We all want to live in a clean, healthy home, but deciding where to start can sometimes be overwhelming. Here are six simple and budget-friendly tips you can use today to make your home healthier for everyone.

1. Reduce indoor air pollution.

We are usually only aware of air pollution outdoors, but indoor air pollution can lead to coughs, sinus issues, and even worse conditions like asthma and COPD. There are many ways to reduce indoor air pollution that you can implement today.

Keep up on dusting so that it doesn’t accumulate. Start cooking with the hood fan turned on to cut down on fumes from gas stoves and cooking food. Make sure to change your air filter regularly. You can also invest in a good quality air purifier to help ensure your home’s air is at its best. Potted plants add an attractive look to your home and help with air exchange.

2. Limit the use of toxins.

This includes reducing the use of pesticides and switching to more natural cleaning products. You can also reduce the use of foods stored in plastics and cans lined with BPA. Changing your food storage to nonreactive and nontoxic containers like glass or stainless steel can also be beneficial. If you need to freshen the air, stick to products with quality essential oils and soy candles instead of synthetic scents and air fresheners.

3. Get a quality water filter.

You may not be able to install a whole house water filter, but there are many options for filtering your drinking water. You can eliminate a lot of additional contaminants from tap water with a reputable brand's faucet or pitcher filter. Make sure to change your filters regularly based on the manufacturer’s directions. You can get a filter with a reminder light or mark the date to change filters in your calendar.

4. Remove your shoes at the door.

The soles of your shoes can track in more than dirt. When they enter a home, they also bring with them bacteria, chemicals, or other contaminants from the ground outside. Instituting a shoes off indoors policy helps reduce the bacteria and chemicals that make it into your home. It also helps keep your floors looking cleaner.

5. Wash fabrics regularly.

You should regularly wash all the fabrics in your home. It can be easy to forget to clean curtains, area rugs, or shower curtains. To make life simpler, replace these with machine-washable versions and make sure to wash them regularly. Curtains should be washed once a season. Depending on their use, area rugs should be washed once or twice a season. You can also replace your vinyl shower curtain with a machine-washable nylon or polyester one for ease of deep cleaning.

6. Disinfect high-contact surfaces.

Use your new non-toxic cleaning products regularly. You should disinfect high-traffic areas like doorknobs, toilet handles, and light switches often. Don’t forget other miscellaneous items like remote controls or computer peripherals. All of these surfaces can house a lot of bacteria and are frequent points of transfer of bacteria from one person to another. If someone in your house is sick, try to step up the disinfecting of high-contact items to help reduce the possible spread of the illness.

All these tips will help make your home and everyone living there healthier. Keeping things clean and reducing exposure to potentially hazardous toxins will ensure a happier, healthier life, whether in a small apartment or a large house. Get started with these tips today.