How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Home is where the heart is — but if you don’t take the proper precautions, it can become full of airborne contaminants. That’s why GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration is here to provide some life-changing tips to help you improve your indoor air quality:

• Adopt a Houseplant: Nurture that green thumb. Healthy houseplants naturally clean the air in your home and help balance humidity levels throughout the day. Our top picks include the peace lily, reed palm, English ivy, Boston fern, tillandsia, and cactus.

• Control your Moisture Levels: High humidity levels can lead to mold. In addition to houseplants, invest in a dehumidifier for those extra muggy days.

• Be Sure to Dust and Vacuum: A clean home is a happy home — and it has cleaner air. Free yourself from indoor allergies by dusting and vacuuming regularly. (Pro Tip: Use a microfiber cloth when you’re dusting. They’re specially designed to trap particles as you clean.)

• Avoid Burning Candles: Those precious scented candles we all know and love are actually releasing harmful carcinogens into the air with every use. For that fresh scent you desire, try diffusing essentials oils instead. Lavender, eucalyptus, and tea tree oils begin eliminating airborne fungi in under an hour.

• Make Your Own Cleaning Solutions: Even if they are marketed as “all-natural,” store bought cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals. Instead, mix up your own. Vinegar, baking soda, and water should do the trick.

• Have Your Ducts Cleaned: Be sure to have your air ducts cleaned thoroughly every 3-5 years. Over time, they can accumulate a number of contaminants like dust, mold, and pollen.

• Open Your Windows: Proper ventilation is the key to maintaining good indoor air quality. In addition to regular duct cleanings, be sure to let the fresh air flow through your home by opening your windows when the weather permits.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers specialty cleaning services that can help improve the air quality in your home. If you live on Long Island, contact us today at (631) 940-8100 to learn about our mold removal and air duct cleaning services.

5 Ways to Clean Up the Air in Your Office

Indoor air pollution isn't limited to just your home, it can be found anywhere with four walls and a roof – including stores, hospitals, schools, gyms, and even your office. Since many of us spend 40 hours a week (or more) in our workplace, clean air is important.

Use these five tips today to start improving the air quality in your office:

1. Keep your workspace clean. It is crucial to keep up on cleaning your work area, as accumulated dust, dirt, and moisture can all impact air quality. Make sure not to neglect germ hot spots such as your keyboard, mouse, and phone.

2. Use natural cleaning products. Don't use store-bought products for your cleaning needs, they are loaded with harmful chemicals (even the ones labeled “all natural”). Instead, use baking soda, vinegar, and lemon – you'd be surprised at everything you can clean with these simple ingredients.

3. Boost ventilation. Do anything you can to improve the air flow in your office: use fans and open up your windows when the weather permits. This keeps air moving and can even vent some toxins to the outside.

4. Add more plants. Did you know that house plants can improve air quality by naturally removing airborne toxins? Some plants are more effective than others – these five in particular are very useful for air purification.

5. Have the air ducts cleaned. The air ducts in your office could be harboring all kinds of contaminants such as cigarette smoke, pet dander, dust, pollen, and mold. These pollutants can use the ductwork as a transportation system to circulate through your entire office.

Not only does poor air quality affect employee health, it affects their productivity too. If you are a business owner on Long Island, cleaning your air ducts can provide you with real, tangible benefits. Want to learn more? Give GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration a call at (631) 940-8100.

Top Myths About Indoor Air Quality, and the Facts Behind Them

Indoor air quality is an important issue, and it is one that not enough people are aware of. If you think all is well in your home, think again. Here are some of the common myths regarding indoor air pollution, and the real truths behind them.

Myth #1: Air pollution is only a problem outdoors.

Untrue. Air pollution is actually a greater threat indoors than it is outside because of the lack of ventilation, especially during the colder months. The EPA reports that indoor air can be up to ten times more polluted than even the dirtiest of cities!

Myth #2: Indoor air pollution is a rare problem.

Wrong. Indoor air pollution is more common than you think, and unless you are making a conscious effort to fight against it, your home probably suffers from it too. In fact, 97% of North American homes studied by the EPA tested positive for at least one air quality problem.

Myth #3: Air fresheners can help clean the air in your home.

Not true. In fact, they do the opposite. Store-bought air sprays with synthetic fragrances do not clean your air, they just mask it with harmful toxins. Many commercial cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals linked to health problems – even the ones labeled “all natural”.

Myth #4: It is nearly impossible to improve your IAQ.

False. With a little bit of effort and time, you and your family can breathe safely! Some quick and easy ways to improve the quality of your home's air include: installing a HEPA filter; dusting and cleaning your floors regularly; adding house plants; and getting your air ducts cleaned.

Your air ducts could be harboring allergens such as dust, animal dander, pollen, and even mold. These particles can circulate throughout your entire home and cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. The professionals at GreenPro Cleaning &Restoration can remove these contaminants from your Long Island home through the use of highly-specialized tools and procedures. Call us for a free quote at (631) 940-8100.