Aren’t we all always battling air pollution as we step out of our homes? But how sure are we that the air indoors is clean?
Outdoor air quality is highlighted in news stories, but how much are we aware of the indoor air quality index of homes or workplaces? To our surprise, the level of pollutants indoors could be way higher than what we experience outdoors, and the question is how to clean up air pollution at home. And with this contaminated air come unwanted health issues like asthma, heart problems, and serious illnesses like cancer. With the ongoing heat wave and major climatic changes happening on our planet, taking care of our space is extremely vital. There has to be at least one space that makes you feel safe and secure, and that is your home. While we can’t control the outdoors, we can attain the desired comfort levels within our homes. How to keep the air clean at home? Well, let’s look at ways to achieve clean air through a mix of natural, artificial, and decor-based approaches.
Before we understand how to have clean air in your home, let’s have a look at indoor air quality, its impacts, and the need for it.
What is Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is the term used to describe the air quality within and around buildings and other structures, particularly concerning how it affects the health and comfort of building residents. You can bring down indoor health issues by being aware of and controlling common indoor pollution.
Health Impact of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs has been connected to poor indoor air quality (IAQ), as well as headaches, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, and a host of other symptoms. Also, some specific illnesses, such as asthma in damp indoor environments, have been related to certain air pollutants or indoor conditions. In addition, some exposures, like asbestos and radon, don’t result in symptoms right away but may eventually lead to cancer.
Importance of Fresh Air
You must be wondering how to clean up air pollution at home. Fresh, natural air is the easiest option. Fresh air can help reduce the impact of poor air quality and help the people living inside the house have a healthy life. It helps reduce the long-term health impacts. Clean air is very important for the hygiene of the inhabitants.
Steps for Cleaner Air
There are numerous factors that pollute the indoor air. Various paints, furnishings, and construction items may contribute to making your home’s air contaminated. Apart from these, renovation, malfunctioning appliances, smoking, etc. might also degrade the quality of the air. Now the question arises: how to keep the air clean at home and how to deal with these issues?
Allow us to take you through the 17 best ways to clean the air in your home and let your home breathe clean air by itself.
- The Wholesome Cleaning
- The Notion of Minimal in the Bedroom
- Tuck the Shoes’ Muck Outside
- Open the Gateway for Fresh Air, Kitchen, and Ventilate Gas Appliances
- The Green Purifiers
- Rich Aroma and Medicinal Benefits with Oil Diffusers
- Sit in the Comfort of the Air Conditioner
- Healthy and Well-Groomed Pets
- Make a Switch to Vinegar
- A Digital Era
- Thoroughly Cleaned Knits and Knots
- Varnishes to be Kept Outside
- (Beeswax Candles, Salt Lamps, and Camphor: The Ultimate Purifiers) – Stop Indoor Smoking
- Khus/ Vertiver Curtains
- Avoid VOC-Containing Products
- Beware of Asbestos
- Dispose of Your Garbage Properly
Let’s discuss in detail the crucial question: how to have clean air in your home?
01. The Wholesome Cleaning
So, if you’re curious about finding out how to clean up air pollution at home, continue reading. A wholesome cleaning of the house is much more than just mopping and sweeping floors. If you’ve taken up the task of cleaning and organising, make sure that you cater to every object in the room. It includes everything from soft furnishings to a tiny art piece. The private spaces may not need daily cleaning. But clean the common spaces like hallways and living rooms regularly. A good-quality vacuum cleaner can help remove even the tiniest dust particles that a cloth or broom fail to remove. Hence, keeping everything clean will also make sure that the air in the house stays clean.
02. The Notion of Minimal in the Bedroom
The bedroom-your private sanctuary, is a space that’s only created to make you feel comfortable and relaxed. From the bedding that offers rest to the air you breathe in your bedroom, everything has to be perfect. Follow minimalism to attain this perfection. Create a decluttered space by keeping just the essentials. Such decluttered spaces help improve the air quality of the room. A dose of fresh air for approximately six to eight hours daily can keep you fit and healthy to tackle the day.
03. Tuck the Shoes’ Muck Outside
The dirt and muck that come with shoes can make the entire room filthy. No matter how clean your shoes look, unknowingly, you bring toxic germs into your homes. The best way to clean the air in your home is to remove your footwear outside the house. Keep an extra pair of home slippers to wear inside the house. The best part about this clever trick is that, apart from the air inside, even the floors will retain their shine.
