Indoor air quality might not be something we often think about, but it is important for our health, and doing a quick review of your home can be incredibly beneficial. Common indoor pollutants are: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals from fragrances used in conventional cleaners, dust, pollen, pet dander 🐶, mold, mildew, bacteria, and viruses🦠.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air in our home is often 2-5 times (sometimes up to 100 times) more polluted than the air outside 🤢.
Things to improve your indoor air quality:
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Add some air purifying plants – there are a lot of plants that remove volatile organic compounds, absorb chemical pollutants released by synthetic material and help purify your indoor air. ⚠️ Some are poisonous if eaten, please keep that in mind for your pets and kids.
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Check what you are cleaning your house with – the ingredients in many conventional cleaning options can affect your health as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Read the ingredients in your go-to cleaner – how toxic is it? My rule if I am shopping for a new product is – if it has the ingredient ❌ “Fragrance” ❌ it is immediately a pass for me (this rules out a lot).
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Ditch candles and air fresheners – swap out the toxic the fragrance filled paraffin candles for a clean beeswax candle or essential oil diffuser.
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Invest in an air purifier – a good quality air purifier helps remove particles, volatile organic chemicals, and gases.
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Open a window – let some fresh air in so toxic chemicals and allergens do not stay trapped inside.
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Leave your shoes at the door – removing shoes at the door greatly reduces the amount of dust, pesticides and other contaminants tracked into the home.
❗️ One last thing that I always forget – change your HVAC filters!