Using natural air fresheners, testing for radon and keeping your floors clean are but a few strategies you can use to improve the air quality in your home. Pet dander, dust, dirt and cigarette smoke are but a few of the annoying irritants which can accumulate in your house and lower the overall air quality.
Leaving these particles unchecked can lead to both short term sickness and potentially lethal diseases. At the very least you’ll agitate yourself and any visitors who may have allergies to pollen or pet dander. Improving the air quality of your home takes but a few simple steps. Establishing optimal humidity levels and simply cleaning your floors, walls and carpets on a regular basis will make it easier for everyone to breathe in your home.
Clean Your Floors
By keeping your floors fresh and clean you can reduce airborne allergens in your home. Chemicals and other impurities can steadily build up in your home for years. Make sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to get the job done. Decreasing lead levels in your home along with dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and other dangerous toxins grows easier if you clean your floors regularly.
Use a quality vacuum cleaner with rotating brushes and powerful suction to prevent dust from being blown back out with exhaust. Vacuum furniture, carpet edges, walls and other stubborn areas to improve air quality. Keep your filter clean and vacuum twice weekly for optimal results.
Remember to place floor mats in high traffic areas of your home and also use mops to complete your dust collecting job. Vacuums and brooms will always leave some dust behind. Mopping picks up most of the excess dust and dirt to help you breathe more easily.
Find the Proper Humidity Levels
Reduce the amount of allergens in your home by establishing effective humidity levels. Aim for humidity levels of 30 to 50 percent. Use air conditioning and dehumidifiers to control moisture levels and improve air quality. You can also reduce indoor pollen counts with air conditioners.
While bathing, using the dishwasher or cooking crack open windows or use exhaust fans to keep your home free of excess moisture. Make your clothes drier vent outdoors and avoid overwatering houseplants. Repair any plumbing which is leaking and regularly empty drip pans from dehumidifiers and air conditioners.
No Smoking in the Home
Secondhand cigarette smoke can decrease air quality levels rapidly. If you want to reduce indoor air pollution ban smoking in the home. High chemical levels from cigarette smoke can increase the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome, cancer, asthma and respiratory and ear infections.
Try a combined approach to quit smoking quickly. You can go cold turkey or join support groups to kick this nasty habit. You can also use smoking patches and think positively by working on your mindset. Do yourself and your indoor environment a favor. Quit smoking and ban all visitors or family members from smoking indoors to improve the air quality of your home.