04. Open the Gateway for Fresh Air
The simplest way to let in fresh air is by opening the windows. Make it a habit to open the windows at least for five minutes to let air circulation happen and welcome the fresh breeze inside. It’s crucial to keep the window open while you’re cleaning the room. The best home air-cleaning system for clean air would be to keep the windows open throughout the night.
05. The Green Purifiers
While indoor plants make a statement in home decor by elevating the aesthetics, they are also extremely effective purifiers and the best way to clean the air in the home. The leaves and roots of the indoor plants will absorb the toxic vapours filling up the room. Various species of plants can cleanse the air inside your home and help you detox. Among the low-maintenance plants are spider plants, which can purify harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene, etc.
06. Rich Aroma and Medicinal Benefits with Oil Diffusers
The magical aroma of essential oils can do wonders. They purify the air with their antibacterial properties. These also create a soothing ambiance inside the home and act as a clean air filter in the home. Oils like tea tree oil can minimise the airborne bacteria inside your home. There are also oils like lavender and eucalyptus that help reduce dust mites and act as a home air cleaning system.
07. Sit in the Comfort of the Air Conditioner
After a long, sunny day, all you desire is to relax in the comfort of the AC. An air conditioning system not only regulates the temperature of the home but also aids in air filtration. The unit takes in the air, cools it down, and releases it back into the room. The filter of the AC unit helps clean the air. Hence, it is important to clean the filter too.
08. Healthy and Well-Groomed Pets
We all love our pets. These cuties steal your heart with their cute play all day long. But it’s important to know that pets contaminate all the spaces they walk in. Apart from the fur they shed, pet dander fills up the room, and this can lead to issues like asthma. The easy way out is to keep your pets well-groomed and clean all the time. Try to brush them outside so that the fur and dander do not enter the interior spaces. And all pet lovers must keep vacuuming their homes regularly. Opt for cleaners that have HEPA filters incorporated into the machine for efficient results.
09. Make a Switch to Vinegar
We understand how certain advertisements entice you into buying chemical cleaning products, but hey, you need to stop! Chemical cleaners have toxins that can not only lead to breathing issues but irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat as well. Switch to greener options like baking soda or vinegar that are as effective as chemicals while cleaning and also keep the surrounding air equally hygienic.
10. A Digital Era
As we’re headed towards digitisation, why not implement it in our homes as well? Make a switch from the habit of reading newspapers to scrolling through e-news, as inks on paper are known to release harmful toxins into the air.
11. Thoroughly Cleaned Knits and Knots
Sure, the carpet looks good on the floor with its vibrant shades and patterns, but it’s also a home for various dust mites. No matter how clean rugs or carpets look, these are magnets that attract dust, mold, pet dander, fur, etc. You need to make sure that these knits and knots are cleaned properly. If you’re planning to buy new carpets for your home, consider buying the ones without vinyl backing. Opt for the ones with the minimum usage of plastic or adhesives for efficiency in terms of keeping the home healthy.
12. Varnishes to be Kept Outside
Store any alcohol or spirit-based substance outside the home, as pollutants released from these chemicals can pollute the air inside the home. Even when it comes to applying your favourite nail paint, make sure you’re doing that in an open space or with the exhaust fan on.
13. Beeswax Candles, Salt Lamps, and Camphor: The Ultimate Purifiers
Though candles light up the room with an earthy charm, did you know they can prove harmful to your health if they are composed of paraffin? Paraffin candles release carcinogenic gases, which calls for an immediate switch to beeswax candles, as these are eco-friendly and fill up the room with a calming aroma. Apart from candles, salt lamps and camphor are the best ways to clean the air in a home and can also help in pulling all the toxins from the air and purifying the indoor air. Enjoy a positive and peaceful mind with the glow of salt lamps filling up the room.
14. Khus/Vertiver Curtains
You might have come across pictures of traditional Indian homes with vetiver curtains covering the windows. We all know that these smart curtains maintain an optimal temperature. But they’re worthier than that. Khus curtains act as natural, clean air filters at home that cleanse the air entering your home when placed on a door or window. Moist curtains can also keep the interiors cool and fragrant.
