Mother’s Day is right around the corner. It is time to tip our hats to the amazing women who raised us. Whether that woman was your mother, aunt, grandmother, or sister; each of these women has made countless sacrifices to give us all the best life possible. This year, we should all thank our mothers for the countless tips and tricks they have bestowed upon us through the years.

We can all remember an eye roll or two when it came to these tips, right? The importance of vacuuming is not high on the priority list of a teenager, but these things are more important than you thought! Every time your mother told you to dust the living room, or vacuum your room; she had more reason than just teaching us responsibility.

Not only do these things make for a clean living space, but they can also be beneficial for your health, and put less stress on your HVAC system. So many of the “tips” your mom told you are super important in the real world. Let's take a look at some of these…

Fire is a No No

Okay, how many of us heard “Don’t play with fire!” as we were growing up? This was maybe the best advice you got from your mother! As adults, we do use fire for any number of things; we burn candles, have campfires, and burn brush and trash in our backyards.

When using fire responsibly, it can be fun; but it has its price. Let’s start with burning trash and brush in your backyard. This can be a very cost-efficient way to rid your yard of unwanted debris, however; burning too close to your home can have hazardous effects on your health.

When you burn brush, for example, you are releasing carbon monoxide into the air. If the brush is wet, the fumes will actually be stronger. These fumes can enter your home and cause serious health risks. Also, the ash from your fire will be absorbed into the ground, and it can pollute your drinking water; this is especially true if you are burning trash.

Moving onto candles. Who doesn’t like a nice candle burning in their home? They give a nice ambiance, and they smell great! Did you know though, that burning candles releases the same gases that burning diesel fuel does? Scary thought, right?

When you burn a paraffin candle, it creates carcinogens that can cause:

• Asthma
• Headaches
• Respiratory infections
• Cancer

Knowing all of that, candles lose their appeal. There are some alternatives to paraffin candles, however. Beeswax candles are one great alternative that does not pollute the air. Another is using a warming dish with essential oils. You can find some amazing scents! Plus, a lot of natural oils will actually help clean your air!

Mothers and Their Gardens

So, a tip heard often while growing up is “don’t forget to water the plants!” A lot of us had this as a chore-along with weeding the garden and planting seeds. If your mother had a love of gardening or just plants in general, chances are you probably had either a full garden or indoor plants.

Not only are beautiful flowers and plants in and around your home is aesthetically pleasing, but indoor plants have also been shown to increase productivity and lower stress. It is probably one of the reasons your mother was so preoccupied with keeping them healthy, but I bet it was not the only reason!

Plants, in general, are amazing at purifying the air! The more plants you have in your home (and around your home) the better your air quality will be. The better your air quality, the less stress you will put on your HVAC system as well! The more pollutants that are in the air, the harder your air filters need to work to remove the debris.

If you keep the pollutants in your air low, you will not need to clean your filters as often, nor need to have them changed. This, in turn, will cut down on time and labor. Which mother does not want that?!

Mothers and Their Vacuum

This may be the best tip your mother gave you! At the time, it may have seemed more like a chore or demand versus a tip; but it was a tip nonetheless! Dusting and vacuuming are probably some of the best ways to keep your family healthy and save you money!

As we know, dust left unchecked will settle on pretty much every surface of your home. If not removed, the dust can cause health problems for you and your family. If you have pets; the risks are even greater.

Asthma, allergies, respiratory issues, cold and other illnesses, can all be caused by dust. You may have also heard your mother tell you to dust first and vacuum second. She was absolutely correct! Even when dusting with a wet rag, some of the particles will still be thrown into the air. The dust will then settle on the floor where you will be able to vacuum it up.

This is also another reason why many people recommend vacuuming instead of sweeping- as sweeping really only moves the dust around, but doesn’t necessarily remove it. Keeping all of your surfaces clean by dusting with a wet rag and vacuuming the floors will go along way to keeping the health risks at bay. Also, just as plants help air filters, vacuuming and dusting will prolong the life of your HVAC unit.

Give Your Mother a Hug for Her Tips

Looking back now, you can see how right your mother was about so many things! Take this opportunity to thank your mother for her wisdom!

In the long run, her love and care has saved you in more ways than one! Come Mother’s Day, let her know you appreciate every tip she gave to you! Elite Electric & Air wishes all Mothers a very special Mother’s Day!