5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality!

The summer heat is bad enough, but it's even worse when you can't escape to your A/C do to poor indoor air quality. The EPA lists indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. Fortunately there are ways to improve it, from simple day to day tasks to hiring local service pros. You dont have to live with poor indoor air quality!

Here are five of the best ways to help improve your indoor air quality!

1.) Let Your Home Breathe-

Okay we will start you off with an easy one. Open your windows if it's cool enough out, and let your home breathe. If you feel comfortable doing so, leave them open over night.  This will help recycle your homes old stagnant air while bringing in fresh air. Make sure you turn off your A/C before you do this.

2.) Use Pleated Air Filters - 

To improve the indoor air quality in your home you should never go less than a MERV 8 pleated air filter. These pleated filters will make sure to filter out the dust and dirt in the air. Many people purchase lesser grade filters as they don't seem to get dirty as fast. However, this is because they only collect a fraction of the pollutants that a pleated filter will collect. As always be sure you are replacing your air filters regularly (we recommend once a month).

Bonus Tip- Spice it up with essential oils! Put a few drops of your favorite smelling essential oils on your air filters before installing them. This will give your home a great healthy and natural aroma.

3.) Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum!-

Did we mention vacuum? Your carpets and floors collect he vast majority of the dust and dirt in your home. Making sure to vacuum once a week will help to prevent this dust and dirt from getting into your air. Always empty out the canister and/or change the bags when they get full too. If it becomes to full the vacuum will expel the excess dust and dirt into your air.

4.) Take off Your Shoes-

Your shoes see it all and have stepped in it all.  No matter how careful you are about what you step in, dirt, dust and more will attach itself to you shoes throughout the day. Leaving your shoes on when you walk around your home will cause that dust, dirt and more to get into your carpet, floors and even your air. To help reduce the amount of foreign contaminants in your home, all you need to do is take off your shoes as you step inside.

5.) Air Duct Cleaning-

If all else fails, you probably need an air duct cleaning. Your air ducts could already be full of dirt and dust, spewing it back into your air everytime your A/C turns on. Air duct cleaning is considered to be one of the most effective ways to improve your indoor air quality. If you are not sure if they are dirty, many HVAC and Duct Cleaning companies offer inspections to find out. Just be sure to do your research on the company prior to scheduling them to come out.

Bonus Tip-  If you are located in the greater Phoenix area in Arizona, click here to schedule a FREE air duct cleaning inspection. No cost, no commitment.

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Summer Energy Savings Tips!

Summer is always wonderful... Until you see your energy bill!

The majority of American households see a spike in their energy consumption during the summer months. This is primarily do to increased use of air conditioning (A/C) this time of year. Now we know you don't want to be hot and miserable all summer long, but you dont want to be spending so much on outrageous energy bills either. Don't worry, we have a some tips and tricks to help you save energy while keeping your home cool and comfortable this summer.

Let Your Home Breathe-

By this we mean, on cool days turn off your A/C and open the windows in your home. This will help to cool down your home without using all the energy an A/C unit requires. Not to mention it will circulate some fresh air through your home too.

Change your Air Filter-

With the summer heat you will most likely be running your A/C more often. This means your HVAC system will be pulling a lot more air through it, and will be needing its filter changed more often. The more air going through the filter means the more dust, and dirt it will be picking up. If the filter becomes clogged it will put a lot of strain on your HVAC system causing it to use more energy! This strain can actually cause your HVAC system to break down, which can cost an arm and a leg to fix or replace. Energy companies recommend replacing your air filters once a month, especially during months where you are using your A/C or Heat a lot.

Keep Appliances Away From Your Thermostat-

Many appliances in your home (ie. lamps, tvs, computers, coffee makers, etc) give off heat when they are on. When these appliances are close to your thermostat, that heat can sometimes trick the thermostat into thinking it is hotter than it should be causing it to kick on the A/C when it is not needed. Thus using more energy when it does not need too.

