Ever feel as if you’re cooped up inside for way too many hours a day during the winter? It’s not just the sense of cabin fever that’s bad for you—you also might be breathing in poor-quality air.
Multiple factors can contribute to less-than-ideal breathing conditions inside—your home probably has debris embedded in the carpet, lingering vapors from household cleaners, mildew in out-of-sight damp places, and even pet dander lingering in the air. That’s bad because, as the American Lung Association notes, you could be putting yourself at risk for infection and sickness when you’re breathing in poor air quality. This is especially true for people who already have respiratory complications, such as asthma or lung cancer.
During months of the year when temps are mild, it would be easy enough to spend more time outside or to open up your windows to get fresh air. During the winter, you might be less inclined to do that—but there are still ways you can make your indoor air a little fresher.
First, consider some of the common causes of poor indoor air quality:
Carpet debris: Think of everything that has the potential to get trapped in your carpet, from dust to mold spores. This debris then gets sent up into the air by foot traffic or other daily life activities.
Household cleaners: The vapors and fumes from chemicals in common household cleaners—yes, even ones with a pleasant citrus or pine scent—can linger in the air of your home for hours after use.
Mildew: Any damp or moist place in your home can become a breeding ground for mold and mildew—even textiles in high-traffic areas of your home can become mildewy if the humidity levels are too high. This can trigger respiratory problems in people with allergies or asthma.
Pet dander: In other words, the flecks of dead skin your dog or cat sheds. Even though these are microscopic to the eye, they’ll still trigger an allergic reaction to anyone who is sensitive.
So, what should you do to freshen up the air? Here are some easy steps you can take:
Clean regularly. Dust all surfaces at least once a week, and cut back on clutter that will give dust places to accumulate.
Change your HVAC filters once every three months. These will trap any debris or allergens in your home instead of recirculating them throughout your house.
If you can, swap out the wall-to-wall carpeting for easy-to-clean hard-surface flooring. Any area rugs should be vacuumed regularly with a high-filter vacuum cleaner once a week and steam-cleaned once a year.
Choose household cleaning products without dangerous chemicals like ammonia, bleach, volatile organic compounds, and flammable ingredients. Instead of air fresheners, use natural oil diffusers or fresh flowers to scent the air.
Control moisture indoors by running a fan or a dehumidifier. If any textiles start to smell musty, give them a good cleaning with high-temp steam heat.
Brush, bathe, and groom your dog regularly to keep any shedding to a minimum. Ideally, keep your dog out of the bedrooms of any household members with allergies or asthma.
Consider using an air purifier. These products won’t catch everything, but they do capture some of the more common elements in your air that could be triggering reactions from sensitive household members or guests.
Don’t be afraid to air your home out occasionally. Even if the weather outside is cold, give yourself the chance to turn off the heat and open up all the windows for about an hour each week to let fresh air inside. Will you have to wear an extra sweater while you do it? Probably. But will the air in your home be a lot cleaner afterward? Yes, it will!
