How to Create a Healthy Indoor Environment at Home?

If you live in a four-season climate, you and your children will spend a lot of time indoors during the winter and also in the spring and fall. Unless a child suffers from seasonal allergies (which are usually controlled with medication), they can enjoy fresh air during the summertime.

What about during the rest of the year? How can you create a “fresh air” environment inside your home? Here are some ideas…

Clean consistently

Perhaps people do not want to hear this piece of advice, but it is really a fundamental part of a clean environment that you and your children can enjoy during the “indoor months.” The key is to set up a manageable routine. If you plan to spend your entire weekend dusting, mopping and changing furnace filters, you will not have time to relax and enjoy your healthy home environment.

It is far better to break up cleaning tasks. You will have to do some tasks, like wiping counters and tables, every day, but you can reserve others, like vacuuming, dusting or mopping, for separate days. You can also divide tasks by room. Spending 10-15 minutes per day cleaning is much easier than spending a few hours on Saturday doing the tasks all at once.

Keep cleaning products non-toxic

Firstly, if you have young children, you do not want to have to worry about them coming into contact with bleach or other toxic chemicals. Strong disinfectants are sometimes necessary for cleaning, but you should store these in an out-of-the-way place, and you should only use them in places that are properly ventilated so that the chemical smell dissipates quickly. You might also want to make certain that things like shampoo, air freshener and soaps do not have intense odors that linger after they have been used.

Ensure proper air circulation

Problems such as mold, dust and musty smells are all related to indoor air circulation. The use of exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens can help keep odors at bay and also reduce moisture and improve air circulation. Most modern homes have such fans already installed. If your house does not, you can consider getting a dehumidifier to deal with unwanted moisture.

If your home has ceiling fans, you may turn them on to deal with moisture and enhance air circulation in the home. Newer ceiling fans may have a small switch on the casing that allows you to reverse the fan so that it pushes air upward. This will create airflow in the room without pushing cool air down on you and your family.

Don’t forget to clean where you sleep

Even the most active children will spend one-third of their day in bed. You will want to pay special attention to this area. Clean under beds, in corners and on shelving. This is especially important for kids who have allergies to dust. Reducing clutter in the bedroom will give dust fewer places to settle. If possible, you can create a seperate area outside of bedrooms for books, toys and devices.

Also, you should wash bedding regularly and make certain that it is properly dried and stored in a dry place so that it does not get a musty smell.

By using the air circulation and moisture removal tools that your home already has, you can improve air quality. Creating a regular cleaning routine can also help.