Air pollution is synonymous to smog, CFCs, and another form of outdoor air pollution. However, many of you are not aware that the air inside your home or office is more polluted than the air outside. The presence of formaldehyde fire retardants, lead mold or even volatile chemical compounds from fragrance used in household cleaners leads to indoor air pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air quality can be more polluted than outdoor air. However, we can easily improve indoor air quality and can make our homes pollution free. While a lot of steps are taken to stay protected from outdoor pollution, indoor air pollution is something that many people ignore. So, in this blog, we discuss in detail about the indoor air quality and its impact on health.
Table of Contents
What Factors Affect the Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality is affected by a lot of factors. Even the products that you use for everyday activities such as cleaning supplies, perfumes pollute the indoor air. Some of the most common factors that affect indoor air quality:
- Improper ventilation
- Lack of fresh outdoor air
- Poor maintenance of the HVAC system
- Dampness and moisture by flooding, high humidity, and leaks
- Remodeling or construction activities
- Using products with VOCs and Formaldehyde
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality Naturally?
Deteriorating air quality can lead to a number of health problems. This is the reason why you need to take the right steps to purify the indoor air. Here are some natural ways that can improve the indoor air quality:
- Increase ventilation-The best way to improve indoor air quality is proper ventilation. Open the doors and windows at least twice a day when the pollution level is under control. In addition, make sure you ventilate your home, especially when cooking.
- Take off shoes before entering your home- Shoe soles contain a lot of germs, which deteriorates the indoor air quality. This is the reason why it is advisable to make your home a ‘no-shoe’ zone.
- Keep the carpets and rugs clean- Carpets and rugs collect a lot of dust mites and pet hair. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove these pollutants from the carpets and rugs.
- Avoid wooden furniture that have formaldehyde- Some furniture contain toxic glues and finishing products that can lead to allergies and breathing problems. Avoid wooden furniture that have been treated with formaldehyde.
- Use air purifying plants- Air purifying plants such as spider plant or terrarium help in cleaning the indoor air.
Treat mold and mildew growth- Mold and mildew growth affect the indoor air quality and lead to breathing issues. Repair any leaks to avoid mold and mildew growth.
Ways To Reduce pollution and Improve Indoor Air Quality
Here are some of the most common ways that you can reduce indoor air pollution and improve indoor air quality at home.
Open Windows
The most obvious way to improve indoor air quality is by opening windows. Fresh air circulation throughout your home helps to remove pollutants. Most of the heating and cooling systems do not allow outdoor proper ventilation. This is the reason why you need to open the windows at least twice a day. Even when the weather is cool, open the window at least for few minutes to let the fresh air enter inside, especially when you are cooking or cleaning.
Make your house a no smoking zone
Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals, which is enough drastically deteriorate the indoor air quality. Even second-hand cigarette smoke has the same impact on the indoor air quality. This is the reason why you need to avoid smoking inside your home or use an air purifier to catch and trap the chemicals that cause indoor air pollution.
Avoid Chemical cleaning product and synthetic fragrance
The fumes and chemical that evaporate from the common household cleaning products are Volatile Chemical Compounds (VOCs)-one of the major causes of indoor air pollution. The presence of VOCs increases the level of toxicity in indoor air. Go for fragrance-free and naturally scented products to avoid indoor air pollution.
Air Purifying Plants 
Plants not only add beauty to your home but also filter out many air pollutants. Certain indoor air purifying plants like Money Plant, Aloe Vera, Snake Plant, and Peace Lily remove toxic pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from indoor air
Bring HEPA air Purifier
Use a HEPA air purifier to make the indoor air fresh. As HEPA air purifiers are highly effective in removing even PM2.5. In India, Kent HEPA Air Purifiers have received some excellent reviews from customers when it comes to purifying the indoor air quality.
Can Houseplants Improve Indoor Air Quality?
A common way to clean the indoor air quality is by using houseplants. These plants can absorb some of the harmful gases through their roots and leaves. The microorganisms present in the roots of the plants also play an important role in improving the indoor air quality. While houseplants are beneficial for your home, there is no evidence that these plants reduce air pollution.
Last Few Words
Improving indoor air quality helps in reducing the risk of a number of diseases. Following the tips mentioned above can help in improving the indoor air quality to a large extent. However, considering the alarming level of pollution, using an air purifier is a necessity. Natural air purifying processes such as using air purifying plants is not enough to remove the harmful pollutants such as PM 2.5. A HEPA air purifier effectively catches and traps indoor air pollutants to keep the indoor air clean.
