Air pollution is a familiar term to most but when mentioned most people jump straight to thick smog and haze, when really we should be looking a bit closer to home. According to data from the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research the air in the average home can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside. Inside homes airborne pollutants can swirl around you, contaminating the air you breathe.
“The contaminants are often invisible and the harmful effects may not be dramatic at first. But exposures add up over time, and so does the damage,” says Dr Anne Steinemann, a civil and environmental engineer at the University of Washington.
Don’t fret these simple solutions will help you improve air quality within your home overnight.
Kitchen
Start in the kitchen and reduce air pollution within your home by using overhead exhaust fans when cooking. This will help to clean the air faster and also reduce your exposure to smoke. Leftover crumbs and grubby surfaces like your kitchen bench and dining table are the perfect home for airborne nasties. We’re sorry to say that your sturdy kitchen cloth just ain’t going to cut it, ditch scented cleaning products and use natural cleaners as well as regularly replacing your washcloth. Don’t forget to give your floor a good mop with hot water and give your carpets and rugs a thorough vacuum.
Living & Bedroom
Ventilate the areas of your home you use the most and say no to air pollution with an air purifier. Look for a purifier that not only heats and cools but also captures potentially harmful pollutants. The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link automatically captures gases and 99.95% of fine particles1 in the air and also functions as a cooling fan and heater – tick!
Bathroom
Another simple habit WH recommends is to use the often noisy and neglected fan in your bathroom. The combo of a steamy shower paired with spray on deodorants and perfume is the recipe for mould (gross!). And just to add a few extra things to your chores list according to the New York University School of Medicine you should be washing your towels after just three uses, damp towels are a another breeding ground for microbes.
Bedroom
You may not be able to see them but dust mites are hiding everywhere! A simple step to eliminate these hidden critters is to wash your bed sheets in hot water (above 60°C) once a week – think of the extra exercise making your bed more often! While you are at it get your steps up and give your floor a good vacuum.
1 Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research
2 Particle capture tested to EN1822. Gaseous capture tested to JEM 1467 (acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ammonia) and GB/T18801 (formaldehyde, benzene) and DTM-003282 (NO2). Gaseous capture rates vary.
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