Clearing the Air at Home
It may not seem apparent but the air in one's home is not as harmless as it appears to be. Most think that air pollution is a phenomenon confined outside the comforts of one's home but the fact of the matter is that the quality of the indoor air that everyone is breathing in their homes is growing to be one of the top environmental concerns that everyone should be alarmed about.
To help one get started on being aware with indoor air pollution and with the measures to reduce and eliminate it, here are some of the indoor air pollutants that are the main culprits to eliminate in clearing the air at one's home.
Foremost of the indoor air pollutants is carbon monoxide, an odorless gas emitted by common household appliances such as heaters and stoves. Effects from carbon monoxide exposure range from simple symptoms of headaches to something as worse as death. Ventilation is the key to curb the levels of carbon monoxide in one's home. Opening the windows or using fans when carbon monoxide-emitting appliances are in use are effective ways to decrease the amount of the gas present indoors.
Another substance that poses hazards indoors is lead. Lead was extensively used in a wide array of consumer products in the past and was banned due to the findings that can be possible cause of different negative health effects. Paints in one's home that was bought and applied prior to the ban may have some lead in them which may cause lead exposure to the inhabitants especially the children. Lead exposure can also be through drinking contaminated water or in the case of children, playing outdoors as the soil can also be contaminated by lead.
Taking test to determine one's lead exposure is a good way to determine whether one is at danger because of lead. Washing one's hands and avoiding playing in the dirt especially in the case of children is also important in preventing lead exposure.
Lead is not the only harmful substance used by everyday products. There are also other chemical substances coming from different household products that can be harmful. In fact, a study has shown that indoor air has, on the average, two to five times more organic chemicals than outdoor air because of the abundance of products containing such substances in use at the household.
Using non-toxic alternatives is the best way to alleviate the chemical level in one's indoor air. Using substances like vinegar and lemon juice for cleaning and disinfecting the household in lieu of products containing potentially harmful chemical will immensely help in reducing the risk of exposure to dangerous substances indoors.
With the increasing availability of consumer goods that make household chores easy tasks comes the threat of indoor air pollution. Opening one's eyes and being aware of such phenomenon is important for one to take action and take up the essential measures in clearing the air at one's own home before it's too late.