Indoor air can be troublesome, particularly for those with respiratory problems. But everyone who shares your space – whether at home or work – can benefit in a big way by having cleaner air. Fortunately, there are several ways to combat common pollutants leaving behind healthier and much more breathable air.
How does your home’s air become unclean?
Even the most commonplace items can collect or release allergens, triggering the onset of allergy attacks. Home appliances like space heaters, gas ranges, ovens, furnaces, fireplaces, and water heaters, if not properly serviced, can release gas and other irritants into your home. Additionally, these large appliances tend to collect dust and are soft overlooked when cleaning the house.
Mold and mildew can lead to allergic reactions and respiratory infections if untreated. While mold and mildew grow unabated in poorly ventilated areas with high humidity levels, the spores can easily travel to the rest of the house through your ventilation system.
Pets can also trigger allergies and other breathing issues. Many people are allergic to various animals’ hair and dander—and in an enclosed space, the reaction is more severe.
Poor indoor air quality can result in breathing, respiratory, and allergy issues. If a member of the household already suffers from allergies or respiratory issues, they may suffer greater with poor indoor air quality. Despite the fact that poor air quality in the home is a common occurrence, it does not mean that it should be ignored.
All of the contaminants that contribute to poor indoor air quality build up in the ductwork of your home; since they are in the ductwork of your home, they are pushed throughout your home and contribute to the quality of health in your home.
Here are Five Simple Tips For Cleaner Indoor Air.
1) Use Natural Cleaning Products
Natural cleaning products are superior for protecting the environment and your air. Commercial cleaning products, on the other hand, often contain dangerous chemicals. While they may efficient in getting rid of dirt and grime, they could also be contributing substantially to your indoor air problem.
Among the most dangerous ingredients used in cleaning supplies are ammonia and chlorine. When mixed, they produce chloramine – a toxic gas. These ingredients may be present in toilet cleaning solutions, oven cleaner, window cleaner and all-purpose cleaning products.
The list of contaminants is long and includes many volatile chemicals like sodium hydroxide, trisodium nitrilotriacetate, phosphates, fragrance chemicals, and more. These ingredients are present in many of the cleaning products that are widely available for sale without any restrictions.
When using commercial cleaners in homes and offices, the harsh chemicals within are released into the air. It smells fresh and clean, thanks to the synthetic fragrances that are also added. But make no mistake. These toxins – including those that provide the pleasant scent – remain in the air we breathe.
If you want to improve your indoor air quality, stop using pollution-laden chemical cleaners. That’s the bottom line. To change things on a wide scale would require a massive awakening. But you can take steps today to safeguard the air in which you spend a considerable amount of time.
Try alternates made from safe ingredients, or make up your own solutions using simple contents like lemon juice, baking soda, vinegar, water, steam, and essential oils. Pick up a good book on the subject and a couple of quality spray bottles.
Give it a try, and you’ll find that natural formulas can work just as well as those toxic chemical blends without the negative side effects. You’ll be doing everyone in the office in your home a huge favor by changing your approach to interior cleaning.
If you don’t want to be bothered preparing your own cleaning solutions, you can look for products with NO or LOW VOC labels. It’s also a wise option to look for fragrance-free cleaning products.
Liquids, powders, and pastes tend to be more air-friendly solutions than manufactured sprays because much lower levels of particles are dispersed into the air.
2) Get Rid Of Dust Mites
Dust mites are nasty creatures that are incredibly tiny and difficult to detect. They love carpets, upholstered furniture, mattresses, and pillows. For asthma or allergy sufferers, these microscopic nuisances are public enemy number one.
Walking on or vacuuming carpeting laden with these pests only stirs them up. It actually disperses dust mites throughout the air – making conditions worse. You’ve got to wipe them out. That’s all there is to it.
The best way to deal with dust mites is to eliminate their favourite stomping grounds wherever possible. If you don’t have to have carpet in your home or office, remove it at once. Opt for hardwood flooring, ceramic, laminate, or linoleum tile instead. Any of those options are better for your air than carpet.
Change fabric drapes to smoothly-finished blinds that won’t absorb dust. Thoroughly wash all bedding in hot water and do so frequently.
Lower humidity levels can also help since dust mites prefer humid conditions. The cooler and drier the air, the less likely you are to have a dust mite problem.
Air conditioners and/or humidifiers can go a long way towards improving indoor air quality by making it less hospitable for dust mites.
3) Use Water and Steam To Your Advantage
Water and steam are helpful and healthy ways to clean. A little water to dampen a microfiber cloth is all you need for dusting purposes.
Using a steam cleaner is an excellent way to scrub floors without resorting to harsh chemicals that further contaminate the air. It might require more frequent cleaning. But you’re protecting the very air that you breathe. So, in the grand scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay.
4) Use Hepa Filter
HEPA filters are efficient at trapping particulate matter in the air. That’s the beauty of HEPA filtration. Without proper filtration in place, any trapped particles are dangerously spewed back out into the air with a vengeance.
This makes breathing conditions worse than they were before you started vacuuming. It’s important that you vacuum frequently and thoroughly and include multiple surfaces like upholstered furniture, area rugs, curtains, and drapes to prevent dust from building up.
5) Test For Gas Emissions
Gases can cause serious air quality issues, so you need to be on top of it. If you have any kind of gas appliances or heating systems, you should have a carbon monoxide detector. But you also need to have your appliances checked routinely by a professional.
With natural gas and propane, it’s important that gas burns cleanly. Stoves can release nitrogen dioxide that, when combined with sunlight, produces ozone. It can be particularly bad for asthma sufferers but can cause breathing problems for anyone.
Your safest option is to outright replace any existing gas and propane systems. But typically, that isn’t a practical alternative. Your next best option is to have a reliable professional assess and service your equipment on a regular basis.
You’re probably spending a good chunk of your time inside – so it makes sense to have the cleanest air possible. There’s no reason why you should have to settle for any less.
