According to the Environmental Protection Agency, most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. However, they may be breathing contaminated air that is actually two to five times more polluted than the air outdoors. In other words, our homes may actually be killing us slowly and threatening the lives of our families.

There are precautions you can take to keep the air inside your home cleaner and fresher. The first of which is to keep toxins away from your home such as cigarette and cigar smoke, excessive moisture and unhealthy chemicals. The second involves ventilating the air inside your home regularly to clean and release some of the pollutants that would otherwise hang around. This can be done easily by opening your windows, doors, and running exhaust fans.

The Three Most Deadly Indoor Pollutants Affecting the Air Quality in Your Home

Believe it or not, there are actually three extremely deadly but common pollutants that can be found indoors. They are carbon monoxide and radon gas, and secondhand tobacco smoke.

1. Carbon Monoxide – More than 400 Americans die every year due to a carbon monoxide problem inside their home, with thousands hospitalized and severely sick.
2. Secondhand Tobacco Smoke – 7,500 to 15,000 children are hospitalized due to a respiratory tract infection related to secondhand smoke exposure. Even worse, many older adults with cardiovascular issues or lung problems are at a much higher risk for sever health problems when exposed to secondhand smoke.
3. Radon Gas – This odorless, tasteless and colorless gas can seep into the home from underneath the foundation. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, a type of cancer that has the highest mortality rates. More than 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year can be traced back to long-term radon exposure.

How Do You Combat These Pollutants and Keep the Air Quality in Your Home Clean?

Image by SuperFantastic (Flickr)

Smoking is actually pretty easy to combat, when compared to the others. That’s not to say it’s easy to kick the habit, however. The most ideal preventative strategy would be to eliminate smoking altogether, which means if you or a family member smokes encourage them to stop. If that’s not an option, then always refrain from smoking inside the home. Furthermore, never smoke near windows or doors that lead into your home. Ensure that you are far enough away from a home before lighting a cigarette or cigar.

Carbon monoxide can’t always be prevented, but it can be monitored by installing a detection system. Similar to a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide monitor (detector) will scan the indoor air and sound an alarm if it identifies an issue. A lot of older appliances like hot water heaters, furnaces and more can release this deadly gas if they are not ventilated properly.

Radon is the worst on this list, as most people have no clue it exists inside their home. In fact, because it’s odorless, colorless and tasteless the only way to discover its presence is to test specifically for it. We recommend testing at least twice a year, once in the summer and again in the winter. You can also purchase long-term radon detectors similar to carbon monoxide detectors.

Additional Cleaning Tips to Keep the Air Quality in Your Home Fresh

Of course, there are plenty of other ways you can combat these toxins in your home. Here, is a short list of some rather unconventional cleaning strategies.

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  Image by Sean A O’Hara

  Place greenery around your home or install a living wall. Many plants actually help filter and clean toxins out of the air. It’s always a good idea to place a few around your home to help eliminate or reduce air pollutants. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, there are plenty of plants you can buy that require little to no maintanence.

• Use low-VOC paints and decorative materials. Fresh paint, even after it has dried can release trace amounts of toxins and gases for months after they have been used. These gases are referred to as VOCs or volatile organic compounds. They can include traces of toxic chemicals like formaldehyde or acetaldehyde. Instead use low-VOC paints, varnishes, waxes and more to decorate your home. Always open windows when you’re painting and turn on all exhaust fans in your home. Allow your air to ventilate regularly when you’ve recently done a paint job.

• Check your roof, foundation, basement, crawlspace and walls for leaks or cracks. Even just a small amount of moisture leaking into an area can cause an issue over time. If you find anything, be sure to fill or fix the cracks before the building materials used become damp. If the moisture is not kept in check, it can lead to high humidity, mold and mildew. All of these issues have been attributed to coughing, asthma, wheezing and other respiratory problems.

• Clean air conditioning units and dehumidifiers regularly. They can produce a standing water supply responsible for the growth of dust mites, mold and mildew. In addition, using these ventilation systems will help eliminate moisture and dirty air inside the home.

• Keep pets away from sleeping areas and furniture such as beds, couches and others. There is absolutely no such thing as a hypoallergenic pet, so if you’re prone to allergies stay away from animals – or at least don’t keep them in your home. Animal saliva, urine, feces and dead skin cells can produce deadly toxins and allergens. Cat allergens can actually stay in a location for a period of 20 weeks or more, even if the animal has been removed from the environment. Always clean animals after they have spent time outdoors, because they can track in toxins from outside as well.

• Solvents and cleaning chemicals used in dry cleaning can actually be extremely toxic. Always allow dry cleaned items to air out before bringing them into your home. You can easily ventilate the toxins by allowing them to hang on a clothesline outdoors before bringing them inside.

Image by Gilles San Martin

• Remove carpet completely and replace it with vinyl, tile or wood. Carpet and cloth floors actually trap pollutants and harmful particles like dirt, fungi, dust mites and more. Vacuuming carpets can alleviate this issue somewhat, but it can actually send the pollutants airborne too. If you cannot remove carpets, or do not want to resort to a HEPA or high efficiency particle air vacuum cleaner and filter to improve air quality. Also shampoo your carpet regularly, but ventilate afterwards to prevent the buildup of excess moisture and humidity.

• Change your air filters on time. Most people actually leave their air filters in for longer than they should. This promotes a buildup of toxins and pollutants in the air because it is no longer being cleaned properly during ventilation. Depending on the type of air filter used, it is recommended that you change your filter every one to three months. If the cost becomes an issue you can always purchase reusable filters that can be cleaned before being reinstalled. If you do decide to use a cleanable filter, always clean it outdoors and wear a respiratory mask while doing so.

This list could go on forever as there are plenty of things you can do to keep the air quality in your home healthy and fresh. What are some things you do to help keep your home clean and healthy for your family? Is there anything listed here that you were never aware of before?