These days, the air we breathe is often loaded with pollutants and contaminants that have harmful effects on our health. Poor indoor air quality can affect anyone’s health and well-being at any time, especially if you spend a lot of time indoors.
If you suffer from allergies or respiratory ailments like asthma or COPD, then polluted indoor air can be an even bigger issue. This article will help you find the best solutions for improving indoor air and reducing airborne pollutants, including dust mites, pollen, mold, pet dander and more!
1. Keep surfaces dusted
If you suffer from allergies, one of the easiest ways to combat them is to regularly dust your home! Did you know that dust mites are notorious for causing allergies and asthma? Dust mites live within the top few inches of carpets, bedding, upholstery, old books and magazines.
2. Rotate your mattress (and other bedding tips)
This may not seem related to air quality, but you’d be surprised! Your mattress is (unfortunately) one of the items that collects the most dust, skin cells, and other particles that can become airborne and leave you coughing all night long! So the best way to combat dust is not only by keeping surfaces dusted regularly, but also rotating your mattress at least every two years when you turn it over, and washing pillowcases weekly!
3. Change your HVAC filter
It’s also very important to keep your HVAC system running efficiently. By changing your filter regularly, you can maintain indoor air quality and help to reduce airborne dust particles that travel through the vents in your home! Filters should be changed once a month if used frequently, or you’re a pet owner. You can stretch out a filter change to once every three months if you’re not always running your system.
4. Don’t use air fresheners
It may be a nice smelling home that you want, but if your air smells unpleasant, you need to attack that at the source. Step away from the air freshener! Artificial chemicals found in many popular brands of household products can actually make matters worse. And they often contain things like butane and propane, which are harmful to breathe and can even be explosive. On the same note, use natural cleaners instead of ones with harsh chemicals containing chlorine bleach and ammonia.
5. Ban pets from laying on furniture
We love our pets, but allowing them to sleep with us on the bed or on the couch will not only cause us to breathe in dander and detritus, but also the dander will seep into the furniture and stay there. To prevent your bed or couch from becoming a dander sponge, give your pet a separate area to sleep! They will be happy if they have a special area of your home specifically for them, which can be a separate room or just a kennel/crate!
Bonus: A whole-home indoor air purifier like the iWave
The iWave will capture dander, dust, pathogens, smoke, and other airborne contaminants as they pass through your home! The way the iWave works is by generating both positive and negative ions that are able to use their charge to neutralize pollutants. The result is all “positive”! The ions are able to attach to the hydrogen molecules in bacteria and viruses and remove them, so the bacteria or virus dies!
Learn more about the iWave HERE, or give H.A. Sun a call and we’ll be happy to help you install an air purifier in your Bloomfield Hills home: (248) 986-1506
