Clean air in the home is important to your health. Especially with the poor outdoor air quality. However, the quality of the indoor air can oftentimes be even worse than the outside. Today we’ve made a list of some of the ways you can help clean up the air in your home.
1) Use an air purifier
An easy way to clean the air in your home is to purchase an air purifier. It will take in the dirty air of the room, clean it, and re-release the air back into the room.
2) Know the limitations of air purifiers
While an air purifier is a great way to clean the air of your home, they’re only capable of cleaning a specific size room. You’ll want to be sure to get the one to fit your needs.
3) Take out the carpeting
If it’s possible, remove the carpeting in your home. Carpets in homes trap dust and are often hard to keep clean. Swap them for something that is easier to keep clean, like hardwood, tile, or even concrete.
4) Regularly clean rugs and carpets
If switching out the carpets isn’t an option for you, then you’ll want to regularly be cleaning the floors in your home. It’s recommended to vacuum at least once a week to help reduce the pollutants in your home.
5) Regularly dust surfaces
Frequently dusting your spaces goes along with regularly vacuuming your home. This will help keep the pollens, pet hair, and other pollutants from building up in your home and causing issues with your air quality.
6) Kill the dust mites
Dust mites feed off human skin and live in bedding, upholstery, and carpeting. To keep them out of your home, you’ll want to regularly wash bedding in hot water as well as regularly vacuuming your space.
7) Don’t smoke indoors
Smoking and secondhand smoke are some of the most dangerous air pollutants that can and do cause a lot of health problems. To help keep the air in your home clean, don’t allow others to smoke inside.
8) Use the kitchen exhaust fan
When you are cooking meals on the stove, be sure to turn on the exhaust fan to remove particles from the air. This is particularly important for gas stoves as it releases gasses into the air while you’re cooking.
9) Use higher smoke point cooking oils
To avoid a house full of smoke and a burnt oil smell, choose oils that don’t start smoking at a low temperature. Choose options like avocado, sunflower, or canola when you grab the oil.
10) Change the air filters
Most furnaces and air conditioning units have air filters that need to be cleaned regularly. These filters help keep the air in your home cleaner. When they get dirty, they don’t perform as well.
11) Regularly clean the return air vents
The large vents on your wall are the return air vents that pull the indoor air back to the heating and cooling systems. You want to be sure to regularly clean them from dust and not block them.
12) Clean the air conditioner
When you start using your air conditioning at the beginning of the summer season, you’ll want to have your air conditioning unit inspected. It’ll need to be cleaned as well as checked over to make sure everything is working properly.
13) Run the air conditioner
If you have central air, then you have an air filtration system already set up. The air is pulled from your home, cooled, then pumped back out. Most systems have an air filter that cleans the air.
14) Fix leaks as soon as possible
Water damage can happen from both outside the home, like a leak in the roof or foundation, as well as from inside with a leaky faucet. It’s important to fix all leaks as soon as possible to avoid mold growth.
15) Use the bathroom fan
Whenever showering or bathing, turn on the overhead fan in the bathroom to help contain the moisture in the air. It is also best to shower with the door closed to keep the moisture localized to one room.
16) Have pets regularly groomed
Pet fur and dander are everywhere in a home with pets. Along with regular dusting and vacuuming to keep it at a minimum, also frequently bathing your pet and brushing them outdoors will help keep the fur and dander at bay.
17) Stay away from the damp
Mold is a big contributor to bad air quality because of the spores released into the air. To keep mold from spreading in your home, keep the air dry as well as using fans when cooking and in the bathrooms.
18) Avoid using air fresheners
Where it may seem like a good idea to use air fresheners to help the room smell. However, they mostly just mask the smells. If you want your home to smell nice, try an essential oil burner.
19) Don’t wear shoes inside
When you get home at the end of the day, take your shoes off before walking into your home. Leaving your shoes on means you’re tracking in all of the gunk from outside all over your clean floors.
20) Decorate with houseplants
Houseplants are an easy and natural way to spruce up your home while also cleaning the air. You’ll want to do a bit of research on which options are best for your home and your needs.
There are many other ways you can improve your home air quality. Comment below on what you’ve done to help the quality of your air at home.
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