9 Ways to Clean the Air in Your Home with No Chemicals!
Air quality has a large impact on our health and well-being. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year. Poor air quality and outdoor pollution can lead to major health issues such as heart disease, strokes, and lung cancer. However, did you know that the air quality inside our homes is even worse than the outdoors?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air in our homes is typically more polluted than the air outside! We have no control over the air quality outdoors. However, we can control the air quality in our homes.
Common Contributors to Poor Indoor Air Quality
There are many factors that can lead to poor indoor air quality. This includes smoking, pets, pollutants from cleaning products, and more! To see the full list, check out our previous blog on the most common contributors to poor indoor air quality.
Many household-scented cleaning products might fool you that the air in your home is fresh and clean. However, many cleaning supplies can contain harmful chemicals and ingredients. Air fresheners and room deodorizers can contain toxins including naphthalene, terpenes, and dichlorobenzene, and more. These toxins can potentially cause lung dysfunction and become a respiratory irritant. For a full list of harmful ingredients that could be in your cleaning products, check out this article on “The Dirty Truth About Cleaning Products”.
9 Ways to Clean the Air in Your Home with No Chemicals!
Keep the AC Running
A centralized air conditioning system is the perfect way to keep the air filtered in your home naturally. The filter in your AC can help trap any dust or other harmful particles that impact air quality. Changing your filter regularly not only helps clean the air, but also maintains your AC system to avoid equipment damage. If you do not have a centralized AC system, check out our line of room air conditioners!
Groom Pets Regularly
Pet dander can pollute the air in your home and trigger allergies and asthma symptoms. Frequent vacuuming and grooming can help reduce pet dander trapped in the air and the carpet. If you are struggling with a pet dander issue in your home, an air purifier with a HEPA filter can also help control this by filtering out pet fur and hair from the air!
Use an Air Purifier
An air purifier is designed to kill germs, viruses, and bacteria by capturing dust, pollen, pet dander, and other air containments in a home environment. The Perfect Aire Air Purifier with UV LED Germicidal Light includes a HEPA filter that is designed to capture 99.97% of airborne allergens as small as 0.3 microns for cleaner air! Adding a purifier in your home can keep you healthy by eliminating indoor air pollutants that can cause short-term or long-term health.
Don’t Wear Shoes in the House
Our shoes can bring in a lot of dirt, dust, pollen, and other unwanted particles into your home. To keep the air and floors in your home clean, it’s best to leave your shoes outdoors or in a garage to avoid air pollution.
Open Your Windows
Letting fresh air indoors is one of the easiest and best ways to improve the indoor air quality of your home! If you leave your windows open for 10-15 minutes every day, it can limit or reduce the number of harmful pollutants and particles floating around your home.
Get House Plants
House plants are a natural way to purify the air in your space. According to research, plants can help remove volatile organic compounds from your space that can potentially cause adverse health effects. Although house plants can purify the air at a lower rate than a traditional HVAC appliance or system, bringing nature indoors is still a great way to boost well-being and create a fresh indoor air environment. To learn more about plants that can help purify the air in your home, check out this article on “10 Air Purifying Plants” by Tree Hugger.
Use a Dehumidifier
If you are experiencing a damp environment in your home, a dehumidifier is a great way to reduce the excess moisture in the air. By decreasing the humidity in the air, dehumidifiers can reduce unwanted odors, mold and mildew, and dust mites. A dehumidifier can help balance the air in your space, especially if you live in a damp or rainy environment!
Reduce or Regularly Clean Your Carpets
Although carpets can help make a room more comfortable and cozy, they can also trap pet dander, dust mites, mold, and more. These particles can pollute the air in your space and lead to several health issues such as allergies, headaches, congestion, and trigger asthma symptoms. If you struggle with any of these symptoms, it is advised to have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year, or reduce the number of carpets in your home to better control air quality.
Use a Humidifier
If you are experiencing a dry air climate due to the winter season or ventilation issues in your home, a humidifier is a great way to add moisture back into the air. Humidifiers reduce dry air by adding water vapor into your space and improve the overall indoor air quality of your environment. Humidifiers can have many benefits including reducing pet dander, allergy, cold, and flu symptoms, and more! By adding more moisture to the air, you will notice that your space is more comfortable and breathable!