Don't Use Your Oven- 

At least not on hot days. With how hot an oven can get and how long it needs to stay on, your oven will actually cause the temperature inside your home to increase. Instead of your oven, try using your outdoor grill and/or a microwave instead. These appliances can do almost everything your oven can while using less energy and not causing any temperature spikes inside your home.

Strategically Landscape Your Yard-

Not our simplest tip we know, but planting shade trees in strategic parts of your yard can actually help you to save energy. These trees will help to block the direct rays from the sun that can cause your home to heat up more than it should, making you use more energy to cool it back down. Privacy bushes by windows that get hit with direct sunlight can help too.

Use LED Lights-

LED bulbs give off a fraction of the heat incandescent bulbs do. As we mentioned before this extra heat can cause your A/C to turn on prematurely, costing you energy and money. By installing LED bulbs around your home you won't have to worry about that anymore. You'll also get the added benefits of LED bulbs being way more energy efficient, and lasting much longer than any other bulb.

Program Your Thermostat Correctly-

Programing your homes thermostat will help it to regulate the temperatures in your home throughout the day.  If done correctly it should help you to save on energy during the hot and cold months of the year. Some thermostats can be tricky to set however, so be sure to read their instructions if you still have it. You can also upgrade to a Nest Learning Thermostat to make things easy. The Nest Learning Thermostat is the first thermostat to be ENERGY STAR certified. It will learn what temperature you prefer and builds an energy efficient schedule around them. You can also access your nest thermostat from anywhere via your phone.

For more energy savings and healthy home tips, be sure to follow us on your favorite social media.

7 Tips For the Summertime Allergies!

Summer is back... but so are your allergies!

Are you suffering from summer allergies? Check out these 7 tips we've compiled for allergy relief.

Summer means fun beach trips, beautiful flowers, and grilling at backyard BBQs. Unfortunately all those fun summer plans you have are a lot less fun if your going to be sneezing the whole time. And shutting yourself away in your home, besides being no fun, doesn't help anything either.

Here are 7 healthy tips to help keep your sneezing to a minimum!

1.) Stay on Top of Your Pillow Hygiene -

This may seem odd but if you think about it, you're putting your face on your pillow every night.  Over the years it's going to build up dirt, dust, mites, skin flakes and all shorts of other nasty stuff. If you suffer from allergies (and even if you don't) you need to stay on top of keeping your pillow clean. This means washing or changing out the pillow case once a week, washing the zippered pillow protector once a month and if you can wash your pillow do so every 3 months. If you can't wash your pillow make sure you are replacing them every 3 years. You should also look into purchasing a hypoallergenic pillow.

2.) Change Your Air Filters -

This is your biggest defence against in-home pollutants and allergens. Make sure you are replacing your air filters once a month as recommended. Always use pleated air filters too (minimum MERV 8), the fiberglass ones won't do you much good with allergies. If your still having trouble, look into getting antimicrobial air filters for your home during the summer months.

3.) Take Off Your Shoes - 

This simple task that will help a ton, but is often forgotten about. Your shoes collect dirt pollen, allergens and more from walking outside. So when you walk around with them inside, all that stuff gets into the air of your home. Moral of the story take your shoes off before you step inside.

4.) Drink More -

Non-Alcoholic beverages of course. It has been shown that staying hydrated can help to lessen the symptoms. If you are starting to feel some symptoms trying grabbing something to drink. Stick with the more natural beverages though like water, juice and tea. Alkalized water has been said to help as well.

5.) Try Some Natural Remedies -

There are tons and tons of natural home remedies out there for allergies. They can range from drinking alkalized water and eating raw honey, to taking certain plant extracts like the Butterbur extract called Ze 339. Keep in mind many of these remedies have not scientifically proven, yet they do seem to help a lot of people, and could be worth trying. We recommend contacting a health professional before taking anything you are unfamiliar with.

6.) Have your Air Ducts Inspected - 

If you are changing your air filters regularly, but you are still noticing a lot of dirt and dust around your home you may need your air ducts cleaned. Check your register and return grates, if there is a lot of dust around them, there is probably even more sitting in the duct. If you can't tell by just looking at the vent grates, look for a well reviewed local air duct cleaning company and see if they offer inspection services. Often times they may offer it as a free service, we do after all.

