Toward Safer Home Air: All You Need to Do
Our homes are supposed to be safe sanctuaries for us and our families. Even now, during a pandemic, they serve as the safest places where we can move around without being in danger of contracting the virus. But as we stay in for longer, the dirt building up inside our houses becomes more noticeable and concerning, especially in the air we breathe.
According to the American Lung Association, prolonged exposure to the poor air quality inside enclosed spaces can contribute to various health issues, ranging from simple fatigues and headaches to asthma and lung diseases. Without proper maintenance of the air circulation in your home, you might be endangering the safety of your entire household. Take a look at these important things you must do to keep your house and the air inside clean and healthy.
- Clean up
Cleaning your home environment is the first step in keeping the air in the house clean. From the ceiling down to the floor, the major buildup of dust and other pollutants is inevitable as we go in and out of our properties. Regular dusting, sweeping, and wiping will prevent the accumulation of dirt, especially on exposed surfaces. Carpets and rugs also collect much of the dust settling down from above. If you can avoid using them at all, do so as bare flooring is easier to keep clean than matting. Otherwise, vacuuming often and occasional deep cleaning must be done for your carpets.
Aside from the dust and foreign contaminants that we bring from the outside and into our homes, we ourselves shed oils and skin particles that latch onto our beds and furniture. Make sure to clean or change out the sheets and coverings and air our mattresses, pillows, and upholstery that harbor dust particles.
Disposal of all wastes must also be done properly. Collected dust must be sealed in a bag before throwing it in the bin to prevent it from scattering back to your home. Keeping bins closed or covered should also be a common practice for general cleanliness.
- Ventilate
Good ventilation is the next step for a clean and healthy home environment. Opening windows and doors, even cracking them open slightly, will help keep the air circulating, especially while doing your general cleanup or activities that agitate the air in a room. But this only applies to homes in generally unpolluted areas. If you live in places where keeping doors and windows open may pose a threat to your family’s safety, a proper air-filtration system is better suited.
Using exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms will circulate the air in these usually stuffy rooms. Turning on your air-conditioning system will also help for the rest of the house as these systems remove not only dust but also moisture from the air that causes molds.
- Use Air-conditioning Systems
Stagnant and non-circulating air within the house generally contributes to the accumulation of dust particles. To prevent this, use your home’s air-conditioning system more often. Aside from keeping the air in your home flowing continuously, these systems help remove contaminants from the air. They usually have filters in place to clean the air before and after it enters your home. Just make sure that you get the air ducts checked and cleaned because those are where the dust and foreign contaminants settle as your air-conditioning systems do their jobs. You can hire a duct cleaning service to do a thorough job for you.
- Keep Houseplants
Keeping plants inside the house offers many benefits to homeowners. Plants can apparently absorb and filter out some toxins from the air as they resume photosynthesis. Some studies claim that when plants are placed in enclosed spaces with various toxins, the air quality slightly improves after some time.
Markham Heid from Time says that although this toxin-absorbing quality of plants doesn’t do much for the average home, their oxygen-producing capabilities certainly help keep the air breathable. Plus, owning houseplants do contribute a lot to the health of their owners. Better mood and increased productivity is guaranteed.
- Maintain Pets
Pets contribute to the air contaminants in your home. Pet fur and dander can also trigger allergies. Bathing and grooming pets can help reduce these allergens but are usually not enough as dander stays in the air and the environment long after the pet has been removed.
Installing air purifiers is a good option for pet owners. Air purifiers can filter out large particles like dust and dander from the air. Changing the filters of these devices is a must to prevent the particles from being released back into your home. Limiting areas around the house where pets are allowed to go will also help. Keeping them out of the bedrooms and from furniture will reduce your family’s exposure to allergens.
Maintaining good air in your house will help to keep you and your family healthy. Remember that thorough cleaning can remove all the harmful particles from your home, ensuring your safety from certain diseases. So keep up with your chores for a better and brighter tomorrow.
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