Go slowly to avoid stirring up dust in your wake. Follow your dusting with a thorough vacuuming.Dust countertops and surfaces regularly with a non-toxic cleaner.This necessitates some good, old-fashioned spring cleaning! Remove the DustĪccording to the EPA, many larger air particles settle to the ground as dust prior to air filtration. It may sound scary when you hear just how harmful these toxic, indoor air pollutants can be however, there are three easy ways to help clean your indoor air. Have the vent installed by a qualified installer, and retest regularly following installation. The best way to remove radon is through a vent and fan system installed in your basement (or lowest story), since this is the level that most frequently suffers from ground-level radon emissions. The only way to know if you have high radon levels in your home is through testing. While low levels of radon outdoors are natural, the odorless gas can accumulate to dangerously high levels indoors. Note: Radon is an invisible, radioactive gas produced naturally in the soil outdoors. They also can be emitted from certain materials such as: Sources include gas cooking stoves, candles, fireplaces, and many building materials. Gaseous pollutants: Gas or chemical pollution (also known as Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs,) comes as a result of gas-producing combustion, fumes, or the outgassing of chemicals, such as formaldehyde. Particulate matter also includes tiny live organisms such as dust mites, mold, bacteria, and viruses.Ģ. Dust, pollen, smoke, and animal dander all fall into this category. Particulate matter: Particulates include any particles floating around in the air. Pollutants that jeopardize air quality in a home fall into two main categories:ġ. Individuals with health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, cancer, and lung disease are especially at risk for complications due to indoor air pollutants and should take precautions to ensure that the air in their homes is clean. Elderly individuals and children are at an increased risk for pollution sensitivity. Some have a high level of tolerance to pollution, while the same levels of exposure may make other individuals very ill. The harmful effects of indoor air pollution may occur immediately following exposure or years later.Įveryone reacts differently to air pollutants. Indoor air may be anywhere from two to five times as polluted as outdoor air-a huge problem, given that the typical individual spends as much as 90 percent of his or her time indoors. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks. However, the most important area to be cleaned is perhaps the most overlooked-your indoor air.Īs pollution and climate change become increasingly hot topics, indoor air quality has also become a serious concern. Typically, spring cleaning includes a focus on the things you see daily-the cluttered drawers, dusty curtains, and smudged mirror. The air gets warmer, plants form new buds, animals return from their wintertime retreats, and many embrace the urge to thoroughly clean their homes.

Spring is traditionally a time of renewal.

Clear the air doc