in the park, into a pubic bathroom, or
across the sidewalk. In all of these places your shoes
picked up a number of contaminates, such as e-coli,
pesticides, or formaldehyde. When you wear shoes in
your home, you run the risk of infecting your family with
any of these toxins.
2  Use the correct cleaners. Using natural cleaners such as
the dōTERRA On Guard ® Cleaner, or making your own
cleaning products, will reduce the amount of harmful
gases in your home. (See page 37 for DIY essential oil
cleaning products).
Many of us spend a great deal of time
indoors, at work or in our homes. By
adding a plant or two and making other
simple changes, air quality in your
surroundings can improve radically.
3  Vacuum regularly. Dust mites are a normal occurrence
in any home, but they hold onto bacteria and unsavory
smells. Frequent vacuuming will reduce the amount of
dust mites.
4  Change your air filter at least every three months. This
will keep dust mites and bacteria away, and is especially
important if you have pets. To ensure moisture does not
take over your home and aid in the growth of mold, run
fans in your bathroom and open your windows fre-
quently.
5  Diffuse essential oils. Certain essential oils and blends
such as Purify, dōTERRA On Guard ® , Juniper Berry,
Lemon, Lime, and Melaleuca (Tea Tree) contain powerful
cleansing properties.
doterra.com / 17