8 Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Knowing how to improve the indoor air quality of the home can protect your family’s health and help you spend less time cleaning. However, most of us take indoor air quality for granted as we believe that the walls and windows will keep the dust and smog out of our homes. But that’s seldom enough, and we need more for improving the indoor air quality of the house as your family’s health depends on it.
Sources of indoor air pollution
Over and above the obvious things such as tobacco and smoke or the unventilated chimneys, there are other less obvious sources of indoor air pollution such as:
- Radon.
- Mold and mildew.
- Organic gasses.
- Volatile organic compounds in paints, chemicals, pesticides, permanent markers, and glues.
- Formaldehyde release from permanent-press fabrics, particle board, plywood, and laminates.
- Butane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide used as propellants in aerosol sprays.
Some pollutants, in fact, come from things which we use for cleaning our homes such as chlorine bleach in laundry or cleaning products, or other chemicals in air fresheners. Over time, they accumulate in the home’s air and even interact with other substances for creating indoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollution health risks
Most of the times, people even fail to realize that their homes are filled with indoor air pollution which is causing health problems. If you have a cold that just doesn’t go away or sniffs that refuse to stop. Sometimes we get itchy eyes, a scratchy throat, or an unexplained rash.
Often the cause of prolonged issues such as respiratory problems, headaches, frequent colds and coughs, and fatigue is the indoor air pollution.
Tips to improve the indoor air quality of your home
Air it out
Keeping the windows closed for a long time traps the irritants inside the house. When the temperatures are mild; not extremely hot or cold, open the windows on opposite side of the house to create a cross-draft which will quickly freshen up the indoor air. If a family member suffers from outdoor allergies, open the windows during a time when pollen is lowest or immediately after a good rain, late at night or 2 hours after the sunrise. For better ventilation, you can also invest in air movers. This device circulates air at high speed, so if you want to remove air pollutants, it may be a good tool.
Grow air-filtering houseplants
Some plants are excellent at removing the pollutants from your home. It is advised to plant Boston ferns, palm trees, and rubber plants as they all improve the air quality.
Don’t just move the dust around
Feather dusters are not helpful in getting rid of the fine particles. Though they are popular, the Swiffer duster is a little better than feather dusters unless you spritz them with water so that they don’t shed matters as and when you walk cleaning through the room. Microfiber cloths with ultrafine fibers are considered the best for cleaning if you use them damp and rinse often.
Get your home tested for radon
Radon is a naturally occurring gas which travels to your home through the soil. It is determined as one of the leading causes of cancer in non-smokers. Radon is invisible and odorless which makes it essential to get your home tested for the same.
Choose the fabrics wisely
The silk fabrics and dry-clean only fabrics may look lovely, but they can’t be easily laundered and hold onto contaminants in our home’s air. Go with washable fabrics and clean your curtains once in a few months. If you have non-washable material, try to vacuum clean them regularly.
Use the right vacuum properly
Vacuums with bags are the best for trapping dust as they are sealed. Go for a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air filter for getting over 99% of the ultrafine particles which lead to health issues. When you use the vacuum cleaner, vacuum slowly and overlap passes each time.
Get a natural clean
Home-made cleaning products are not only economical, but they are also better for your indoor air quality. Give the ammonia-based glass cleaners a ditch and make your own window spray that hardly costs anything.
Clean your air
If someone in your home has respiratory diseases or allergies, you can invest in an air scrubber to remove dust, pollen and other particles in the air. In addition, investing in a dehumidifier is also a good solution. Make sure to buy a dehumidifier equipped with a filter, which will help improve air quality. To buy the best air scrubbers and dehumidifiers-shop here!
Keeping the tips mentioned above in mind, you can make sure your indoor air quality is good so that you can breathe peacefully and remain diseases free.
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