Think your home is a safe haven? Think again. Pollution can be worse inside than out. Here's how to clean house.

Love that new-house smell? The lovely scent may be a sign of toxic fumes wafting from furniture, paint, and floors. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including the carcinogens formaldehyde and styrene, can cause everything from headaches to sore throats and weariness. VOC-free paint and furniture, natural fiber rugs, and new non-toxic coatings on floors can help green your home. Experts can test for specific compounds, but the best indicators are odor and discomfort.

Moldy homes may trigger higher rates of depression, Brown University researchers have found. They've taken into account other factors such as employment, crowding, physical illnesses, and feelings of helplessness. But the fungus can be fixed. Sealing leaks and dehumidifying the air eliminate the moisture that is home to this foe.

Air purifiers can improve your breathing, but beware those trendy ozone generators. Purported to help purify the environment, the ground-level ozone these devices produce can intensify asthma and weaken the lungs—and mix with cleaners and air fresheners to produce carcinogens such as formaldehyde. Consumer Reports' device of choice is the air filter. To clean your lungs, better the old-fashioned way—open a window.

Surfaces cleansed with antibacterial substances have fewer germs—but after just 90 minutes they're as dirty as if you used soap and water. And households favoring antibacterial cleaners are plagued by just as many coughs, runny noses, and fevers as homes opting for plainer agents. Plus, germ-killing chemicals may make bad bugs more resistant and your immune system weaker.

Rover may be causing problems besides allergies. A Norwegian study found that pets increase headache, dizziness, concentration problems, and fatigue. Households with pets also contain more toxins. Keeping the dog out of bedrooms might help more than your kid's homework.

Sources:

EPA, AIHA; American Journal of Public Health; Consumer Reports, EPA; The Ecologist, Annals of Internal Medicine, Emerging Infectious Diseases; Indoor Air.

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