7.) Talk to Your Doctor - 

If you have tried everything yet nothing seems to work, contact your doctor. They will be able to prescribe you a antihistamine for your allergies and make sure that these are not symptoms of something more serious.


For more Healthy Home Tips follow Joe Filter on your favorite social media platforms.

Healthy Home Tips for Cold and Flu Season.

Cold and flu season is upon us! Of course you do not want your family or yourself to pick up one of these nasty bugs, but sometimes that is easier said than done.  As we all know there is no magic cure for the cold and flu, you usually just have to ride them out. You can however take steps to help prevent the spread of germs around your friends and family. This will help lessen your chances of getting sick.

Try out these tips this cold and flu season to keep yourself and your family in good health!

1.) Wash Your Hands Frequently-

This is the simplest yet one of the most effective forms of prevention you can do. Whenever you blow your nose, sneeze, use the restroom or are in contact with people and animal be sure to wash your hands. To completely get rid of viruses from your skin, you need to scrub hard for 20 seconds or more.  If you are not near a place to wash your hands, an alcohol based hand sanitizer will do in a pinch.

2.) Change Your Homes Filters-

Your homes filters (both water and air) are literally made to collect all the bad impurities from your air and water. But if you do not change these filters regularly they can become so full of contaminants that they can't hold them anymore and are rendered in effective.  Worse yet they can actually become so full they begin to release all the contaminants they built up back into your air and water only in higher concentrations. This is why it is important to follow the manufactures recommendations on when to change these filters. Air filters should be changed monthly to quarterly depending on how often you run your system. Water filters are typically recommended to be changed every 6 months.

3.) Antimicrobial Filters-

This tip goes along with the tip above.  If you are really worried about getting sick or have someone in your household that is sick, you may want to invest in some antimicrobial air filters. These specialty air filters will sterilize the air that is pulled through it, helping to kill off harmful microbes in your homes air. Thus helping to prevent the sickness from spreading to everyone in a house.

4.) Avoid Large Crowds-

Basic statistics here folks.  The more people around you the more likely someone in that group is sick.  So during the cold and flu season if you can avoid big crowds, do so. This can be easier said than done especially during the holiday season.  So if you can't avoid the crowd just be sure you follow the other tips.

7.) Disinfect Your Homes Hotspots-

Hotspots are parts of your home that everyone touches and uses multiple times a day. Examples would be doorknobs, railings, kitchen counters, fridge and microwave doors, kitchen counters and even your toilet. These items and places see a lot of traffic throughout the day and are more likely to be breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. Make sure you disinfect these areas thoroughly with a disinfectant spray.  

6.) Clean Your Cleaning Supplies-

This might seem like an oxymoron but if you clean your counters with a dirty rag or vacuum your room with full vacuum, you are just adding to the problem.  Before you start cleaning make sure all of your equipment is clean and ready to go.  Using dirty rags and mops will actually just end up spreading around more germs around your house, and using a full or dirty vacuum will just end up kicking more dust and dirt into your air.


If you follow these tips, it will up your odds of staying healthy and active this cold and flu season.

To learn about our healthy home services and what we can do to help you this season please visit joefilter.com!

Get Rid of Bad Odors in your Home!

Unpleasant odors are never fun, especially if they are in your home! Once they are in your home the question is how do you get rid of them?  Below I will go over four ways on how to rid your home of bad odors! 

1.) Coffee Beans

Yes that's right, coffee beans can actually help to rid your home of unpleasant smells and nasty odors.  Coffee beans are able to absorb tastes and odors in their vicinity if left exposed to the air.  Leaving them exposed does not have to look tacky either.  many people like to put the beans in small lace or mesh bags to leave around the home or in a decorative bowl (similar to how you would display potpourri). For extra odor elimination some recommend mixing ground coffee in with the whole beans.

