We spend the majority of our lives in our homes. Our homes are our sanctuaries, and where we feel at ease and safe. How safe are our homes though? In terms of air quality, some homes have more polluted air than what is found outside of the home.

One reason for this is that the home is a confined space. As a result, there can be more particles per square inch in the home. For people with allergies, breathing problems or asthma, that is a very serious problem.

There are a number of things that can be done to keep our homes air quality high. Here are but a few:

  • The best way is to of course keep your home clean. Dusting and vacuuming, as well as general surface cleaning, can keep a home clean and relatively free of particles in the air. A vacuum with a HEPA filter is great for removing dust from the air.
  • It may seem like a no-brainer these days, but not smoking inside the home will improve your home’s air quality.
  • Air filters need to be replaced every year in most cases. This includes the air filters located on your furnace and your air conditioner. Typically, this is a relatively easy job and you can hire a local service company to handle it for you.
  • Keep your ducts clean. Too often, people forget about cleaning their ducts but this needs to be done every few years. Air, dust mites and even mould can accumulate in your air ducts. Every time your central air system turns on, it sends those particles into the air around you. Keep those ducts cleaned.
  • Open the windows to the house on warm and windy days. You will be able to bring a lot of fresh air into the home, and you will help get rid of a lot of particles that same way. Nothing smells better than a crisp spring day in the house.
  • Brush out your animals. Dander can accumulate in the air when you have cats and dogs, but you can help prevent that from happening by brushing your dogs and cats every week. By capturing the hair before it goes any further, you are being proactive.

All of these are great ideas for keeping the air in your home clean, but everyone should see the benefits of plants in the home. Plants are amazingly well-adapted for cleaning the air. NASA has even done studies and shown that having as little as seven to ten plants in your home can help completely clean the air of harmful chemicals. Plants are natural air-purifiers, they make the house smell great, and they look great too. Place a few plants around your home and the air will become noticeably fresher within a week. No need for expensive air purifiers either.

Our homes can be true sanctuaries when we work to make the air within them clean and fresh. It is not only about cleanliness, but it is also about health and making sure that everyone has fresh air to breath.