Healthy homes

Latest News

Mothballs are a pesticide and should be used with care

Mothballs, one of the most common methods to control clothes moths, need to be recognized as a pesticide that can be harmful to humans or animals when misused.

Kym Pokorny | Aug 11, 2023 | News story

Credit Lynn Ketchum (Cropped from original)

Solve Pest and Weed Problems website gives gardeners solutions

The content – peer reviewed by the OSU Department of Horticulture – is presented in categories with information below each photo. Clicking on the photo takes users to another page that offers information about identification, ...

Mar 2023 | Impact story

New Extension website helps solve pest and disease problems

Solve Pest and Weed Problems focuses specifically on the Pacific Northwest and prioritizes low-risk approaches.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 11, 2022 | News story

Healthy home resources

• Resources for Flood Cleanup and Indoor Air Quality (in English): This collection of resources from the United States Environmental Protection Agency advises on how to clean up and recover from a home flood.
• Mold Cleanup in Your Home (in English): Recommendations from the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency on how to properly clean mold in the home.
• Solve Pest Problems (in English): Learn research-based, safe, and effective tactics for common garden and property pests and weeds. We provide non-chemical methods alongside the most effective and least toxic chemical options available, to reduce risk to people and the environment. Solve Pest Problems is a partnership between OSU and Oregon stakeholders to provide a user-friendly online resource to help urban and rural property managers to solve pest problems.

Home safety resources

• American Red Cross Training Services (in English): Sign up for CPR, AED and First Aid training and certification through the American Red Cross.
• Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room (in English): This checklist from the National Institute of Aging has safety features and suggestions for each room of the home to prevent falls.
• Fire Prevention & Education Resources (in English): Strategies from the Oregon Office of the Fire Marshall for fire prevention and escape. This includes an overview of common fire causes such as cooking and electrical fires, and what to do when there is a fire in various settings.
• Safe Kids Worldwide: Home Safety (in English): This page lists common safety risks for children in the home and prevention tips. There are a collection of resources for each risk factor including infographics, videos, checklists and more.

Wildfire resources

Photo: ODEQ (Cropped from original)

Smoke Ready Oregon: Preparing for Wildfire Smoke (Recorded) (in English)

When smoke fills the air during a wildfire event, do you know how to protect yourself and your family? Learn about smoke impacts to health, the air quality index, and simple steps you can do right now to reduce your risk from smoke exposure.

Carrie Berger, Lauren Kraemer | Apr 2022 | Video

The Home Ignition Zone: Protecting Your Property from Wildfire

Wildfire is inevitable — learn what you need to know to prepare your home and property. Handy worksheets help you assess each zone of your property to reduce the threat wildfires pose. This publication is one of a series of Land Steward Rural Resource Guidelines.

Max Bennett, Clint Nichols | Jun 2020 | Extension Catalog publication