2.) Cinnamon Sticks

Similar to coffee beans, cinnamon sticks can help cover up and rid your home of nasty odors.  Simply placing small bundles of the sticks around your home in key locations where the most activity is, will help remove some of the bad odors.  If you have some really strong odors you need to get rid of, use the cinnamon sticks in a simmer pot.  This will help to fill your home with a pleasant aroma to replace the bad odors.

3.) Air Filters

Using air filters is by far one of the most effective ways to get rid of odors in your home.  There are two primary ways to use air filters to get rid of odors in your home.  The first way is to drip your favorite smelling essential oils onto the back of your air filters before installing them. This way as the air in your home gets pulled through the filter it will pick up the scent of the essential oil and your duct system will distribute the smell throughout your home. If you dont have essential oils, vanilla extract will work too.

The second way to use a carbon air filters.  Carbon air filters are specialty filters that are made for the purpose of odor absorption.  Carbon is naturally able to absorb contaminants and other causes of odors in your air.  As the air passes through the filter it gets trapped in the carbon and only the fresh clean smelling air gets through.

4.) Air Duct Cleaning

If the odor in your home stems from your ductwork, you may want to look into having your ducts cleaned.  Air duct cleaning will scrub your ductwork clean of dust and debris that might be hiding the the lingering odor.  Then, depending on the company you use, you can have your duct work fogged with an antimicrobial solution.  This will sterilize your ductwork, killing off any microbes and bacteria that may be contributing to the odor you are smelling.  Also often time the fogging will leave behind a pleasant odor that will then distributed throughout your home, resulting in a fresh clean smell.

(Make sure the antimicrobial solution being used is EPA certified and non harmful to pets and humans.)

Where Do I Find My Air Filters?

You know your homes air filters need to be changed every month, but you haven't a clue where they are in your home! Don't worry you are not a lone. This is something many people wonder about when getting ready to change their filters, and we are here to help.

Most of the time your air filters will be located in a return vent along your ceiling. Sometimes it can be located along your walls too, so that it is easier to get too. The return is typically square shaped and located in an open room so as not to be accidentally shut off from the rest of the house.  This is because the return needs to be able to intake air from the entire house so that the filter can filter the air properly.

Air Filters can also be found in a the air handler in your HVAC closet if you have one in your house. These are typically located in the
basement or attic and are the heart of your HVAC system.  Some homes will even have air filters both in returns and in the air handlers.  The best idea would be to search your home for both and see what you can find.

If you still cannot find your air filters or just do not have the time to look we recommend contacting a local pro to come out and check them for you.


To learn more about air filters replacement please visit our website at air.joefilter.com.

5 Tips for Summer Energy Saving!

Summer is a fun time of year but it's high temperatures often leads to higher energy bills. Learn to save energy during these hot months by following these 5 quick and easy tips!

1.) Change Your Air Filters- 

With your A/C running more frequently do to the summer heat, it becomes more important to check and replace your dirty air filters more often. Energy companies recommend checking and replacing your air filters once a month, especially in the summer months.  After a month your air filter will have filled up with all the dirt and dust  that has been blowing through it. Once this happens your system will have to work harder to continue to pull air through it, using more energy.

2.) Replace Your Outdoor Lights with LED Bulbs-

Summer time often leads to more backyard outdoor activities.  Whether it's the neighborhood BBQ or a pool party, a lot of these activities can stretch into the twilight hours.  To save energy but still keep everything well lit, look into investing in LED bulbs for outside your home.  LED bulbs traditionally use 25%-80% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, while giving off more light. Not just that but they last up to 25 times longer too!

If saving energy is your end game it would be a good idea to look into replacing all your homes lights with LED bulbs.

3.) Use a Clothesline to Dry Your Laundry-

On a beautiful summer day why not air dry your laundry on a clothes line.  Your dryer can use a lot of energy to dry your clothes, even more if you haven't cleaned the dryer vent recently. So when its nice outside simply hang up your laundry to dry.  Not only will this help you save energy, but it will help air out your laundry leaving it with a nice fresh air scent.

