7 Tips to Improve The Air Quality of Your Home

We often find ourselves whining about the polluted air outside, be it the smoke emitted by the vehicles plying on the roads or the bad odour sent out by a chemical factory. And if you think you are in the safe zone as soon as you enter your home, you might be wrong. You need to know that your home cannot always guarantee you good quality of the air that you breathe. For example, people especially in Kerala use coconut oil extensively in cooking. Coconut oil which has a comparatively low smoking point can leave your kitchen filled with smoke, not to mention the smell of burnt oil. Similarly, there are many other factors that contribute to polluting the air we breathe at home. To improve the air quality in your home, we have some exclusive tips listed below that can be easily followed so as to ensure you breathe pure air at home.

1. Ensure proper airflow in your home

Without even spending a penny, you can breathe fresh and pure air by increasing the airflow within your home. This can be achieved by simply opening the doors and windows of your home. Proper air circulation will refresh the air inside by removing stagnant air. If you live in a city, it is advised that you choose a time either early in the morning or late in the evening when the pollution levels in the air are very low.

2. Your Air-conditioner doubles up as air purifier

The air-conditioner at your home can also act as an air purifier with its in-built filters that trap pollutants like dust particles. So as it sucks in the air to pump out cooler air, it also makes it clean and pure. Anyway, it is up to us to clean the filter system of the AC regularly, so that it can serve the purpose of an air purifier.

3. House-Plants are a natural air detoxifier

All of us know it for a fact from childhood that plants inhale carbon- dioxide and exhale oxygen. So there can’t be a better option than placing some indoor plants in your home to improve the air quality. Apart from making your home look beautiful, the additional oxygen from these plants will rejuvenate the air around you. Some of the commonly used indoor plants in India are aloe vera, bamboo and spider plants.

4. Keep your bed linen clean

Keeping your bedding clean and dust-free along with the sofas, cushions and curtains is very important to ensure that you breathe in air of good quality. Dust mites often stick to the fabric of bed linen and cushions that can expose you to allergies and respiratory infections. Also it is recommended to keep pets off your bed and sofas to get rid of pet fur and dander which can further aggravate already existing illnesses including breathing problems.

5. Substitute room fresheners with essential air oil purifiers

You might think that you are embracing modern life by using room fresheners for your home. But it is high time you realised that these store-bought room fresheners that contain harmful chemicals will only pollute the air you breathe. To combat health issues that arise from reckless usage of these products, you can substitute them with natural essential oil air purifiers. A blend of essential oils has anti-bacterial properties and help in disinfecting our homes. These essential oils curb the amount of bacteria and viruses in the surroundings and help cure illnesses like common flu, sinuses, insomnia and bronchitis. Apart from lending a sweet and pleasant aroma to the air, these oils that include clove oil, eucalyptus oil and tree oil serve as very good stress-relievers.

6. Use natural cleaning products

Many house-hold cleaners that you buy from the supermarket are loaded with chemicals that can be toxic when they come to direct contact with our eyes and nose. It can irritate the throat and lungs paving way for many illnesses. You can replace such cleaners with their natural counterparts. For example, you can prepare your own cleaning lotion using ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda. If you insist on using the store-bought cleaners, make sure that you open the windows and doors to release the toxins.

7. Choose furniture made of natural materials

Did you know that the furniture at your home can entrap dust mites? These furniture often contain certain glues, resins and other synthetic materials that release toxic substances into the air. The paints and fabrics used in the furniture have volatile organic compounds (VOC) like toluene and benzene that have poisonous effects on the surroundings. To minimize the slow-poisoning effect of these substances, it is advisable to keep your newly purchased furniture in an open space like a garage before you start using them. However, opting for antique wooden furniture and those made of solid wood will be healthy and sustainable.

It is indeed our responsibility to maintain clean and healthy air at home. Breathing clean air is key to the overall health of our bodies. We hope that all the tips that are mentioned above will help you improve the air quality when you are indoors.