If you have a toxic home, the chances are, you're toxic too. You wouldn't put a goldfish into a dirty, mouldy fish tank, or clean the fish tank with bleach and then expect the goldfish to survive. So why do we sometimes expect humans to survive in 'less than favourable' conditions?

MOULD

We talked about cleansing mould out of the body in the 'Mould Toxicity' section above, but here we're going to talk about cleansing mould out of your home... and how to prevent it from building up in the first place.

One very important thing to understand about Toxic Mould Illness/CIRS, is that the mould can be invisible. Water damaged buildings can have obvious mould and/or hidden mould that you can't see or smell.

This is what happened to me (Leisa). I bought a brand new home that looked spotlessly clean (some would say 'sterile')... but the plumber left the test cap in and the entire home flooded. After the 'clean up', I thought I was safe... but I wasn't. Looking at my beautiful brand new home back then, you would never have known it was mouldy... but it was! Not only was it mouldy, it was harbouring bacteria from raw sewerage that also overflowed due to the test cap being left in. Yuck! The home 'appeared' to be immaculate... and everyone who visited commented as such. And yet, my home was making me sick... and 3 months after moving in, I was bedridden! :-(

Here's an example of hidden damage:

Most water proof membranes in bathrooms, especially where tiles have been grouted, need replacing approximately every 7 years... and cleaning with too much vinegar and too many essential oils can damage the grout and penetrate the waterproof membrane, allowing water to seep in behind the wall and into the structural framework of your home. This slow leak eventually turns into mould that ends up hiding behind your walls.

While this may seem obvious - it's really important to fix all leaks immediately (even the little tiny ones) and check all plumbing - taps, under sinks, behind your washing machine, behind your fridge etc on a regular basis. Don't let things drip... as water can eventually seep in through your skirting boards, down into your floors and into the ceilings below if your home is multiple story and cause all kinds of nasty mouldy problems.

While bathrooms, laundries, kitchens and other wet areas are obvious mould hazards, places such as your bedroom windows and cupboards can harbour mould depending on your climate and the degree of appropriate ventilation.

Here's a few simple tricks to help keep your home mould free:

• Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to remove all dust. We love the Miele Complete C3 Comfort Total Care. Vacuum slowly and frequently. A vacuum with a bag is best, as you don't want to recontaminate yourself emptying a bagless barrel (like you would with a Dyson).
• Use a microfibre cloth to keep all surfaces dust free. Remember that mould LOVES dust!
• Open all of your windows and doors and allow fresh air to flow through your house as much as possible.

These top 3 things alone make a huge difference!

• Place moisture absorbers in all of your cupboards and replace them every 3 months.
• Wipe down the inside of your windows with 1 cup vinegar in a bucket of warm water and a microfibre cloth. Do this regularly, especially if you see condensation forming on your windows.
• Regularly check and clean air conditioning units and ducted air conditioning and heating systems.
• Check, clean and change all of your filters regularly - air conditioning filters, water filters, vacuum cleaner filters. Clean the filter or become the filter! If you don't have clean filters in your home doing the work for you, then your lungs, kidneys and liver will have to take over!
• Check your roof and keep your gutters clean. Roof leaks can be a real problem, leading to a mouldy roof cavity and eventually mouldy ceilings.
• Use an air purifier like the Air Oasis iAdaptAir HEPA UV Air Purifier. The Air Oasis iAdaptAir is an ozone-free, full spectrum air purifier with a high-quality HEPA filter, carbon filter, and UV technologies. It has been third-party tested and reduces up to 99.99% of H1N1 Influenza virus, bacteria, mould, mycotoxins, and VOCs in 20 minutes or less. This little baby saved me! I love my Air Oasis!
• Use a dehumidifier.

A special note on air purifies: Toxic Mould Support Australia have also rated two air purifiers from the Choice air purifier review and recommend Philips and Samsung (if you can't get an Air Oasis). Phillips is better on price. These air purifiers have excellent dust/smoke and reasonable VOC scores. But... they are not tested for their ability to filter mould spores, fragments or mycotoxins, but do test for dust and smoke (which are similar in size to spores and fragments). 

DUST

Many people have dust sensitivities or allergies... and mould proliferates in dust!

If you haven't seen an image of a dust mite, they are vicious looking little creatures. They are tiny microscopic relatives of the spider and live on mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets and curtains. They feed off dead skin cells and thrive in warm and humid environments.

Unfortunately, these dust sensitivities or allergies can lead to post nasal drip and/or recurrent sinus infections that can ultimately end up infecting your gut. This is why keeping dust to a minimum in your home can help your heal.

To effectively bust some dust, do the following weekly:

• Remove dust with a damp microfibre cloth.
• Thoroughly vacuum using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter (like that mentioned above)
• Mop your floors with 1 cup of vinegar in a bucket of warm water and 5 - 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
• Wash your sheets and bedding in very hot water - 140℉/60℃. You can also add 5 drops of essential oils like lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, lemon etc to your wash.
• Air out your pillows, blankets, any other bedding, cushions, rugs etc in the beautiful hot sunshine (if you can). This is great way to zap some dust mites.
• Use mattress and pillow protectors.

BACTERIA

Bacteria in your kitchen can contribute to histamine intolerance. Refer to the Histamine Success Food Handling & Preparation Guide for more information as to how create a Histamine Friendly Kitchen.

When it comes to bacteria, don't go too crazy trying to 'kill germs'. Bleach and other nasty disinfectant type chemicals are totally unnecessary. Remember that some bacteria are good. Following the above recommendations is enough to keep the bacteria in your home in balance... which is what you also want for your gut. You don't want a home with dysbiosis. ;-) What is macro is micro and vice-versa - this is a bit like 'as-above-as-below' - what happens on one level of reality also happens on every other level; the microcosm and macrocosm behave alike.

It really doesn't take much to keep your home healthy. Developing a few simple and cost effect habits is all it takes.

If you'd like more information, Nicole Bijlsma, a building biologist, bestselling author, PhD candidate and CEO of the Australian College of Environmental Studies, has written a comprehensive book on this subject - Healthy Home Healthy Family.