Say Goodbye to Grime and Hello to a Cleaner, Healthier Home

MOORESVILLE, N.C., March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of people suffer from the symptoms of seasonal allergies every year and, with spring right around the corner, there's no time like the present to put a protection plan into place. Here are some simple steps to help keep you and your family comfortable and sneeze-free.

"Creating a healthier home environment is easier than you think, especially when you create an action plan to remove and then keep germs out of your home," said John Kasberger, senior vice president of merchandising for kitchen and bath at Lowe's. "A healthy home is one that includes three key elements, clean air, water and surfaces."

Clean Air

Ironically, the things that can make your life more comfortable -- your air conditioner and furniture -- are also the ones that can release the most irritants. Since most people spend a lot of time inside their homes, limiting the amount of air contaminants like mold, allergens and carbon monoxide is important.

"Improving your home's air quality is one of the easiest and healthiest changes you can make," said Kasberger. "By installing new filters or a sanitizer, you can make a difference in the air."

Changing your filters on a regular basis will help keep indoor air cleaner. Look for a model that's designed to capture allergen particles like the Filtrete Micro Allergen Extra Reduction Filter (Item #3316, $9.97). Air purifiers such as the Germ Guardian UV-C Room Air Sanitizer (Item #285249, $129), with enhanced germ killing power is helpful in creating cleaner air.

Also, adding one or two plants can help as nature's air filters by adding oxygen and humidity to your indoor environment.

When deciding on new paint colors for your home, consider using Green Seal certified Olympic Premium Interior Paints ($16.92 per gallon). The paint is formulated with zero VOC and produces no lingering odors when applied, leaving your room renewed and refreshed.

Clean Water

Every day we drink water and depend on it in our homes to clean, cook and bathe, making healthy water critical to your overall well-being.

One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of the water you drink is to add a faucet-mounted water filter such as the PUR Vertical Faucet-Mounted Filter (Item #195003, $26.87) to your tap. For maximum filtration protection, try an undersink filter such as the Whirlpool Encapsulated Dual Filtration System (Item# 152246, $123), which is equally convenient and lasts longer than faucet-mounted options.

Chemical imbalances can cause hard water, leading to lime scale build up in bathtubs and clogging pipes. Adding a water softener, such as our Whirlpool 30,000 grain capacity water softener (Item# 63157, $427), can ease your cleaning load by reducing the amount of scrubbing you need to do.

Clean Surfaces

There's more to clean than meets the eye, as even a clean-looking surface can harbor germs and bacteria. Small changes in the way you clean will help provide germ-free surfaces.

Learn where the germ hot spots are in your home and disinfect them regularly. Clean hard surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom, such as countertops, faucets and handles with disposable germ-fighting wipes. Don't forget to disinfect other germ magnets inside your home regularly, including TV remotes, light switches, door knobs and phone receivers.

For a natural cleaning alternative, try the line of Clorox Green Works Cleaners, including dilutable, all purpose, bathroom and glass cleaners ($2.67 - $5.97). Green Works cleaning products are made from plant and mineral based materials, they contain no harsh chemical fumes or residue, and they work as well as most traditional cleaners.

New home. Old home. Either way, it'll be a healthier home by following the three key elements, clean air, water, and surfaces.

For product information or more tips on creating a healthy home, visit Lowe's stores nationwide or Lowes.com/HealthyHome .

About Lowe's

With fiscal year 2007 sales of $48.3 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company that serves approximately 14 million customers a week at more than 1,525 home improvement stores in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

SOURCE Lowe's Companies, Inc.