There’s a reason we’re always told to go outside to get fresh air. The ugly truth is that indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted that outdoor air, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The reason for this is a combination of a small, enclosed space and common pollutants like mold, carbon monoxide, secondhand smoke, and radon gas. These contaminants can get trapped within your walls and carpeting and can be the cause for some of the most common home allergens.

Luckily, there are several ways you can start naturally purifying the air your breath. By keeping your home up-to-date with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and by following these five simple steps, you can significantly increase the quality of your home’s air!

1. Prevention is the most important part of maintaining good air quality in your home. If you have dehumidifiers or air conditioning units in your house, make sure to clean them regularly to keep out dust and mildew that might grow inside the vents. Similarly, if you have a fireplace, have the flu checked and cleaned to keep smoke and ash from falling back into the house.
2. Ventilate! I know this sounds obvious, but ventilating your house is more than just opening a window every now and then. Outside air can bring in its own toxins and contaminants, especially if you’re allergic to pollen. Install exhaust fans and vents in your kitchen and bathrooms to flush out potentially harmful air, but make sure these vents are funneling the air out and away from your house, not just into another room.
3. Keep your house clean and well maintained, but avoid using cleaning supplies with high toxicity and lots of chemical ingredients. Instead, you can make your own cleaning agents out of natural ingredients such as tea, white vinegar, and lemon juice. Be especially attentive to cleaning up after your pets. Dog hair and cat boxes can significantly reduce the quality of your home’s air, so be sure to clean up after them as often as possible. You can click here for more information on maintaining your home with pets.
4. If you like to light candles (especially around this time of the year) try using beeswax candles instead of the usual paraffin. Paraffin candles burn faster and release petroleum byproducts into the air. Beeswax, on the other hand, burns slower and cleaner, and actually ionizes the air to neutralize toxic compounds and contaminants.
5. Optimize your house plants! After all, they are Mother Nature’s air purifiers, and they’re great at filtering toxins out of the air. Butterfly Palms, Rubber Fig, Cornstalk, Lady Palm, Peace Lily, English Ivy, and Chinese Evergreen are all highly effective air purifiers – not to mention they’ll give your home a great fresh look!

If you want to learn more about air quality and testing, Robison has some great information and resources available for homeowners, and be sure to give us a call at (877) 488-7988 to ask about our free mold visual inspection!