The last few years have brought to light just how dirty things can be: our hands, shopping carts, and the air we breathe indoors. This leaves us with the question: how to purify the air in your home?
You can effectively purify the air in your home with a few quick adjustments to your routine. We provide you with 5 useful tips on how to purify the air in your home so that you can breathe easy and enjoy the perks of fresh air in your home space.
What is Air Quality?
Air quality or “indoor air quality” refers to the quality of air in your home surroundings and structures. Poor indoor air quality can lead to a myriad of health conditions and, if not addressed, can pose a hazard to you and your family’s health.
Many household activities, appliances, and home fixtures contribute to poor air quality in your home. The following list is composed of common culprits that contribute pollution to your home air:
- Disinfectants
- Home improvement materials including: paint, plywood, glue, insulation, and more.
- Tobacco products
- Mold or mildew from excess humidity or moisture in the home
- Insecticides, termiticides, rodenticides, and fungicides
- Crafting supplies including: stationary, glue, correction fluid, and more.
- Wax candles made with paraffin
- Certain household cleaning products
- Dry cleaned clothes
- Fuel-burning appliances
- Synthetic fragrances including: deodorizers, perfumes, air fresheners
- Household furnishings including newly installed: cabinetry, carpeting, upholstery, flooring, and more.
- Home office appliances including: copiers, printers, and more.
The question remains: how do you purify the air in your home? There are certain precautions you can take to ensure proper ventilation of your home air, which will improve the air quality of your home.
5 Tips to Purify the Air in Your Home
Before you invest in an air purifier or a hazmat suit to address the air pollution in your home, we encourage you to try the following tips to help purify your home air. These tips are simple, low cost, and go a long way to keep your home air comfortable and healthy.
Tip #1: Dust and Vacuum Your House Regularly
Sweeping wood, laminate, or tiled floors and vacuuming carpets and rugs regularly can help to purify the air in your home.
We drag a whole assortment of gross things on the bottom of our shoes, our pets shed like there is no tomorrow, and sometimes if you have kids the weirdest things end up in your home (like rocks, pinecones, random trash from the side of the street, and more). Dusting and vacuuming your home can reduce the volume of allergens and debris that accumulate on the baseboards, in the corners of your room, and on rugs and carpet.
Tip #2: Deep Clean Every 2-3 Months
The phrase “deep clean” sounds like a drag and, to be honest, it can be. However, a regular deep cleaning of your home is monumental in reducing household contaminants and improving the air quality of your home.
There are many ways to tackle a deep cleaning of your home. Platforms like Pinterest and Good Housekeeping have great cleaning schedules and wonderful diagrams to help keep you on track. Tackling a room every week can reduce total workload, or you can hire a cleaning crew every other month to help with the time consuming tasks of cleaning baseboards, ceiling fans, and more.
However you choose to regularly deep clean your home, keep an eye on the ingredients in your cleaning products. Some popular cleaning products contain ingredients that release toxic chemicals into your home space, exacerbating poor home air quality. The EPA has a comprehensive list of safe cleaning products on their website with their designated “Safer Choice Standard” seal of approval; the cleaning products featured in their database are considered less toxic to your home environment.
Tip #3: Open Your Window
How do you purify the air in your home for free, with very little effort? Open your windows!
Windows are built-in ventilation for your home. Gas stove emissions, aerosol fumes, paint fumes, debris, pet dander, and goodness knows what else, can build in your home like a pressure cooker. These home air contaminants need to go somewhere! Opening the windows in your home allows for proper ventilation, channeling contaminants out of your home and circulating fresh air back into your space.
Tip #4: Regulate Humidity Levels
Regulating the humidity levels in your home can go a long way towards purifying your home air.
The optimal humidity for your home space is 40-60% relative humidity (RH). Humidity levels below 40% can increase the survival rate of airborne bacteria and viruses, which can create an unhealthy home environment. On the other hand, humidity levels above 60% create a breeding ground for mold and bacteria, which contributes microbial volatile compounds into your home.
A hygrometer is a device that monitors the humidity levels in your home and can be found at most home improvement and home goods stores. The hygrometer is an essential tool to ensure your home humidity levels remain in that 40-60% sweet spot.
Canopy Humidifier is a no-mist, no mess humidifier designed with proprietary anti-mold technology. UV lights embedded in the water tank kill 99.9% of bacteria in the water tank while the disposable paper filters eliminate any remaining contaminants. Canopy Humidifier features an Aroma Puck for essential oil diffusion, allowing you to enjoy the health and home benefits of essential oil use. In addition, Canopy Humidifier has dishwasher safe components for a simple cleaning experience.
Tip #5: Change Your Air Filters on Schedule
How many times do you think about the air filters in your home? If your answer is “never” or “rarely,” you are in the majority. Air filters get very little attention, and some homeowners and renters go years without changing the air filters in their home.
Did you know that air filters should be changed every 6-12 months? If you’re wondering how to purify the air in your home, a regular air filter changing schedule is a surefire way to reduce the volume of toxins and contaminants in your home air.
Depending on how frequently you use your air condition and central heating, the changing schedule may vary. If you use your HVAC frequently, changing the filter every 6 months is recommended. If you use your HVAC on occasion, changing the filter every 12 months should suffice.
HEPA filters or “High Energy Particulate Air” filters are the gold standard of air filtration. If HEPA filters fit into your budget, replacing your standard air filters with HEPA filters will go a long way to purify the air in your home.