5 Ways to Improve Your Home's Air Quality

If you haven't heard by now, indoor air pollution is nothing to sneeze at – no pun intended. The air in your home could be up to 10x worse than the air outside, and the EPA reported that 96% of homes they tested had at least one problem with their indoor air quality.

If these facts have scared you into making a change and making a conscious effort to improve the quality your household air, here are 5 ways you can do it:

Use Natural Cleaning Products

It's counterintuitive, but most commercial cleaning products aren't very clean. In fact, they are some of the most toxic products in the home – about 10% of all toxic exposures reported to the U.S. Poison Control Center involved cleaning products. Most surfaces in your home can safely be cleaned using nothing more than baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and salt.

Houseplants Help!

Adding some house plants to your décor can not only boost the appearance your home's interior, it can actually help purify your air too. In the 1980s, NASA conducted a study which found that certain houseplants – such as bamboo and English ivy – can naturally remove harmful toxins from the air.

No Smoking

The dangers of smoking are no secret. Not only are cigarettes harmful to the smoker, they can effect those exposed through secondhand smoke as well. There is also the lesser-known phenomenon of thirdhand smoke; this occurs when cigarettes are smoked inside and the toxic particles settle onto surfaces in your home, where they will remain long after the smoking has stopped.

Minimize Moisture

Mold can grow virtually anywhere is moisture present – indoors or outside. To prevent the health effects associated with mold exposure, it is important to minimize the moisture levels in your home. Use dehumidifiers in damp areas such as the basement, and run your exhaust fan for 15 minutes after every shower to remove excess moisture from your bathroom walls.

Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned

You would never know it, but the ductwork in your house is a common hiding spot for all kinds of allergens such as dust, pollen, animal dander, and mold. If your air ducts aren't professionally cleaned every few years, these pollutants can be circulated throughout your entire house and inhaled by your family, causing allergy-like symptoms and even respiratory infections.

If you are looking for a professional duct cleaning company on Long Island, look no further than GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration. Rest assured – we only use environmentally-preferred supplies and bio-friendly cleaning methods. We serve all of Nassau and Suffolk County, call us today for a free quote at 631-940-8100.