“Green” the air you breathe

Is It Stuffy In Here?
Eco-friendly solutions to help your family breathe easy
and stay healthy, all winter long.

By Shelly Bokman

It’s winter time and we’re all snuggled up in our homes keeping the cold out and—uh oh—the bad air in! Some studies show that air quality is 1000% worse in homes during the winter than other times of the year. Families who struggle with asthma are not the only ones who need to be concerned, poor air quality can impact everyone’s health. Here are some simple steps to improve the air in your home:

1. Bring the Outdoors In: Plants do a miraculous job of cleaning the air we breathe and removing toxic chemicals from our homes. For the best air cleaning potential, you need one plant for approximately every 10 square yards of floor space. That means two to three plants will improve the air quality in the average-sized family room. The peace lily, bamboo palm, English ivy, mums, and gerbera daisies are all easy to find and care for, and they are very effective at improving air quality.

2. Keep It Movin’: Our tendency to keep the windows closed in winter prevents fresh air from getting into our homes. Try opening a window or two when the temperature peaks during the day or when you leave the house for a few hours. You’ll come home to a fresh (though chilly) house.

3. Change Those Filters: We all know we should change or clean our air filters, but if you’re like me, it’s really easy to forget that stuff. Consider this a reminder. Wondering if it's worth spending the money for a higher HEPA (high efficiency particulate) rating on the filter? It is. That higher HEPA rating means even better air quality.

4. Use Safe Cleaning Products: The warning labels on toxic cleaning products are there for a reason—they contain harmful chemicals that get into our air, and without ventilation they can be even more dangerous. For safe cleaning alternatives to toxic chems, check out our “Clean & Green” online exclusive article this month.

5. Leave ‘em at the Door: Encourage your family and friends to take off their shoes before entering the house. The dirt, dust and other particles that travel in on our shoes impact cleanliness and air quality.

8. Suck it up: Vacuuming and dusting regularly makes a difference. Remember, even kids can dust! If you are shopping for a new vacuum, opt for a non-bag model. They don’t kick the fine dirt and dust they pick up back into the house. If you do have a vacuum cleaner with filter bags, you’ll want to change them regularly to keep down the dust thrown into the air. Regularly vacuuming fabrics, furniture and curtains with a smaller hand-held vacuum can also help control dust and other allergens and irritants.

9. Water, Water Everywhere: The dry heat that we breathe all winter is not our healthiest option. You can easily change this though by placing containers of water around the house. As the water evaporates naturally, it helps humidify the air. A fish bowl, decorative pitcher or vase filled with water can be placed in each room. Float some flowers on top. You’ll be amazed how quickly the water evaporates!