We all want to feel safe and secure inside our homes, but did you know that indoor air is five times dirtier than outdoor air?
According to a study, the air you breathe indoors is several times more polluted than the air outside, putting you and your family at risk to a slew of toxins, carcinogens, and other harmful substances. Constant exposure to such polluted atmosphere can result in allergic attacks, asthma, coughs and other diseases.
Fortunately, cleaning up indoor air doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Here are the best and low-cost ways to purify the atmosphere inside your home.
Table of Contents
Open Up The Windows
Opening up the windows, especially in the summer, gives your home a breath of fresh air, quite literally. Leaving the doors and windows open every day for at least five minutes invites cleaner outdoor air and displaces dirty indoor air and reduces the number of harmful substances in the atmosphere. Dirty windows only trap soot, dirt, grime and synthetic chemicals that further pollute your home’s atmosphere, so it’s essential to perform regular window cleaning as well.
Clean Your Home Regularly
Dust, dirt, pet dander along with toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, volatile compounds from fabric fresheners, perfumes, and aerosol sprays can pollute your home’s indoor air on a daily basis. Regular cleaning can reduce the amount of these harmful substances and create a healthier, cleaner indoor atmosphere. Make sure to vacuum all surfaces, including couches and carpet thoroughly and clean the vacuum filter after each use. It also helps to mop the floor to remove dirt, grime and dust mites further.
Impose A No-smoking Policy Inside Your Home
Smoking is an unhealthy habit, to begin with, but things can go downhill for your health and your family’s if you smoke inside your home. If you can’t break the smoking habit anytime soon, make it a point to light your stick outside to retain the cleanliness of your indoor air. It’s also best to ask guests to step out should they need a cigarette break.
Maintain Healthy Humidity Levels
Set the humidity inside your home between 30% to 50% to limit the growth of mold, mildew as well as dust mites and allergens. But apart from using a dehumidifier to manage moisture inside your home, you can also opt to open the kitchen windows while you cook and leave the bathroom door open as soon as finish bathing. Give your dryer’s vent a thorough inspection, as well as the AC drip, pans regular cleaning to prevent moisture from pooling and to build up. It’s also essential to check on the condition of your water pipes and ensure that there are no leakages where mold and mildew often thrive.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Clean indoor air is essential to the health and wellness of your family. Toxic substances and allergens are invisible to the naked eye, but they’re likely there on your couch and mattress, carpet and other surfaces. Even the products you use can pollute indoor air, such as paint and sprays, so make sure to check and if possible, opt for healthier and eco-friendly alternatives. Importantly, make it a point to clean your home on a regular schedule to ward off the pollutants away.