Don’t you think it’s a cliché that most of us want to live long, happy and healthy lives, but tragically, in our quest for progress, we often take the easy route when it comes to our well-being? To avoid experiencing common illness and health issues, we need to be mindful of all the ‘everyday things’ we allow into our lives. It starts with your apartment hunt and also with your choice of like-minded roommates who value roommate etiquette. Once you’ve found an apartment, setting house rules for roommates is essential towards making your home a sanctuary of clean air and safe surfaces.

Before we move on to healthy practices and guidelines to keep your home clean and non-toxic, it’s essential to ask yourself and your potential roommates these questions:

• Are you sensitive to chemicals and common toxins found in everyday products? If the answer is yes, you can switch to fragrance-free, non-toxic cleaning solutions and cosmetics.
• Are you open to new ideas for a healthier lifestyle? Although this is simple, being open to new ideas can help create a home with healthy relationships.
• What is your sleep pattern? Inconsistent sleep timings of roommates might not be suitable for mutual well-being.

The best time to establish house rules for roommates is to begin rolling them out as you move in together. You can also solidify a few thoughts and ideas in a roommates’ agreement if you want one.

Listed here are some common house rules for roommates that will ensure better health and long term comfort.

1. No indoor smoking! Perhaps the most important house rule for roommates

You may want to set some ground rules on smoking and vaping. Indeed a common roommate etiquette, esp. if your roomie doesn’t smoke. Making your home smoke-free has a handful of benefits, mainly being: clean air, reduced fire hazard, lower insurance costs, and decreased cleaning costs.

2. Upgrade your supplies

It’s a good idea to upgrade your cleaning products to non-toxic formulas. You could also make it a fun DIY session with your roommates to create non-toxic cleaning formulas at home.

3. Keep the indoor air clean

Did you know that chemical sprays are the fastest to reach your bloodstream when inhaled? Some perfumes and hairsprays have harmful chemical components. Read the label before you purchase!

4. Slip off your shoes

Your shoe soles can bring dirt and disease from the outside. You can place a shoe rack by your door and wear socks or slippers indoors. Setting this house rule for all your roommates can reduce your cleaning time. Also, who likes mucky footprints across their home.

5. Ventilate while cooking

With an electric chimney or an exhaust fan installed in your kitchen, you’ll have fresh air circulating within the home. Make it a point to turn them on while cooking to keep the fumes out of all the other rooms.

6. Go low on perfumes or scents

Fragrances and perfumes contain loads of unknown chemicals, and these chemicals can be harmful. The rule with fragrances is that unless you need it or love it, it’s best not to use it.

7. House rules for roommates that you thought you didn’t need: Shut down electronics at night!

Many studies suggest that radiation from mobiles and other wireless devices can compromise your body’s ability to get into a deep sleep. Keep the areas around your bed gadget-free. You can switch your mobile phone off at night or put it on airplane mode. If that’s not possible make sure you at least keep your phone’s notification set on ‘silent’ or ‘vibrate’ mode. Indeed an important house rule for all your roommates that ensures that every one a good night’s sleep.

8. Drink filtered water

It is advisable to use filtered water for drinking. That’s because it is said to be tastier, safer, and healthier than regular tap water.

9. Be mindful of fragrance candles

Ideally, it’s best not to burn anything at home but if you love candles and find them therapeutic, then go fragrance-free. An essential part of roommate etiquette is to be mindful of your roomie’s health. If they happen to have allergies that can be triggered by aerosol and fragrances- avoid their usage. If you must have aroma candles, choose 100% beeswax candles made of pure essential oils. Since some conventional wicks have lead, make sure the wick is organic cotton.

10. Sanitize

Keep a bottle of sanitizer right at your entrance and use it every time you enter your apartment. Many people have already begun doing that these days with the coronavirus pandemic hovering above us. Keep clean & keep safe, folks!

D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers establish house rules for roommates. With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!