5 Effective Ways to Detox the Air in Your Home

When it’s too cold to open the windows and you’ve had the furnace running for several weeks on end, there is no doubt that the air becomes stale, resulting in a ‘stuffy’ home. But worse than that, the air in our homes can often contain pollutants that are hazardous to our health. In fact, indoor air is almost always more polluted than the air outside, often 2 to 5 times more polluted. Fortunately, you can take steps to clear the air in your home and make it a healthier and easier place to breathe.

Eliminate Those Things Polluting the Air

There are numerous products in your home that could be contributing to the level of pollutants in the air you breathe. By eliminating them or at least cutting back, you can help make your environment a healthier one.

Here are 5 ways to reduce the level of low-quality air in the house.

1. Flame-retardant chemicals in furniture and carpets can be carcinogenic and trigger hormonal changes. Though ripping up the carpet isn’t in everyone’s budget, you can opt for tile or another flooring option to limit your exposure if you’re redecorating. Finding furniture made without flame retardants can be more difficult, as law changes are just now taking effect that allow manufacturers to skip such components. Here are some non-toxic materials you can use in your home:

• Bamboo, cork, or tile floors instead of carpet

• Organic cotton or wool rugs

• No-VOC or low-VOC paint

• Solid wood furniture instead of particle board

• Organic, untreated fabric for bed linens, shower curtains, and window treatments

• 100% natural latex mattress with organic wool mattress cover

2. Leave your shoes out of it. Removing your shoes when you come in the home can reduce the amount of pesticides, dirt, feces, and all sorts of contaminants in your abode with very little effort. Normally, we track these things all over the house, depositing them on the carpets, our closet floors, and elsewhere as we go about our day. Put a rug at the door to catch all the shoes and make yourself comfortable without them.

3. Use HEPA filters in your vacuum and in your heating system. High quality filters might be more expensive, but they can cut back on household dust and allergens circulating in the air.

4. Clean with green products. Get rid of the toxins underneath your sink. Household cleaners are loaded with unnecessary dangers. Switch to all natural home cleaning products or simply use things like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon to keep all of your surfaces sparkling.

Put Beneficial Things Back into the Air

5. Air-purifying plants can reduce the amount of pollutants in the air and put life-giving oxygen back. NASA studies have found the roots, soil, and leaves all work together to reduce indoor air pollution. Invest in plants like Areca palm, mother-in-law’s tongue, money plants, peace lilies, and ficus. Here are 9 air purifying plants to help cleanse the air in your home.
Your home should be a refuge from the outside world. Make the air easier to breathe for yourself, family, and guests by making simple changes that can benefit everyone’s health.