15. Avoid VOC-Containing Products
Products like paints, stains, strippers, finishes, personal care products, aerosol sprays, room cleaners, and room deodorizers contain Volatile Organic compounds (VOC). They are also present in new cabinets, furniture, beds, carpets, rugs, and wood floors. These VOCs are present in these materials and mix with the air, reducing their quality. You might wonder how to have clean air in your home when VOCs are applied to furniture and wood floors. You may opt to use personal products that do not contain VOCs. To make sure that the home products don’t have VOCs on them, you may opt to clean them thoroughly before use.
16. Beware of Asbestos
Advancements in construction technology have increased the use of synthetic building materials. These changes have made buildings more pleasant and cost-effective to operate. However, they have also created interior conditions where pollutants are easily produced and can grow in greater amounts than those found outside, says A. P. Jones (author of the journal article – Indoor Air Quality and Health).
Asbestos is present in many construction materials and products. Continuous exposure to asbestos can lead to long-term lung diseases. It is highly advisable to avoid asbestos-containing materials. If needed, use it in the minimum quantity.
17. Dispose of Your Garbage Properly
It is very important to dispose of the garbage properly, as it can contribute to bad odours and toxicity at times. Make sure you segregate wet waste from dry waste. Also, make sure you have segregated recycling materials as per city norms. It is of utmost importance to make sure that it’s segregated and covered well.
Tips to Circulate Healthy Air
We know you want to take immediate steps to purify the environment you’re living in and know how to clean the air at home. So, here is a list of four easy tips that will help you regulate the quality of the air inside your home and let you breathe a fresh breeze.
- Avoid Second-hand Smoking
- Opt for an Air Purifier
- Smooth and Clear Ventilation
- Keep a Check on Heating Methods
01. Avoid Second-hand Smoking
Cigarette smoke is the ultimate threat to your health, whether you’re an active or passive smoker. Avoid letting even second-hand smoke enter your territory, as the risk involved in this case is extremely high.
02. Opt for an Air Purifier
No one wants to deal with health issues, and that’s especially true when you’re staying at home. Make a smart move and consider installing a home air cleaning system, such as an air purifier, to get rid of all the harmful chemicals floating in the air. A clean air filter in the home is a necessity for homes that accommodate asthma patients.
03. Smooth and Clear Ventilation
Your home must have proper air circulation through doors and windows. Ensure that there’s fresh air entering the home and toxins leaving the space through a clear ventilation system or clean air filter at home.
04. Keep a Check on Heating Methods
Are you still on the path of traditional heating methods, or have you made a sustainable switch? Wood-burning stoves and fireplaces increase your chances of developing serious health issues like lung cancer. Consider installing solar or electric heating systems for enhanced air quality inside your home. You may also opt for a smokeless chulha or a chimney to make sure that smoke exits your home efficiently.
No More Health Risks!
It’s time to say goodbye to air pollution inside the home and live in a fresh and healthy space by using a home air-cleaning system. There are various ways to regulate the air quality inside your home, with each one having its pros and cons. Now that you know how to keep the air clean at home, try to incorporate as many ideas as you can inside your home to make sure you and your family are safe from the inconveniences these pollutants might cause. Let the rich aroma of essential oils and visual interest in plants act as clean air filters in your home and offer a sensorial experience that’s appealing to look at and physically and mentally beneficial to live in.
FAQ
01. Which Cleaning Products Contaminate the Air?
All the cleaning ingredients that emit a spirit-like smell are major contributors to contaminating the air inside your home. Switch to organic methods for a healthy indoor environment.
02. What are the Health Issues Associated with Poor Air Quality?
Poor air quality is responsible for increasing the risk of heart disease and even lung cancer.
03. Will Burning an Incense Stick Help Get Cleaner Air?
It’s a myth that incense sticks cleanse the air. These can emit harmful toxins that can make you sick. Bear in mind to place these near an opening, or it’s better to burn them in outdoor spaces.
04. Which Plant Species is Best for Indoors?
The best and lowest-maintenance plant to grow inside homes is the Spider plant. This will stay tucked in its place and do its magic by purifying the air.
Author Bio
Saili Sawantt – She is an Architect and Interior Designer by profession. Writing is what she treats as her passion. She has worked as an Architectural Writer, Editor, and Journalist for various design as well as digital portals, both national and international. Formerly she has also worked with Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) Design Studio, Mumbai, due to her keen interested in learning about Sustainability and Green buildings. Apart from this, she runs her blog ‘The Reader’s Express’ and is a practicing Architect & Interior Designer.