Spring brings not only warmer weather and sunshine but also an uptick in allergies and other respiratory triggers. The quality of the air in your home is essential to your overall good health and easy breathing. Here are some helpful tips on how to easily and cost-effectively improve your home air quality.
Allergens and Microorganisms in Home Air
It’s normal for air to contain various particles and gasses, but both affect air quality and are considered pollutants. When outside air comes into your home from open doors and windows, it brings with it pollution, pollen, and potential smoke particles. Your windows and doors don’t necessarily need to be open for the outdoor air to come in; it can seep in through the outlines of doors and windows as well.
In addition to outdoor pollutants, home air can contain allergens like dust, pet hair, and mold. And your furniture, cleaning supplies, building materials, and even carpets can all release chemicals into the air. To ensure good air quality in your home, it is crucial to address these allergens, pollutants, and chemicals regularly.
Reduce Outdoor Air
When the quality of outside air is poor, it’s best to keep it from entering your home. It’s impossible to keep all outside air out of your home, but here are things you can do to reduce the number of allergens and pollutants that make it inside:
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Take a shower when you return home. By washing your body and hair, you get rid of pollen, dust, smoke particles, and other pollutants that may have landed on you while you were outside. Getting these pollutants rinsed off in the shower also means that they won’t be spreading from your body to the rest of your home.
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Seal gaps around doors and windows.
- If you work outside, make sure you take off your clothes before entering your bedroom. This prevents the outside pollutants from entering your sleeping space by way of your work clothes.
Purify Your Bedroom
We spend a large amount of time in our bedrooms, so it’s doubly important that the air quality there is up to par. Irritants like mold, dust, pollen, and pet hair can all be problematic in your sleeping space. Here is what to do to keep those at bay:
- Wash your sheets once a week in hot water.
- Keep pets out of your bedroom and out of your bed if possible.
- Do not let damp and wet clothing pile up in the bedroom because it may produce mold spores.
- Replace your pillows every 2 years and your mattress every 10 years to avoid mites and other microscopic organisms.
- Make sure to vacuum floors weekly.
- Invest in an allergy and asthma-friendly air cleaner.
Take Good Care of Your Bathroom
Our bathrooms are exposed to heat and moisture, which is a perfect breeding ground for mold. Keeping your bathroom clean is an important step in ensuring good air quality. If you have a bathroom that connects to your bedroom, it is even more essential that the space is kept mold-free. Here are some tips on keeping your bathroom air quality good:
- Run a fan for 15-20 minutes after showering to prevent mold.
- Make sure your towels dry completely after you use them. Damp towels can start developing mold.
- Keep your sink, shower, and tub leak-free. Fix leaks immediately if they appear.
- Clean your tub and shower with vinegar or soap and a water solution to prevent mold.
- Mold and allergens often pile up behind the toilet and under the sink, so make sure to give those areas regular, thorough cleanings.
Be Mindful of Scents and Chemicals Products
Scented and chemical-containing products can negatively affect the air quality. Whenever possible, try opting for fragrance-free skincare products, cleaning supplies, and air freshening plug-ins.
If you update the paint in your home, make sure to properly ventilate and make arrangements to stay in a different room until the paint is completely dry and scent-free.
Pollutants in the air could cause allergies and even asthma, resulting in difficulty breathing, dizziness, inflammation, and fatigue. UAB Medical West is always here to help assess your symptoms and offer solutions.
UAB Medical West is Here to Help You Breathe Easy
Season allergies and asthma can present with a variety of symptoms. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today if you have any questions or concerns regarding your breathing or overall health.