Set Yourself Up for a Healthy Home This Season and All Year Round

Set Yourself Up for a Healthy Home This Season and All Year RoundEnhance the health and safety of your home for your family and friends

MOORESVILLE, N.C., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Creating and maintaining a healthy home everyday is important for the wellness of family and friends. And as more visitors prepare to fill your home this time of year, create an environment that is as warm and inviting as it is healthy. These simple solutions from Lowe's can improve the air, water, surfaces and overall safety of your home, leaving you more time to enjoy the comforts of home with loved ones.

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"Our homes are an extension of ourselves," says Eric Ryan, co-founder of environmentally-friendly cleaning product company Method, whose products are available at Lowe's. "We want our homes to be as healthy as possible and there are easy ways to improve our indoor environment -- from choosing non-VOC wall paint, to replacing bottled water with a water filter, to switching out harsh, chemical cleaners for non-toxic alternatives."

Air

When humidity levels are low, as they often are in winter, viruses and bacteria can spread more easily and nasal passages can't filter as effectively, increasing illness. Utilizing HEPA filters throughout the home, like the Hunter HEPA Air Purifier QuietFlo 245 (Item #140386, $149), can help confine airborne allergens including household dust, mold and pet dander. Also, to help fight the growth of bacteria and mold in the home, consider using a humidifier like the Germ Guardian Digital Ultrasonic Humidifier (Item #176195, $139).

Replacing your furnace filter with the Filtrete Maximum Allergen Reduction Filter (Item #134507, $19.97) will also help reduce the number of allergens and virus-spreading particles in the air. Do not forget to add houseplants such as Ficus, Palms and Anthriums, which are great examples of plants that purify the air indoors. They can also add to the decor in your home.

In addition, when cleaning your carpets, consider using the Eureka Altima HEPA Bagless Vacuum (Item #234516, $79.99) to help capture the allergens and reduce the amount of dust that escapes into the air. In order to optimize the cleanliness of your home, make sure to vacuum the furniture and curtains, which often trap dust and allergens. If you decide to paint your house to prepare for any houseguests, consider Olympic Premium Zero-VOC paint to improve air quality for you and your family.

Water

Seventy percent of your body is made of water, which makes it critical to ensure clean drinking water for you and your family. The PUR Vertical Faucet Mount Filter (Item #195003, $23.87) will make this year's hot chocolate taste better than ever by filtering out impurities. For a convenient whole house system that needs no changing of filters, consider the Whirlpool Central Water Filtration System (Item #31217, $377).

Surfaces

The kitchen can quickly become the dirtiest room in the home with all the cooking and gathering that is done in this space. Clean countertop messes with compostable cleaning wipes like Method's All Purpose Wipes (Item #300790, $3.97), which can be used on multiple surfaces and are easily stored in flat-pack pouches. Also, keep hands clean before preparing food by using Method's hand soaps, available in a variety of fragrances and colors.

When keeping the guest bathroom clean for friends and family, opt for non-toxic and biodegradable cleaners. Simple Green Bathroom Cleaner (Item #296352, $3.28) and Glass Cleaner (Item #296355, $3.48) provide naturally derived cleaning solutions for you and your home. Make sure to remember the areas that can be easily overlooked such as doorknobs and light switches.

Safety

In addition to clean air, water and surfaces, safety is an important component of a home's overall health. Protect your family from injury with the Moen Designer Elite Grab Bar (Item #61058, $36.98), an easy-to-grip handlebar to help stabilize you in the shower. For an added safety boost, install a dual-purpose smoke and carbon monoxide detector like the KIDDE Voice-Alert Alarm (Item #143036, $36.97) on every level of your home. Keep a fire extinguisher on-hand for any fire emergencies.

For more information 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 1,575 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.