4.) Use Your BBQ Grill to Cook-

Cooking a meal in your kitchen can use a lot of your homes energy.  From using the stove, oven, and even the opening and closing of your refrigerator you can add a lot to your energy bill. So during the summer to save energy, try using your grill to cook as many meals as possible. You can cook almost anything on a grill and it uses much less energy to do so. 

5.) Set Your Thermostat to 78 Degrees or Higher-

As mentioned before with the summer your A/C will be running much more often.  To avoid over using your A/C, most energy companies recommend setting your thermostat to the highest temperature that is still comfortable for you and your family.  Usually 78 degrees or higher. To help you with this we recommend getting a Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat learns and programs itself based on your habits and automatically helps save energy. Plus you can control it using your phone, tablet or laptop even when you are not home.

To learn more about how we can help you save energy visit joefilter.com today!

5 Ways to Make Your Home Healthier.

Here are 5 quick and simple ways to keep your home happy and healthy!

Keeping a healthy home is important, but how do we do it! The majority of the air we breath and water we drink is at home.  If we want to take steps to making our homes healthier we should start with the air we breath, water we drink and lets throw in fire safety just for fun!
Below are 5 quick and simple ways to keep your home healthy.

1.) Change your air filters:

Did you know the EPA reports that air pollution levels inside our homes can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. This is why we recommended to change your air filters once a month. Being on top of your air filter changes will help to minimize the amount of air pollutants being circulated through your home.

2.) Clean out your vacuum:

Your vacuum does all the dirty jobs in your home causing it to become full dirt from weeks of use.  When it becomes too full it will begin putting all this dirt and dust back into your homes air. This is why it is important to empty the bag or canister of your vacuum before it become full.  You will also want to check and clean/replace your vacuum's filter when you do this, if your vacuum has one.

3.) Top off your water softener salt:

Did you know a water softener helps to prevent scale build up within your homes plumbing.  This helps to prevent leaks and extends the life of appliances like dishwashers and washing machines.  A water softener can only do this if it is properly maintained by topping off its reservoir with the water softener salt.

4.) Change your water filters:

If you put off changing your water filter too long they could begin leaching contaminants back into your water. This means everything they've collected could be put back into your drinking water in higher quantities. Most water filters are recommended to be changed every 6 months.

5.) Test your smoke detectors: 

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says to test your smoke detectors at least once a month and to change their batteries every six months. It may seem like a menial boring chore but it just may save your life some day.

Want a simple way to check these items off your to-do list visit JoeFilter.com to learn about our healthy home services.

Could Not Changing Your Filters Make You Sick?!

Filter changes are not exactly what you wake up excited about... But could not changing your filters make you sick? The answer is YES, it could. 

Now we are not saying that forgetting to change your filters here and there is going to give you some crazy disease that throws the world into chaos, resulting in having to fight off mutant beavers for food... but anything is possible. Most likely forgetting to change filters will result in much milder problems, but still problems nonetheless.

For instance air filters are recommended to be changed once a month.  If you put off doing this dust and dirt can accumulate on the filter to the point where your filter will not let your HVAC system draw in any air.  This can cause strain on your HVAC system, higher energy bills and your homes air no longer being circulated and filtered.  Without your air being circulated and filtered dust and germs can become more prevalent.  Resulting in anyone with allergies or asthma to be at higher risks of attack.  As well as heightening your chances of getting sick.

100 Common Water Toxins

Not changing your water filters, such as RO and fridge filters, can also cause problems.  If you put it off too long the filters may begin leaching the contaminants they've collected back into your drinking water, only in much higher quantities. Drinking these contaminants in higher doses could result in a variety of adverse health problems.  Illness that could come from this would depend on what contaminants and toxins are leached back into your water. Click on the picture to the right for a list of common water toxins.

The moral of this story is, keep yourself and your home healthy and change your filters regularly. 

Don't want to worry about remembering your filter changes?  Call Joe Filter today (480) 813-9494 and ask about putting your home on Autopilot!  

