6 ways for clean air at home

Whether you're indoors or outdoors, the quality of the air you breathe can have a big impact on your health. Studies have linked poor outdoor air quality to lung cancer, strokes and heart disease. In fact, air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization.

However, the air inside your home can be even more polluted than the air outside, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Research shows that we spend most of our time indoors, which is all the more reason to start cleaning our indoor air.

There are countless reasons why indoor air can become polluted. Some sources, such as furniture and building materials, may emit pollutants (more or less) continuously. Other sources, such as smoking, cleaning with toxic chemicals, or renovations, can release pollutants periodically. Undetected or malfunctioning appliances can release potentially dangerous levels of pollutants indoors (which is why it's so important to have a working carbon monoxide detector in your home).

And if you think spritzing on a scented air freshener will clean your air, think again. This fragrance is also a form of indoor air pollution, and most air fresheners simply release more potentially harmful chemicals into your home. Health problems caused by these chemicals cost about $340 billion a year in treatment and lost productivity, according to a study published in the scientific journal The Lancet.

Read on for some tips for improving indoor air quality without using chemicals.

1. Open the windows often

This is the simplest (and cheapest!) thing you can do to improve the air quality in your home. Open your windows, even for just five minutes a day, to help reduce the build-up of harmful air pollutants in the indoor air.

2. Get suitable indoor plants

Several types of houseplants filter common volatile organic compounds from indoor air.

Having houseplants indoors can help improve indoor air quality, according to a study published by the American Society for Horticultural Science. For example, spider plants are effective in reducing benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

3. Maintain your pets fur

Your pets' skin cells are found almost everywhere in the home. Not only can pet fur cause harm, dander can cause you to develop asthma-like symptoms or worsen your asthma if you already have it. Caring for the animal itself and regular cleaning of floors and furniture is mandatory.

4. Use an air purifier

Air purifiers can be an effective way to reduce harmful particles in the air. Air purifiers can freshen stale air, reducing the chances of health problems caused by indoor pollutants that can cause respiratory infections, neurological problems or worsen symptoms in asthma sufferers.

5. Get rid of mold

These types of fungi can release spores into the air that can cause allergy symptoms. It likes to grow in dark, damp places like your bathroom, laundry room, and basement. But you don't have to bleach it, there are ways to kill mold without chemicals.

6. Clean with non-toxic chemicals

Many household cleaners contain toxic chemicals that can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. If you're going to use these, at least open the windows while you're doing it. But as a greener option, consider making your own household cleaners using ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, citrus juice, or essential oils.

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