While you may not live in a major city, air pollution is probably a problem for you. It lives in the most unlikely of places: inside your home. Even if you live in a big city, the air inside your home can be just as polluted as the air outside. Avoid these common air pollution culprits to help your home maintain good air quality.
Volatile organic compounds don’t sound particularly lovely, and they’re not very good for your health either. New cars, new furniture, and freshly painted rooms have one thing in common: they’re all releasing chemicals into the air around them. New furniture, flooring, and paint release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that include chemicals that treat and preserve the furniture.
What makes these new products release these chemicals? Sometimes it’s the glue used to put the product together. Sometimes the chemicals are added as preservatives to keep paint from spoiling or to keep furniture from attracting mold. New plastics or composite materials like plywood can also release chemicals. The solution? Whenever possible, look for natural materials like wool or wood or purchase secondhand furniture that has already finished releasing its chemicals. Look for low-VOC alternatives in the paint department.
Cleaning products can also lead to poor air quality inside your home. Many of us love the smell of a freshly-cleaned floor. We’ve grown up with the smell of chemical cleaners, and they smell like clean to us. However, that smell is actually the smell of chemicals floating around in our indoor air, and some people can be sensitive to these chemicals.
Use particular caution around your management of pests in the home. Chemical insecticides and herbicides used indoors or in the garden can get tracked through the house on your feet, moving into the bedrooms and the living room. Use pesticides sparingly and use natural pesticides whenever possible, particularly when you have children in the house.
A light perfume or an air freshener might be pleasant to some, but the same scent can leave others with a pounding headache. If you suffer from persistent headaches or fatigue, remove artificial scents from your home and see if that makes a difference.
When you use chemical cleaners, scents, and pesticides and bring new furniture into the home, think about your contribution to the chemical load in your air. Are there alternatives that you can use to keep your home clean and maintain good air quality?