Clearing the Air: Two Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Please enjoy the following guest post by Jenny Wise on how to improve the air quality in your home.
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Jenny created Special Home Educator as a forum for sharing her adventures in homeschooling and connecting with other homeschooling families. Jenny is a homeschooling mom to four children.

Has your child been sneezing or coughing and you just aren’t sure why? When it comes to kids, upper respiratory conditions can mean a lot of things — a friend at school has a head cold, the pollen count is really high or Fido has been shedding more than normal. You may think all of these things are out of your control, but you may want to think again.

You cannot control the air outside your home, but you can take steps to manage the air inside your home. From shortness of breath to stuffy noses, itchy rashes and red eyes, the air quality of your home directly affects the quality of your life and your family’s. Here are two ways you can help make your home less friendly to allergens and pollutants.

Make a Clean Routine

Pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, oh my! If your kids are plagued by allergies chances are one (or more) of these is the culprit. The good news is that with regular cleaning you can reduce and even eliminate their presence in your home, even if you own a dog. Since these are tasks that you’ll need to do often, regardless of whether or not something looks dirty, creating a chore chart or a schedule can do wonders for keeping the allergens at bay. When making your chart, be sure the whole family plays a role. Bring out the broom, vacuum and duster for projects like:

• Vacuuming every other day to remove allergens that may be trapped in your rugs or carpets. Toddler Tip: Instead of purchasing a noisy vacuum, consider buying a quiet model if you have little ones who take frequent naps during the day.
• Dusting more than just surfaces. It’s easy to miss the dust in places out of your line of sight. Don’t forget to wipe down blinds, ceiling fan blades, tops of tall shelves, cabinets and windowsills.
• Keeping moisture to a minimum, which involves more than just your bathroom. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down access moisture on surfaces where water tends to collect, like the shower, laundry room and kitchen counters.​
  

Cleaning is key to keeping allergens at bay, but keeping them from coming inside in the first place can save you a lot of trouble.

Reducing Pollutants

You obviously can’t keep every airborne particle out of your home, but you can take measures to minimize their impact. For instance, just by changing or cleaning your HVAC air filter every two to three months, you can help put up a wall between the pollutants outside and the air inside your home. It’s a pretty simple task that often goes overlooked, just like:

• Opening windows when using chemicals and cleaners. Better yet, use organic or eco-friendly cleaners that don’t emit pungent smells or toxic vapors into the air.
• Ensure all your HVAC ducts are sealed and secured from pollutants working their way inside.
• Take your dog to the groomer regularly, so that they shed less and limit the amount of fur and dander that gets on bedding and furniture.
• Make sure shrubs and trees are about 3 feet away from your house, so that their roots are less likely to transmit water into your basement or crawl spaces
• Directing all your vents, like the one in the bathroom and the one over the stove, outside and not into attics, crawlspaces or basements.​
  

Reducing pollutants in your home will help ease some of the symptoms and conditions common to childhood pulmonary illnesses. While not always chronic or severe, some of these health issues, like asthma, can dispirit childhood fun and stick around for a lifetime. That’s why improving the quality of your home’s air will ultimately enhance the quality of your family’s life.

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David B. Younger, Ph.D. is the creator of Love After Kids, for couples that have grown apart since having children. He is a clinical psychologist and couples therapist with a web-based private practice and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, 13-year-old son, 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old toy poodle.