Did you know that there are hundreds of toxins polluting our air indoors? Tiny particles from mould spores, house dust, pollen, cleaning products, gas cookers and cosmetics, all linger in the air and overtime, can have an impact on our health. With many of us currently spending most of our time inside, we thought we would suggest a few easy ways to make your indoor space healthier with some pollutant-busting tips…
Open a window and ventilate your house
No surprises that we would mention this point first but opening a window and letting in some fresh air is actually one of the easiest things you can do to improve the air quality in your home is to keep it well ventilated. It is especially useful when cooking, showering and cleaning (even if it is just for ten minutes at a time at regular intervals throughout the day).
Look out for condensation
With the weather in the UK often being wet and cold, it’s important to watch out for damp and mould growing in our homes. Damp leads to condensation, which encourages mould and other fungi to grow and can lead to some nasty health problems. Lots of things can cause this, from cooking to washing and drying clothes. Condensation is more likely to happen in cold places in your household, like windows or rooms with external walls.
There are many ways that you can help reduce interior condensation including:
- Using extractor fans in your bathroom and kitchen and opening windows after showers and baths to help circulate the air in the room.
- Try and prevent leaks from your roof and any water damage
- Dry your washing outside (if you can)
- Remove any mold straight away and wipe down your windowsills regularly to keep condensation down.
Houseplants can help clean the air
Did you know that having plants around can improve the air quality in your home as well as look great on your windowsill? Many houseplants work super hard at cleaning our air of toxins and releasing humidity back into the atmosphere. For example, Aloe Vera emits oxygen at night whilst simultaneously taking in carbon dioxide – something we naturally produce when breathing. It is one clever plant at purifying the air and aiding a good night’s sleep. Plus, the gel inside the spiky leaves also makes an excellent moisturiser – a great way of making your own beauty products at a time when you might not be able to get out and get any from the shops.
Choose candles wisely
Candles may smell nice and may look lovely on your windowsill but, they can give off nasty toxins. Most scented candles contain paraffin wax which, when burnt, releases toxic chemicals into the air and long-term exposure can be harmful. Don’t worry though if you love a scented flickering flame at home, choose soy or beeswax candles instead.
Bust the dust
House-dust mites are common to trigger allergies and with so many of us at home over the weeks ahead, it’s important to keep them at bay as much as possible. A regular whizz around with a vacuum cleaner will do the trick – it’s good exercise too!
We hope our pollutant busting tips are helpful in keeping your indoor space healthier. If you are using your time at home to plan a window/house renovation project, please do not hesitate to contact us for a chat. We are always happy to talk through any questions and queries you have even if you are not ready to start the project yet. Call us on 020 3582 762, email info@sashwindows.london or fill in our contact form and we will get back to you ASAP.