Not in our service area? Subscribe to Joe Filters Healthy Home in a Box and never forget a filter change again!

How To Install Your Home's Air Filters.

When's the last time you changed your air filters?

Many people do not realize air filters are recommended to be replaced once a month.  This needs to be done to  help your ductwork stay clean, save you energy and to keep your system running correctly. To get started there are a few things you need to figure out.  The most important of which are how many air filters you have, where they are located, and what sizes they are.

After determining the quantity, locations, and the sizes, you will need to figure out what rating and type of air filter you need.  Air filters have a few different rating systems but the most common is MERV. We at Joe Filter recommend never going less then a MERV 8 if you want your filter to catch the pollutants in the air that you need it too.  If you suffer from respiratory issues or other health issues (ie. allergies, poor immune system, etc) you may want to look into higher MERV ratings, as well as antimicrobial air filters.

To change your air filters follow these steps-

1. Remove the vent cover. - The vent covers can either be screwed in or latched in.  Be sure you know which you have.
2. Look at how the air filter goes into the unit. -  Most air filters are designed to filter air from one direction, so as they collect dirt, they will not collapse or fall apart. Some air filters will have arrows on them showing you the direction it is supposed to face.
3. Remove and throw away the old filter. - The old filter is filled with all sorts of disgusting pollutants and needs to be disposed of immediately. This will help stop the dust and dirt from getting back into the air.
4. Vacuum off the vent cover. - Just like the air filter itself the vent cover can get clogged with dirt. It is a good rule of thumb to clean it off with a hand held vacuum once you replace your air filters.
5. Insert the new air filter. - Make sure it is facing the correct way as stated before.
6. Put the vent cover back into place. - Secure it by clipping or screwing it back into place.

If you need help installing your homes air filters or just do not have time to do it yourself give Joe Filter a call at (480) 813-9494, we would love to help you out!  You can also purchase all the air filters you need from our online store at joefilter.com/store.

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Keep Your Air Germ Free!

How can we keep illness causing bacteria and viruses out of our homes air? The answer is simple, with antimicrobial filters and products. Many of you have probably heard the term "antimicrobial" thrown around before, but what does it mean? According to Webster's dictionary antimicrobial means "destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms." What that basically means is that it is a way of killing off germs that cause disease. These are the germs that cause everything from an annoying cold to the chickenpox and all other airborne diseases.

The first step to keeping your home's air pathogen free is to try using antimicrobial air filters. They will help to kill off any of the contagious microbes in the air. This will help to prevent the sickness from spreading to everyone in a house.  This is why antimicrobial air filters are great to use during flu and cold season. These air filters are also great for families that suffer from allergies or any immune deficiency problems. Having a antimicrobial filter will get rid of most pathogens in your air but there will still be germs on the surfaces of your home.  This is why you should continue healthy habits like washing your hands or wiping down heavily used surfaces.


If just switching to an antimicrobial filter doesn't work it might be because you already have a wealth of bacteria and other microbes growing in your duct work. To fix that you can have an air duct cleaning to clean out any dust, hair or other debris that might be in your air ducts. Then after your air ducts have been thoroughly cleaned you can go ahead and fog them with an antimicrobial fog.  This fog while not hazardous to you will sterilize any microbes that might still be in your duct work so that they die off without being able to reproduce and spread.  It will also freshen your duct work, leaving behind a pleasant aroma.




To purchase Antimicrobial Air Filters or to schedule an Air Duct Cleaning Estimate visit JoeFilter.com.

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Fiberglass vs. Pleated Filters: Which Are Better?

           MERV 8                                          MERV 11                                        MERV 13

What kind of air filter is best for your HVAC system, a pleated air filter or a fiberglass air filter?  This is a question has been debated for a long time.  However, the fact of the matter is that pleated air filters will help keep your air ducts and the air you breathe cleaner over all. Ergo pleated air filters are better!

