We often associate pollution with industrial smoke and dust and car engine emissions, in short, with the air on the street. Even if you feel best at home and think you are safe, you must also take into account the risk factors, starting with the air you breathe. The air inside the house can be up to 5 times more polluted than the air outside, especially after a night of sleep without ventilation. Purifying the air in your home protects you from respiratory diseases, but also from discomfort manifested by dizziness, fatigue, and coughing.
Why is indoor air polluted?
Indoor air pollution can occur due to several chemicals, even produced by pets. This can aggravate, irritate, and in some cases even cause serious health problems. For example, the combustion of fire can create harmful chemicals. Bacteria and mold, which come from the natural environment, are the result of not taking proper care of the house.
Indoor air pollutants can easily be stored in your carpet, furniture, and even walls covered in wallpaper, brick, or tile. They can be produced when you use toxic paint, adhesives, or even markers. If you have a gas stove or oven, these are another source of indoor air pollution.
Studies show that CO and NO2 levels are substantially higher in homes with gas furnaces, especially in the winter, when people are less likely to open windows for ventilation. Even when you clean your home and use certain products, they emit substances that, when in contact with the air, become toxic. Sprays seem to be particularly problematic, from air fresheners to furniture sprays; they can become an imminent danger, increasing the chances of triggering diseases such as asthma.
But the personal home is not the only place where there are problems with indoor air purification. Offices have their own sources of air pollution. Copy machines and printers can also deteriorate air quality. They emit several toxic gases, such as NO2 and ozone, which cause throat irritation, skin irritation, asthma and an increased risk of heart disease.
And at home and in the office, a permanent source of air pollution can become the air conditioner whose filters have not been cleaned and sanitized.
Natural ways to purify the air
1. Indoor plants can purify and refresh the air in homes and workplaces, protecting us from any side effects associated with prevalent toxins such as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene. It is the best way to counteract the impact of indoor pollution. If you have at least one plant per 100 square meters of your home, you can hope for effective air cleaning, reduced eye irritation, reduced chances of irritating coughs, and more effective rest. These plants also have a great aesthetic effect. Things to consider would be dracaena, azalea, epipremnum aureum or devil’s ivy, aloe vera, chlorophytum comosum or bridal veil, ficus benjamina, spathiphyllum or peace lily, areca palm,s and bamboo.
2. Beeswax candles also act as natural air purifiers. If you like to fill your home with scented candles, avoid paraffin candles, which are derived from petroleum and release benzene, toluene, and smoke into the air. Beeswax candles ionize the air and neutralize toxic compounds and other contaminants. They burn slowly, with almost no smoke or odor, and are especially helpful for asthmatics because they remove common allergens, such as dust, from the air.
3. Salt crystal products tend to reduce irritants, pathogens, and allergens by removing water vapor from the air. Himalayan pink salt is a natural air purifier that draws toxins from the environment and neutralizes them. Salt crystal lamps are another way to purify the air in your home. It is not only a useful object for lighting and decorating a room, but also for the health of your family. The salt crystal lampshade attracts water vapor from the air, which also contains a lot of allergens.
4. Essential oils, such as eucalyptus, pine, sage, myrrh, tea tree, thyme, rosemary, peppermint, frankincense, lemon, orange, lavender, cinnamon, clove, or juniper, that evaporate into the air inside your home make it impossible for bacteria, fungi, and mold to survive.
By combining about 8 to 10 drops of essential oils with vinegar and water in a spray bottle and using the combination throughout your home, you will not only have purified air, but also a pleasant scent in your home. These oils kill 99.96% of bacteria in the air. Such an antiseptic blend of pure essential oils helps keep your home clean. They can also be added to soaps or detergents.
5. Frequent ventilation is very important for improving air quality. Open the windows to ensure good ventilation of the entire house. This is a healthy habit that can significantly reduce the degree of air pollution in the house.
6. Frequent, perhaps even daily, vacuuming is the most effective way to remove particles from all surfaces in your home. Vacuuming removes dust, dead tissue, and pet hair, as well as crumbs or sand brought in on shoes from outside. Take special care when vacuuming thick-pile carpets.
Devices used to purify air in the home
7. Air purifiers are devices equipped with HEPA filters that retain the smallest harmful particles, up to 0.3 microns, after first eliminating dust and other larger particles. This eliminates allergens, and thanks to the carbon filter and ionizer, unpleasant odors are also eliminated. Some models also have ultraviolet light, which destroys bacteria, viruses and VOC particles (volatile organic compounds) in the air, and others are purifiers with a humidification function.
8. Humidifiers are extremely useful where too dry air affects the respiratory tract and can lead to conditions such as asthma, dehydration and allergic reactions. Some humidifiers are stand-alone devices, which often also diffuse aromas, others are incorporated into an aerotherm.
9. Home dehumidifiers regulate excessive humidity, eliminate the risk of condensation, filter the air and remove dust, mold spores, lint, and pet hair. Such devices can be installed not only in the room, but also in the closet, bathroom or other closed spaces, where there is no good air ventilation.
The air conditioner has a role in purifying the air and maintaining the correct humidity.
10. Air purification in a room causes the circulated air to pass through filters and be cleaned of impurities, and in the process of regulating the temperature, the humidity will be corrected. It is important to sanitize the air conditioner to have very good air quality.
