During the colder months of the year, it is not uncommon for people to keep their windows sealed and doors closed in order to minimize heating expenses and, yet, still stay warm. Unfortunately, actions like these can lead to poor indoor air quality, unpleasant odors and the accumulation of various pollutants. Health and overall well-being can suffer, as well, due to poor ventilation and lingering virus particles.

Did you know indoor air quality can be between 2-5 times worse than outdoor air quality? In some instances, indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside. What makes this even worse is when so much time is spent inside, as is often done during the holidays.

Improving Indoor Air Quality is KEY

This makes improving indoor air quality in your home KEY. But, how can you do so without the use of chemicals and toxins? How can you keep your home fresh naturally?

Well, we’ve some simple ways to improve indoor air quality without the use of chemicals.

Open Windows/Doors in the morning

Opening windows and/or doors each morning can immediately improve indoor air quality by allowing fresh air in and stale air out. The increase of oxygen in your home can also help boost your mood. lower stress levels and increase your ability to concentrate.

While this may seem unfamiliar to some, this practice is very common in places like Scandinavia and Germany. In fact, you might want to consider doing this twice a day to ventilate your home and keep in your indoor air fresh and clean.

Clean with Natural Products

Clean your home with natural ingredients such as baking soda, white vinegar, citrus rinds and citrus juice. It’s easy to craft your own homemade air fresheners and natural cleaning supplies, plus it’ll help you save money, improve indoor air quality naturally, as well as reduce the volume of harmful toxins and chemicals in your home.

Fix any leaks

Fixing leaks, both water and ventilation, can not only help you improve the quality of air in your home, but it can save you money, too. Go through your house and fix any leaky faucets or pipes. Doing so will prevent water buildup and potential sources of mold. Then, look for any places where air is escaping or entering your home when it shouldn’t. Caulk can often fix such entry points where air and/or water is finding its way inside.

Clean Out Vents and Replace Filters

If you’ve got a HVAC system or ventilation running throughout your home, it’s important to keep your vents clean and replace filters regularly. Accumulation of dust and dirt can result in unhealthy air recirculating throughout your home instead of removing such particles from the air. This is a simple, yet inexpensive way, to help improve indoor air quality at home.

Bring Plants indoors

Bringing some plants inside your home can help reduce indoor air pollution, as well as brighten up the space. Some of the best household plants for air purification are snake plants, spider plants, rubber trees, dracaena, areca palm and more. NOTE: If you have pets, be sure to verify plants are safe to have around your pet before adding the plant to your home decor.

Summary

In summary, improving the indoor air quality in your home is essential to the health and overall well-being of you and your family. With a few, simple actions you can make your house work with you instead of against you.