5 ways to increase indoor air quality at home
Since we spend 90% of our time indoors, and recent evidence suggests indoor air may be more polluted than a bustling city street, it’s essential to mitigate the air pollutants in your home.
Open your windows
Homes, specifically new constructed homes, are built to be energy efficient and “air tight”. This is great for energy conservation, but can trap pollutants from cleaning products, off gassing and other poisons inside your home. As simple as it sounds, a short burst of fresh air daily significantly reduces indoor pollution, bringing in fresh air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and simultaneously carrying indoor air pollutants out of the area.
Switch to non-toxic cleaning products
There are numerous VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) lurking in products we use every day. Cleaning products are often loaded with chemicals and dyes that contribute to poor indoor air quality.
The specific chemicals in these ingredients include ammonia, ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate, sodium hypochlorite and/or trisodium phosphate. Depending on the ingredients used, all-purpose cleaners can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat.
Read labels carefully and avoid the following:
Bleach & Amonia
Air Fresheners / Artificial Fragrances
Fabric Softeners & Dryer Sheets
Corrosive drain cleaners
Carpet Cleaning Products
Look for organic, non-toxic cleaning products or you can even make your own. There are numerous sites and blogs for DIY cleaning products. If you’re not up for the DIY route, try something from ECOS Cleaning Products.
Purchase an organic mattress
We spend nearly half of our life in bed! To be exact, 35.61 years, according to a study done by the New York Post. The average mattress contains a cocktail of chemicals and flame retardants that harmfully impact the human endocrine, immune, reproductive, and nervous systems. The off-gassing can linger for months and as a mattress’s protective outer layers wear over time, more toxic carcinogens are released. My two favorite brands are Avocado Green Mattress and Saatva.
Add an add an air purifier
Cleaning the air inside your home can be done through a central HVAC system or freestanding units strategically placed throughout your home. We have opted for both an Ionizer in our system as well as freestanding units in each bedroom. With multiple pets, this has also reduced dander, hair and other allergens in our home. My favorite freestanding air purifier brand is Okaysou. When selecting your specific model, make sure to review the specific features of each unit.
Purchase toxin-free candles
I’m a huge fan of candles, but had no idea the level of chemicals that went into making my favorite themed scents. Many candles contain paraffin wax, a hydrocarbon mixture that's harmful to the environment. Thankfully, more fragrance brands are shifting to soy and nontoxic candle blends. These natural candles are cleaner, have longer burn times, and they're safer for your home and the planet.
Farmhouse Fresh makes a plethora of wonderful scent combinations using a coconut & apricot wax blend, phthalate-free fragrance and a cotton wick and boasts a 60 hour burn time!
