While busy trying to protect yourself from outdoor air pollution and its effects, you can forget that indoor air quality can have similar effects. As much as your living room might not be filled with smoke or smog, indoor pollutants are also harmful and could cause the same impacts as outdoor pollution.
Indoor pollutants are riskier because we tend to ignore them with the illusion that you they are less harmful. This is not the case, in fact, indoor pollutants are mostly 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor pollutants. In some cases, these levels could be 100 times more.
There are several effects of inhaling pollinated air, some or them include; asthma, bronchitis, breathing problems, and cardiovascular disorders like stroke. Therefore, it is important to identify these pollutants and take neccesary steps to clean them up. This will go a long way in improving the safety of your loved ones. Discussed below are surprising sources of indoor air pollution and how you can clean them up.
The Kitchen
Believe it or not, your kitchen is one of the major contributors of air pollution in your home. The improperly vented or installed gas stoves or coated cookware can release highly toxic chemicals and harmful gases in your home. Higher concentration levels of these gases and chemicals could lead to constant headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, and confusion.
To clean it up, you can use various methods to disinfect the air indoors. There are many products designed to get rid of any harmful gases and chemicals floating around the air. Furthermore, you should always ensure that your kitchen is well-ventilated. This ensures that all toxic chemicals and gases don’t accumulate in your house.
House Paint
As much as paint enhances your home’s appearance, it is a source of indoor pollution. Most paints used to colour walls contain volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs. These are harmful chemicals that can be transferred into the air when the paint is still wet. When you breath in the contaminated air, you could experience respiratory problems.
You could also suffer from cardiovascular conditions like heart disease. To reduce the risk posed by paint, you should use paint with very low levels of VOCs. If possible, you should avoid paint with VOCs altogether. It will also help if you keep the windows open most of the time. In addition, make sure that the cans containing paint are properly sealed.
Third-hand Smoke
Perhaps, you already know the dangers of first-hand and second-hand smocking. What you might not know is that third-hand smoking is equally dangerous. Third-hand smoke is mostly the chemical residue of tobacco smoke. This smoke clings on walls, clothing, furniture, cushions, carpets, and other materials in your house.
The smoke is highly toxic and can cause severe health issues. To prevent such problems, you should avoid smoking in your house at all cost. Furthermore, you should also get rid of the toxic air from tobacco by using various disinfectants.
Carpets
Whether your carpet is old or new, it can be a big source of indoor air pollution. The old carpet is a virtual magnet for various pathogens like pet dander, mites, and mould. On the other hand, the fabric of your new carpet is highly adhesive and give off harmful gases and chemicals.
This explains why many people complain about rashes, headaches, throat and eye irritation whenever they replace their carpets. To prevent such cases, you should clean your carpet thoroughly at least once in a week.
Cleaning Supplies
You will be forgiven if you thought that cleaning supplies only help keep your house clean. However, this is not the case. Chemicals present in these cleaning supplies emit highly toxic and harmful fumes that can be dangerous to your health.
When you breath in the contaminated air, you could experience conditions like troubled breathing. To reduce the damage caused by these supplies, you should always read the label before buying any product. Furthermore, you should use unscented and aerosol free products.
Craft Supplies
If your children want to work on craft projects, you should encourage them to do it from outside where there is ventilation. As much as crafting and other related activities might look essential, they can be harmful to your child.
This is more likely to be case especially when your child is working on their projects and getting exposed to fumes from markers, glues, and other grafting supplies that cause respiratory issues. They could also have eyes irritation and headaches.
Gas Appliances
Gas appliances are also one of the major sources of indoor air pollution. While most people know that gas furnace can produce carbon monoxide, they don’t think of other gas appliances in their homes. Fireplaces, ovens, and other appliances that use natural gas can emit the highly toxic carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide into your home.
To prevent the emission of harmful gases, always ensure that the burners on your gas appliances have blue flame tips. Furthermore, the exhaust fan should always be on when you are cooking.
