As safe as we want to keep them, our houses also serve as homes to many potential pollutants that can negatively impact. In fact, the air inside our homes can be even more polluted than the air outside! You may be surprised by some of the pollutants that could be lurking in your home or where they hide.

Do you know how fresh the air is in your home?

Traditional Cleaning Products

Cleaning products meant to rid homes of hazards can actually be hazards themselves. Traditional cleaning products can also contain VOCs like chlorine, alcohol, and petroleum-based solvents. These VOCs can cause a litany of health problems, such as irritation to the eyes, headaches, allergies, asthma, or chronic respiratory problems.

Cleaning products labelled “green” or “organic” are gentler than traditional cleaning products, but they are still more harsh and expensive than other common household products. Hydrogen peroxide can be used for stain removal, bleaching, and general sanitizing. White vinegar cleans glass, tile, and counters. Tea tree oil mixed with waterworks as a disinfectant and removes VOCs.

New and Older Carpeting

Carpeting is easily one of the worst offenders of air pollutants in the home. Carpeting can house dust mites and their droppings, causing allergic reactions in many people. The home’s occupants can also track toxins like lead, which can often be found in the soil from the days where lead paint was common, on their shoes, and unknowingly depositing these toxins in our carpeting.

It isn’t just toxins from the outdoors to worry about. From pesticides to cleaning agents, anything toxic in our homes to paint or soot from the fireplace can settle into our carpeting.

New carpeting comes with its own hazards. New carpeting continues off-gassing even after installation, meaning it continues to release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into your air.  Some of the VOCs include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and acetone. You’ll never think of that “new carpet smell” the same way.

For some of these reasons, many homes convert to tile or hardwood flooring, which are easier to clean. If carpeting fits your family’s needs, consider carpeting certified “Green Label Plus” by the Carpet and Rug Institute. The Green Label Plus rating indicates lower emissions of VOCs. Regardless of your carpet choice, invest in a quality HEPA vacuum cleaner, which is great at pulling out toxins from your carpet without putting them back into the air you’re breathing.

Your HVAC System

Your HVAC system can be a major ally in improving your home’s air quality if maintained properly. However, when not properly maintained, your HVAC system or ductwork can harbor and spread harmful particles. Pet dander, pollen, dust, mites, and various biological growths can build up in ductwork and contaminate the air circulated through your home. Similarly, pollutants can build in your air filter, too.

To ensure your HVAC system continues to work for you instead of against you, schedule a professional air duct cleaning. HVAC technicians know exactly where to look for hazardous buildup and can remove toxins where they live. Make sure you’re using a quality air filter, which filters even the smallest particles from your air and regularly replaces it.

To improve your home’s air quality, use the least harsh chemicals necessary to clean, carefully select the flooring that’s the best fit for your family, and maintain your HVAC system with professional assistance.