Not cleaning your house can impact on your respiratory health. You can develop asthma, fatigue, and lung issues and other diseases like skin and eye irritation and itching. It can be particularly harmful to newborn infants and the elderly who have a low immune system. Hence, it’s essential to keep your home clean always.
If you think your home has poor air quality or ventilation, you can follow some of the tips mentioned here to improve the air quality inside your home:
- Always keep your floor clean
The primary way for dirt to enter your home is via any shoes you wear outside. This dirt can then accumulate in your home. If you don’t clean this dirt regularly, it will contribute to poor indoor air quality.
General dust and dirt can also build up and contribute to poor air quality. So, always keep your floors clean and dust-free. Sweep away the visible dirt and mop the floor to remove stubborn dust, stains, or any other marks. Focus on those areas where there is high foot traffic like near the front door, in the living room and kitchen, as well as the bathroom.
If there is any food or drink spilled on your floor, clean the area immediately to avoid ants, flies and other insects from gathering and taking up residence. They can bring their own dirt into your home and reduce the air quality also.
- Regularly clean all fabrics
Next thing is to keep fabrics clean like carpets, sofas, chairs, upholstery, sheets, blankets and cushions.
You don’t need to do this daily. But cleaning them at regular intervals (even just every 10–15 days) will ensure that dirt is not accumulating and affecting the air quality inside your home.
If you have pets, make sure you have a separate bed space for them. This stops them from sleeping on sofas and carpets. Fabrics used in carpets and sofas. have high chances of retaining the hair and dead cells from your pet’s skin. Cleaning the hair-laden carpets is hard but left untouched can be more harmful, again reducing your indoor air quality.
- Keep the humidity at the right level
When the humidity and moisture level is high inside your home, it can be the perfect environment for mould growth. So, always ensure that you are keeping the humidity level at 30–50%.
Install a dehumidifier that effectively reduces the moisture levels, thus preventing the growth of mould which can affect your indoor air quality.
Some other ways you can reduce the humidity is by using an exhaust fan when cooking or having a hot shower, not over watering indoor plants and fixing leaky plumbing.
- Avoid chemical deodorisers
Many of us use air fresheners and another chemical deodorises to add a fresh or floral scent to our homes. But the synthetic fragrances used in them release a variety of chemicals into the air which can be hazardous.
Many fragrances used in laundry detergent, fabric softeners and dryer sheets also release such harmful chemicals into the air, thus affecting your home’s indoor air quality.
So, make sure you are using fragrance-free or naturally scented products to avoid indoor air pollution.
- Regularly service your air conditioning and heating systems
Air conditioning and heating systems are known for releasing chemicals like carbon monoxides. These gases are harmful when inhaled and cause respiratory issues.
So, make sure you keep up to date air conditioning repairs and air conditioning maintenance. Always use qualified professionals. A thorough cleaning of these systems from time to time also ensures your indoor air quality is good also.
- Let in fresh air
The best way to remove stagnant or foul-smelling air is to let fresh air inside your home. It will improve the air circulation inside your home removing bad odours and stale air.
However, make sure you don’t let polluted and dust-laden air from outside inside your home. For instance, if you are living in a busy high-traffic area, you need to time when you open windows to let in fresh air. Choose appropriate times like early morning or late night when the traffic is minimal.
- Use house plants
Some house plants have the power to eliminate different toxins from your home’s air. And the best part, they provide additional oxygen to further improve the air quality. They also make great decorative pieces.
Air purifying plants like bamboo palm, English ivy and daises are good choices for improving your home’s air quality.
Read here to know Signs you need to service or replace your air conditioner
Additional tips you can follow:
- Always use eco-friendly products when cleaning your home to avoid releasing harmful chemicals into the air.
- Make your own essential oils to remove bad odours in your home.
- Beeswax candles can also be used as air purifiers. They are environmentally friendly, smell good and create a relaxing atmosphere in your home.
