It may feel that there is no cozy, safe and better place than home, but you will be shocked to know that as per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the quality of the air within home or office can be more polluted than the air outside. The carpets, pet dander, mold spores, fiberboard furnishings, synthetic floor coverings, and many household cleaning products often pollute the air you breathe daily. Everyone is at risk of indoor air pollution, but people who are sensitive to indoor allergens need to ensure that the quality of the air is good to avoid flaring of allergy symptoms and keep you breathing healthy and clean air.
Here are some simple strategies that you can use to improve indoor air quality at your home:
Keep it clean: A clean house is a healthy house, therefore the focus should be on vacuuming the rugs, carpets, sofa at least once a week. Regularly cleaning drapes, pillows, and beddings also helps in improving indoor air quality.
Change the air filter regularly: It is suggested to change the filters regularly of your air conditioning and furnace units based on the usage. This is an important tool when it comes to cleaning the air in a building. People with a high allergy should even consider cleaning the ducts to remove the trapped dust. There are expert companies that provide germicidal UV lights to get rid of allergens.
Buy an air purifier: A good air purifier can filter out toxic particles, dust, pollen, pollutants, odors, and bacteria. The choice of air purifiers depends largely on your air quality needs. If you want a safe haven from allergies caused by dust and pollen, UV air filters are an ideal pick.
Ventilation: Fresh air is an important component of good indoor air quality. Opening the windows and doors even for five or ten minutes is important as it refreshes the stagnant air in your home with outside air.
Make home a no-smoking zone: Smoking is the worst thing for the quality of the indoor air. The smoke is not just in the air, it is even absorbed in the carpet, bedding, drapes, and furniture which makes it even worse. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals that can lead to heart ailments, breathing issues, and cancer. Even secondhand smoke is bad for children and let’s not forget the overpowering odors.
Switch to natural cleaning products: Many household cleaners are dangerous for the skin and respiratory health as they contain harmful chlorine and ammonia. It is recommended to switch to natural cleaning products like vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda to keep your house clean.
Humidity control: Humidity often triggers allergies as it can spawn mildew and mold. It is ideal to keep the humidity level between 30%-50%. Invest in a good dehumidifier in damp areas to reduce the moisture in the indoor air and prevent the growth of molds.
Add clean air plants: Adding plants to the home interior not only adds to the look but also doubles as the natural air purifier. Some of the house plants even absorb toxins and help in improving the air quality. Some of the air purifying plants are English ivy, weeping fog, and Gerber daisies.
Avoid shoes in the house: shoes carry dirt, dust, pollen, and mold into our house if they are worn indoors. BY reducing the amount of dust and air pollutants coming inside the home with shoes helps a lot to improve indoor air quality.
Switch to the beeswax candles: Normal wax candles can spread chemicals throughout the home and affect the air quality. Thus, switch to the beeswax candles which hardly emit smoke and even possess air purifying qualities. The beeswax candles emit ions that can draw particles like dust and pollen into the candle.
Bonus, avoid the use of air fresheners as they may mask bad odors but squirts chemicals in the home. Instead of ascent, try to go for natural fragrance or essential oils. With these ten tips, you will surely be able to improve indoor air quality considerably and help you and your family live a healthy and happy life.
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