The arrival of warmer weather means we can look forward to the summer, but that also means we’ll soon be dealing with more threatening levels of air pollution. The heat and smog of the summertime can make breathing difficult for people with respiratory problems and even for those without them. While cleaning the polluted air outdoors is an issue requiring a myriad of large-scale initiatives, you can take control over the polluted air inside your home. And yes, there is pollution in the air inside your home.
According to the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency, pollution inside the home can be two to five times higher than it is outdoors. That’s because the air inside your home can be loaded with pollen, mold, pet dander, and pollutants from household cleaning products. If you’ve had your home sealed up tightly during the winter you may have saved money on your heating bill, but you may have also inadvertently trapped in airborne toxins.
A number of health issues can result from poor indoor air quality, including allergies, asthma, and other respiratory ailments. Fear not, for there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of pollution in the air inside your home.
Remove pollutants by ventilating
Exhaust fans inside bathrooms are effective at removing gases from the house, and they help remove moisture, thereby stunting the growth of mold. If your kitchen has an exhaust fan that directs air outside the house, use it while cooking. If your fan doesn’t lead air outside, keep a window open when you’re cooking to let fumes and airborne particles escape from the house.
Open your windows regularly to let fresh air in and polluted air out. It’s a good practice to open your bedroom windows for five to ten minutes after you wake up in the morning, and to do the same just before going to bed at night. Those small periods of ventilation are enough to let carbon dioxide out of the house.
If you have an attached garage, never idle your car inside it. Doing so can cause a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide. If you do have to leave your car running for a few moments, be sure it’s well outside the garage.
Keep pollutants out of the house
After you’ve made the effort to evict pollutants from your home, there are several things you can do to prevent them from returning. Fix leaky faucets to prevent standing water from accumulating. When combined with high humidity, standing water encourages the growth of mold and other pollutants. Avoid burning wood because it creates pollution indoors and out.
If there’s an unpleasant odour in your home, don’t use aerosol air fresheners or scented candles to cover it up. Scented candles give off more than fragrance – they also produce microscopic pollution known as particulates. Allergens like dust can latch onto particulates and enter your lungs when you breathe. Rather than masking odours, find their root causes, clean them up, and let some fresh air in to ventilate the area.
The indoor pollution might penetrate fabrics in your home, such as your rugs, carpets, couch cushions, and other furniture with fabric. It’s time for spring cleaning and you’re not alone, contact us for more information on our professional cleaning services.