If you don’t live in an area that is commonly exposed to wildfire smoke, smog or other forms of outdoor air pollution, it’s easy to believe that you’re in the clear — literally — regarding the air quality in your living space. “Unfortunately, our indoor air is not as healthy as you may think,” says Michael Rubino, founder of HomeCleanse, chairman of Change the Air Foundation, and host of the Never Been Sicker podcast.
According to Dr. James Langer, a Materials Science Engineer and CEO of Colorfil, “Surprisingly, indoor air can be five times or more polluted than outdoor air, which can lead to an array of negative health consequences ranging from nuisance-like headaches or more serious issues like chronic allergies, asthma or even cancer. Notably, indoor air quality can be an issue regardless of where you live, as the primary sources of indoor air pollution come from inside the home itself.”
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Pollutants such as cigarette smoke, excessive dust, visible mold and pet dander may be obvious culprits that make the indoor air a little harder to breathe, but they’re only part of the problem, and may not even be the biggest ones. Air purifiers and de-humidifiers can help tremendously, but being aware and having good healthy air habits are equally important. We spoke to three experts about the surprising things inside your home that may be contributing to poor air quality, and what changes you can make to help combat them.
Cooking
A number of studies show that gas stoves present a real risk to air quality and respiratory health.
It doesn’t matter whether you have a gas or electric stove, or if you do the majority of your cooking in a contained space like the oven or microwave. “The No. 1 contributor to indoor air pollution is definitely cooking,” says Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir North America, Certified Indoor Environmentalist and licensed HVAC contractor. “We tend to be concerned about smells, but high heat cooking, and especially over open heat, is a significant source of PM 2.5, a type of particulate matter that can easily get into our lungs.”
This is not necessarily an excuse to order more takeout, though, or a directive to invest in sous vide equipment. “Cooking with induction makes a tremendous difference to help the air quality,” says Dolphin Hammes, as does installing a true exhaust fan. “I emphasize that word ‘true’ because we don’t realize that 99% of all exhaust fans actually recirculate the air indoors,” she says. Simply opening a window can also be beneficial to reducing cooking pollution.
Read more: Gas Stove Are Here to Stay, but Are They Safe? Here’s What You Need to Know
HVAC system
HVAC systems, especially when not maintained properly, can be a source of unseen mold and dust.
In that same vein, the very system in your home that circulates air, known as the HVAC system — heating, ventilation and air conditioning — can also be a source of unseen mold and dust, recirculating polluted air within your home rather than moving it outside. “The push for net-zero energy efficiency has led to more tightly built buildings with minimal airflow between indoor and outdoor environments,” says Rubino. “The result is that most contaminants that make their way inside the building will remain until they are actively removed.”
“Have the system serviced twice a year,” suggests Rubino. “Change air filters on time and upgrade to the highest-rated MERV filters your particular unit can handle.” The higher the MERV rating, which stands for minimum efficiency reporting value, the smaller the particles they can pull from the air.
Read more: How to Properly Clean Your Air Conditioner
Cleaning supplies
A homemade cleaning solution can keep harmful pollutants out of your air.
Surely keeping a clean house is key to clean air, right? Well… “Usually the cleaning supplies that make the highest claims about killing germs or about removing smells have a high amount of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs” says Dolphin Hammes, which are other harmful particles in the air that we breathe indoors.
“VOCs are known to cause nausea and can similarly have deleterious effects on health when exposed to higher levels or for extended periods of time,” says Langer. Instead, “look for low/no-fragrance cleaning products that do their job without covering up smells,” he says, and use a clean damp cloth to wipe up dust wherever it collects on surfaces in your home.
To combat unncessary VOCs, try making this all natural cleaning solution with three ingredients you may already have on hand.
Wet appliances
Any appliances that hold water, especially those in high-traffic areas, should be cleaned regularly to prevent mold from growing.
Most people understand that damp rooms such as bathrooms and laundry rooms can harbor mold, but your kitchen is also a significant source of water, and spores may be coming from elements other than just spoiled foods. “Appliances like ice machines and refrigerator water spouts can also hide mold,” says Rubino, in addition to your shower and washing machine. Mold spores can trigger respiratory problems regardless of allergies, and also contribute to odors that compel us to try to cover them up.
Instead, cut them off at the sources. “These should be regularly cleaned,” says Rubino. “Allow them to dry out between uses and keep up with normal maintenance.”
Read more: Mold Growing Inside Your Washing Machine? Use This Secret Trick to Get Rid of It
Candles and incense
Anything that emits smoke will cause at least some decrease in air quality.
The very things you employ to make your home smell fresher are actually more than just masking other pollutants, they are also contributing to poorer air quality overall. This is especially true if those things are also emitting smoke, such as candles and incense, even in seemingly small amounts.
“More often than not, candles and incense are actually a source of pollution within your home,” says Dolphin Hammes. “People want to make their home smell fresh but they’re most likely introducing pretty high amounts of PM 2.5 with these.”
Air fresheners
Air fresheners
The same goes for other products where scent is the goal. “Air fresheners, essential oils and other highly fragranced products are frequently used to cover up bad smells but this may serve to simply make indoor air pollution even worse,” says Langer.
These products are also bad news for the non-human residents in your home. According to Langer, “there is a vanishingly small amount of data related to the safety of using these products around pets. Given their unique biology, dogs, cats, birds and other small animals may be much more susceptible to negative side effects from these products.”
In place of fragranced options, consider an air purifier, or look for air fresheners that are baking soda or activated charcoal-based.
An air quality monitor can remove any doubt
Airthings View Plus will monitor your air quality around the clock and alert you in real time if things become dangerous.
If you’re concerned about air quality, a monitor provides real-time data so you can suss out and remedy the causes. We’ve tested several, including the $60 SwitchBot’s Meter Pro which tracks CO2, temperature, humidity, and the $300 Airthings View Plus which monitor VOCs, radon, particle and fine particle matter, carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity. Both send alerts when dangerous levels are reached.
