As you carefully build your nest and fill it with all the things you’ll need for baby, don’t forget to assess the spaces in your home. With a little effort on your part, you can turn your place into a healthy and safe place where your precious new life will call home.

 

Here are just some of the ways to keep your home green and natural:

 

 

 

Harsh chemical cleaners can leave a toxic residue on your floors and surfaces and this is where your new baby will spend a lot of her time! Now’s the time to switch to gentler cleaning products, such as Nature Clean, Ecover, and Seventh Generation. They may cost a little bit more but your little darling is worth it!

 

 

To save money, why not make your own cleaners using natural household materials such as vinegar, baking soda, borax and lemon juice! You’d be amazed how well these ingredients work on stubborn stains, helping you get that porcelain sparkling clean. The following is a recipe for a good all-purpose cleaner:

 

-1 tsp borax

-1/2 teaspoon washing soda (a mineral, sodium carbonate, also known as soda ash and sal soda, which should be found in a grocery store's laundry section. A very effective cleanser of grease, oil, dirt and many petroleum products)

-2 tablespoons vinegar

-1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon vegetable-oil-based liquid soap

-2 cups very hot tap water

 

Combine the borax, washing soda, vinegar and liquid soap in a spray bottle. Add very hot tap water, shaking the bottle gently until the minerals have dissolved. Spray onto the area to be cleaned and wipe off with a sponge, rag or cellulose sponge cloth.

 

Click here to find more easy recipes for cleaners.

 

 

You may be surprised to learn that the quality of the air inside your home may be worse than the air outside--even in the busiest of cities. What’s making it so polluted? Things like furniture made from particleboard, carpets with PVC backing, paints and wood varnishes full of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), all of which off-gas chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene. Carpets are also a breeding ground for mold and dust mites that can cause allergies, asthma, and other health problems.

 

To improve the quality of the air indoors, ventilate often by opening windows. Also, clean air ducts and regularly replace air conditioning and furnace filters. This will go a long way towards improving the air quality, as well as ensuring that your air conditioning and furnace run efficiently. 

 

 

Conventional crib mattresses are made of such materials as PVC and polyurethane foam, which disintegrate over time and can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) throughout their life cycle. In addition, many hazardous chemical compounds, such as phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony may be added to a crib mattress as a fire retardant. There is even some evidence to suggest that the off-gassing of these chemicals is related to SIDS, though this still remains unproven. 

 

If you’re looking for an alternative, you can find many non-toxic options, including mattresses made of natural rubber, organic cotton, or wool. For a much cheaper alternative, visit your local futon shop and have them make you a custom crib futon using 100% cotton filling. This will cost even less than a conventional crib mattress! Just make sure you buy a water-proof barrier, such as wool or polyethylene, which is a safer plastic.

 

 

Unbleached organic cotton and bamboo sheets are a great bedding option but they can also break the bank. If you’re on a tight budget, use hand-me-down crib sheets and blankets. After many washes, sheets and blankets not only become softer, but they also lose all chemical residues. 

 

 

 

Even if you don’t plan to paint the baby’s room, check what’s on your walls. Homes built prior to 1978 may have lead-based paints on the walls which pose a serious hazard to children. If you do suspect that your home contains lead paint, you can buy a kit for testing. Homax makes a good one, which retails for about $13.00. If the presence of lead is confirmed, you have two options. The first is to sand the lead off the walls, which poses a serious health risk in itself. But if you have a HazMat suit, gas mask, excellent ventilation, and the luxury of sleeping elsewhere for about a week, this option may be right for you. The second, less intrusive option is to purchase a low-VOC transitional primer (AFM Safecoat makes a good one) which seals in the old lead paint and allows you to further seal in the lead with two to three coats of zero-VOC paint.

 

 

While paint is the easiest and least expensive option for colour in your baby’s room, it’s important to know that all commercially produced paints include significant amounts of VOCs– found in the solvents, binders, stabilizers, insecticides, fungicides, preservatives and even the pigments. Some are known carcinogens while others cause liver or kidney damage. In smaller doses, the off-gassing from VOCs can lead to dizziness, disorientation, headaches, loss of muscle control, and irregular heartbeat.

 

In addition to paint, think a bit outside the box and you’ll discover a whole range of alternatives for your walls, such as plaster and natural grass, fabric wall coverings with nontoxic adhesives and dyes, or milk-based and casein-based paint. A whole range of new products is emerging, some reviving time-honoured traditions that were commonplace before chemicals permeated our lives. Paints are now available that are made from tree and plant oils and resins, herbal extracts, mineral and vegetable pigments, citrus-peel thinners, and beeswax. You can even find food-based aromatherapy paint with fragrances like lemon and vanilla.

 

To find out more about nontoxic paints and alternatives, be sure to visit Strong River, a Vancouver-based nontoxic painting and design firm. 

 

 

If you’re thinking about finally ripping up that walll-to-wall carpeting, some healthier alternatives include hardwood treated with a nontoxic finish, cork, which is naturally antibacterial, as well as linoleum, which is made from linseed oil. Bamboo flooring is a really good choice for sustainability, and is available in a variety of stains. For more information about sustainable flooring, check out Montreal-based company Duro Designs.

 

 

Pick up area rugs made from natural materials such as wool, cotton, hemp, or jute. They’re easier to clean without chemical cleaners and are safe for baby to play on!

 

 

 

Perfume, make-up, skincare, and grooming products can contain toxic materials and harsh chemicals, such as formaldehyde and mercury. Nail polish, for example, contains the solvents toluene, amyl, butyl and ethyl acetate, which are known neurotoxins.

 

Your new baby will come in close contact with your skin so it’s a good idea to use products made from plant-based ingredients, and avoid anything with fragrance, dyes, or perfumes. Time to purge your cabinets and find more healthy alternatives. Your body will thank you!