8 Homeowner Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality

As a homeowner, you regularly accomplish chores and projects to help keep your home clean, inside and out. But are you putting in the same consistent effort to care for your indoor air quality, too? Try adding these household tasks into your regular cleaning routine to help maintain cleaner and fresher indoor air all year round.

1. Choose “clean” cleaning products

Many standard, commercial cleaning products contain harmful chemicals — including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — that can release harmful pollutants into your air. When shopping, review the labels of your products for more natural cleaning agents. Try making your own at home using ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar.

2. Ventilate your home

What do showering and cooking have in common? They both require an exhaust fan to help remove unwanted particles and moisture from the air. When possible, open doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate. This simple action can help push stale or polluted air out of your space.

3. Establish a “no shoes” policy

Your shoes travel a long way every day, walking through all sorts of environments and picking up unknown particles and debris along the way. To prevent unwanted or harmful pollutants from entering your home, institute a no shoes policy in your home to encourage family members and guests to remove their shoes at the door.

4. Clean regularly

While you no doubt have a cleaning routine established to keep your home tidy, prioritizing dusting and vacuuming at least once a week helps prevent dust, dirt and allergen buildup in your home. Be sure to focus on areas where these particles are most likely to accumulate. And create a daily routine of clearing clutter to prevent dust collection.

5. Groom pets

Your pets’ hair can be a major source of dander and pollutants in your home’s air. In addition to vacuuming and dusting surfaces regularly, keep their fur well-groomed and maintained. It’s important for their health, and it also helps reduce the amount of pet dander in your home.

6. Monitor outdoor air quality

By monitoring the air quality outside, you can take appropriate actions to help protect your indoor air. Monitor outdoor air quality on your smartphone via the Filtrete™ Smart App or through alerts from a trusted public health department. Be sure to close any open windows if levels creep into unhealthy territory.

7. Work more efficiently

Make the most of your time by doubling up on tasks. For example, when dinner is in the oven, tackle those dishes. While laundry is going, run the vacuum through the house.

8. Change your air filter

The filters in your HVAC system trap dust, allergens and other debris from your home’s air. But a very dirty filter can’t do its job properly, as air flow can become restricted, and could put your HVAC out of commission. Replace your 1” air filters at least every three months to help ensure the air you’re breathing is as clean as possible.