When we think of air pollution, we usually automatically think of traffic in a big city. We actually spend the vast majority of our time indoors - up to 95%! Air pollution in our home can therefore become more harmful to us much faster than the supposedly worse air outside. If you want to quickly and effectively improve your indoor air quality, some of the following strategies can help you:
Use your hood!
Our stove is probably the most overlooked source of air pollution in our home. Studies have shown that pollutants caused by cooking can cause respiratory diseases and asthma attacks. This is especially true for gas stoves that emit nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and formaldehyde (HCHO). But cooking on electric stoves also blows fine dust into our homes. Even if there is no perfect solution for this, it is definitely worth investing in a good extractor hood and - even easier - opening the windows when cooking.
Say goodbye to (dirty) carpets!
Even if it's cozy - carpets are one of the biggest polluters in our home. House dust and pollutants are deposited in them, which lead to allergies and asthma. So the best thing to do is to reduce carpets in the apartment to a minimum. And if we don't want to do without them, carpets must be beaten out or cleaned regularly. In the case of stubborn dirt or odors: do without aggressive chemicals and prefer to use natural alternatives such as baking powder!
Get plants that will filter your air!
Everyone loves plants, but few people know that some plants are natural air filters - and extremely easy to care for! Our favorite saviors for healthy indoor air are the areca palm, the golden fruit palm and the snake plant. These plants can effectively filter highly harmful toxins like formaldehyde, xylenes and toluene from your air. So that you can quickly find out which plant is right for you, here are our top 10!
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Buy an air filter!
If you are particularly prone to allergies or respiratory diseases, or simply value a particularly healthy environment in general, it may be worth investing in an air purifier. Depending on the model, this can filter fine dust, germs, pollutants and allergens from the air. In studies with asthma patients, a drastic improvement in indoor air quality was actually demonstrated by air purifiers, which, among other things, greatly improved the sleep of the participants. Simple air filters are available from around 60 euros. For stronger filters with additional options such as air humidification, you have to reckon with around 200 - 300 euros. In any case, you should make sure that the air filter has a HEPA filter for harmful suspended particles.
Keep your bed as natural as possible!
We spend a large part of our indoor time in one place: the bed. Unfortunately, our bedroom often has very poor air quality. Mattresses, in particular, can quickly become harmful: memory foam made of polyurethane often gives off toxic pollutants over the years, as the foam degrades over time. Most fibers or fillers used have been treated with pesticides and other chemicals - even supposedly natural fabrics like cotton or wool. In addition, the layers within a mattress are often connected with large amounts of glue. If you are unsure whether your mattress emits harmful substances, you can first use an anti-allergic mattress protector. This keeps pollutants from getting into the air. If you decide to buy a new mattress, it is best to use natural, organic materials and avoid synthetic foam!
Avoid chemicals in cleaners, room fragrances, etc.
The vast majority of conventional cleaners, room sprays or scented candles contain chemical substances that are first distributed in the air and then deposited on surfaces, in carpets and other textiles. The air in the room deteriorates over the years and can cause skin irritation, allergies or breathing difficulties. As a first step, you should therefore avoid bringing new chemicals into the house. Instead of room sprays, you can use natural alternatives such as baking soda, which filters unpleasant odors from the air. For cleaning, our probiotic cleaners can be a great alternative as they only contain plant-based cleansers, cleansing probiotic microorganisms and essential oils.
