Risks to health: 20 silly mistakes that makes your home unhealthy!

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We had no idea that so many of the things that we do are creating an unhealthy environment in our homes, but now that we do, we have some serious changes to make! We want to give you the opportunity to make the same changes too, so you live long, happy and healthy lives, so we've pulled together the top 20 errors that lots of us are making right now! We think professional cleaners will be cringing at how uninformed we've been but that's all going to change right now!

1. Not turning on your extractor.

Your kitchen will fill with steam and moisture that can turn into mold, so switch it on!

2. Not having a good filter in your vacuum cleaner.

Don't just stick with the one it came with, upgrade for better, deeper cleaning and more dust retrieval.  

3. Not changing that vacuum filter enough!

While you're buying your new vacuum cleaner filters, get a few spares in, so you can change them every six months. Mark the date on a calendar and you won't forget!

4. Ignoring air-conditioning filters.

Anything with a filter needs maintenance, so make sure you clean out your air-con filters or you might just be circulating dirt!

5. Forgetting to ventilate the bathroom.

Steam creates damp, which turns into mold, but you can easily prevent this by cracking your bathroom window before you use hot water!

6. Not clearing your gutters.

A build up of debris will result in a drain blockage and things get very nasty and smelly from there!

7. Tissues in the bedroom.

Facial tissues release so much dust that it's impossible to get it all! Try to minimize this by using moist wipes instead.

8. An overload of textiles in all rooms.

Any fabric items naturally attract and retain dust, so minimize the risk by not having too many blankets and cushions, or air them out regularly. 

9. Planting allergen-inducing plants in your garden.

Hay fever can strike when you least expect it and even if you've never had it before, so look for low-pollen blooms.

10. Ignoring rogue odors.

Don't sniff the air and detect a strange new odor somewhere but shrug it off. It could be a warning of mildew or something more serious. Locate the source!

11. Not cleaning your office enough.

Your office is full of dirt and grime, so shake out your keyboard, wipe the keys and vacuum your desk every week. And don't forget to disinfect you keyboard and mouse from time to time. 

12. Storing shoes in furniture.

If you step in something unpleasant without realizing and you pop your shoes in a cabinet, you'll spread it everywhere! Even wet shoes are a hazard as the moisture will warp furniture.

13. Letting your bins overflow.

We know you want to get as much in your bin bags as possible, but don't let stale food stay in the house for more than a couple of days. 

14. Having too many plants.

A few plants are great, as they look good and help purify your air but too many can actually encourage mold growth, so be cautious!

15. Letting your pets sleep in bed with you.

It might seem like a good idea, but having pets in your bed will mean you get hair everywhere and any ticks or fleas they have could bite you in the behind, literally!

16. Keeping the thermostat too high.

High temperatures encourage mold spores to grow, so keep it low!

17. Trying to hang wallpaper in your bathroom.

Even special wet room wallpapers are a bad idea, as they get damp and soggy. Stick to tiles!

18. Buying bed textiles that can't easily be washed.

Try to stick with pillows and blankets that you can pop in the washing machine, or they'll get grubby and smelly!

19. Leaving damp towels in the bathroom.

Damp towels are a breeding ground for mold, so always get a wet one straight on a radiator to totally dry out and wash them once a week.

20. Going without safety equipment when gardening.

You don't want to end up with thorns under your fingernails or dirt all over you, so always wear proper gardening clothing and gloves.

To overcome even more mistakes you might be making in your home, take a look at this article: 7 lighting mistakes you're probably making.

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