Figure 1

Now many on the other side of this argument will usually claim that a fiber glass filter will put less stress on your A/C system.  This is can be true if you do not change your filters regularly. Pleated air filters are made to allow the the proper amount of air through them, so long as you change them the recommended amount. However, the rating of filter you want to use all depends on the system you have. Older systems should use lower ratings so as not to overwork them whereas newer systems can
use higher ratings.

Now the reason they say pleated filter puts more strain on your system is because depending on its rating (see Figure 1) it will catch everything from from dust and pollen to smoke and bacteria. Whereas a fiberglass filter will only catch some dust and lint... maybe. Being as the pleated filters catch so much more, by the end of the month they can be fairly clogged making it more difficult for air to pass through if they do not get changed.

The fact is if you want clean air you need a filter that will actually filter the air.  If you are worried about remembering to change them every month you can always put your home on autopilot with Joe Filter... or you can order your filters online from us.

For more information about air filters and air duct cleaning visit JoeFilter.com.

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Healthy Home DIY Tips & Tricks with Essential Oils

Essential oils are a product made by the distillation of natural material, usually by water or steam. The resulting all natural oils are highly aromatic and can be used for a number of holistic reasons from health and skin care to aromatherapy.  Essential oils can also be used for healthy home do it yourself projects. These projects can range from simply getting your home to smell nice all the way to pest control.

Here are a few do it yourself healthy home tips and tricks you can do with Essential Oils.

Air Filters- 

While doing your monthly air filter replacement in your home, put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the air filter before you install it. Put a drop in each corner as  well as a couple in the center of the filter.  This will keep your home smelling great for a month when you change your air filters again.

Freshen While You Vacuum- 

Depending on the type of vacuum you have this can be done two ways. The first way is if your vacuum uses the disposable paper bags.  If so just add a few drops to the bag before you install it.  If you have a reusable bag or a bagless vacuum simply put the drops on a cotton ball and place the cotton ball inside the bag or canister.  Then every time you vacuum you will leave behind a fresh scent.

Linen Spray-

Get a spray bottle and fill it with 1.5 cups of water.  Then add 3 ounces of vodka and about 30-35 drops of your favorite scented essential oil.  Lavender is a popular choice for this spray. Shake the bottle up to mix the ingredients and spray your linens to give them a pleasant aroma.

Get Rid of Smelly Shoe Odor-

This is possibly the easiest trick you can do.  Put a few drops of some great smelling essential oils on cotton balls and leave them in your shoes overnight.  The next morning your shoes should be smelling good as new.  Just make sure to put your shoes out of the reach of any pets you have when you do this.

Keep your BBQ Bug Free-

No one enjoys a BBQ with a bunch of mosquitos and flies buzzing around.  To keep these annoying bugs at bay drip a few drops of citronella oil on the coals of your bbq and on any candles you have out.

Amazing Smelling Laundry-

To get your laundry smelling fantastic put a couple drops of an essential oil like lavender or your own favorite blend on a dryer sheet. Put the dryer sheet in with your laundry and turn the dryer on.  Your laundry should come out smelling even better then usual.

Homemade Air Freshener Spray-

Rather than using those store bought aerosol sprays that are full of dangerous chemicals you can make your own air freshening spray with essential oils.  Get a spray bottle and fill it up with no more than a cup of distilled water.  Then choose 3 of your favorite essential oils that go well together.  Put 8 drops of each oil in the spray bottle.  Shake well, and wah-la you have a healthy homemade air freshening spray.

Homemade Pest repellent-

If you have pests like mice, spiders and ants in your home this is an easy trick to get rid of them.  Put a few drops of Peppermint oil on a cotton ball.  Then put the cotton balls in the problem areas of your home.  Most of these pests detest the smell of peppermint so this should drive them out of your home.

Easy Simmer Pots-

Want to freshen up your entire house quick and easy?  Fill a pan with water and bring it to a boil.  Once it begins to boil set it to simmer and add drops of your favorite smelling essential oil. This will have your home smelling great in no time. Just remember to keep putting water and drops in the pan as they evaporate into the air,

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