Cleaning up Indoor Air

I have been focusing on indoor air quality over the last few weeks. Studies reveal that the quality of the air in our homes can be up to 3 times as harmful and pollutant filled than the outdoors (and yes, this includes the inner-city). Think about it for a minute, all of the exhaust fumes, pesticides and allergens that are outside - multiply that by three and then shove it into a small contained space and take a deep breath. Yuck. Not to mention the average American spends about 90% of their time indoors.

Some causes of indoor air pollution include (but are not limited to):
- synthetic flooring
- VOC emitting paint (unless it says "Low VOC", you can assume you're getting a pretty hardy dose)
- Air "fresheners" (sprays, plug-ins, candles, etc...)
- Synthetic cleaning products
- Gas stoves and heating
- Furniture glue
- Pet messes
- Personal toiletries (perfumes, hairsprays, nail polish, polish removers, etc...)

The list goes on and on....

Aside from avoidance from some of these (obviously you can not avoid them all), you can add houseplants to each room in your house. Ferns and Orchids are especially good at "greening" up your air. If you have small children and/or animals, be sure to check the safety of the plant before you bring it into your home.

Still want a fragrance?
What better way to add an enticing aroma to your home than to bake fresh bread or cookies. You can also simmer sliced oranges, cinnamon sticks and lemons, or better yet, bake them on a tray at a low temp of about 150-170 degrees in your oven until they are dried out and then use them as potpourri.

Most importantly, open your windows as often as you can, especially in the evening. Outdoor air quality tends to be better late at night while less people are operating vehicles and machinery, and most buildings are shut down.