Did you know that the air inside your home is two to five times as polluted and toxic as the air outside? It’s truly appalling. We undergo routine health examinations, pop pills on a daily basis, and worry about allergies, but we overlook the most fundamental aspect of our lives – the quality of the air we breathe 24 hours a day. Everything from the mattresses on which we sleep to the pyjamas worn by our children may contain harmful chemicals and toxins.
According to the research inhaling toxic gases can result in rashes, coughing, eye irritation, and asthma-like symptoms.”
A team of researchers led by the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom recently published a study on Delhi’s air pollution, dubbed ‘the world’s most polluted city‘.
According to the study, New Delhi is plagued by a “toxic cocktail of geography, growth, insufficient energy sources, and unfavorable weather conditions that contribute to dangerously high levels of air pollution.”
And, given that we spend the majority of our time indoors (an average of 90%), we thought it would be appropriate to include a list of natural ways to purify the air in your home and workplace. After all, it should be a priority to breathe clean air.
1. Boost Ventilation
Ventilating homes reduces moisture levels, which are a significant factor in poor indoor air quality. However, we are not requesting that you open a window and allow all of the outdoor air pollution into your home. Rather than that, install trickle vents to purify and cycle the indoor air. Another excellent alternative is to utilize exhaust fans to assist in the removal of pollutants.
Make a point of ventilating your kitchen, as cooking can contribute significantly to indoor air pollution, particularly if you have a gas stove. According to scientists who measured indoor air quality, cooking a single meal on a gas stove can produce levels of nitrogen dioxide that the Environmental Protection Agency considers unsafe to breathe.
Additionally, after showering, turn on the fan to exhaust all the steam and excess moisture in the air that can cause mold and mildew growth.
2. Candles made of beeswax
If you enjoy lighting scented candles in your home, avoid paraffin candles, which are made from petroleum and release benzene, toluene, and soot into the air.
Opt for beeswax candles instead, which ionize the air and neutralize toxic compounds and other contaminants. Apart from improving indoor air quality, beeswax candles burn slowly, requiring less frequent replacement. Indeed, pure beeswax candles emit almost no smoke or fragrance.
They are especially beneficial for asthmatics and for removing common allergens from the air, such as dust.
3. Sodium Lamps
“By removing water vapor from the air, salt crystal products tend to reduce airborne irritants, pathogens, and allergens. “Himalayan pink salt is a natural ionic air purifier that attracts and neutralizes toxins in the environment,” explains Dr. Manoj K. Ahuja, Healing Touch.
Simply placing a Himalayan pink salt lamp in your room or near your desk at work will suffice, both functionally and aesthetically. You can also leave it on at night, as the natural orange glow does not interfere with sleep hormones. Nota bene: Salt lamps improve air purification significantly more when they are turned on, but they also work when they are turned off.
4. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal, also known as active carbon, is an excellent way to purify indoor air.
It is odorless, highly absorbent, and extremely effective at removing toxins from the air.
Bamboo charcoal is another fantastic natural way to purify the air in your home.
5. Indoor plants
The most effective plants for air purification are the Peace Lily, which prefers moderate sunlight, and the Lady Palm or Broad leaf Lady Palm, which is adaptable but prefers bright, indirect light. Areca Palms, also known as Butterfly Palms, Golden Cane Palms, and Bamboo Palms, thrive in bright, indirect light and can be kept almost anywhere, especially in carpeted or recently painted rooms.
Chrysanthemum, more commonly known as Pot Mums, prefers bright sunlight, while Money Plant, also known as Golden Pothos, Devil’s Ivy, Silver Vine, and Centipede Tongavine, is adaptable.
English Ivy – also known as Common Ivy or European Ivy – is another houseplant that helps purify the air and can be kept in rooms with computers, printers, and fax machines, among other things.
Additionally, Boston Fern thrives in bright light and is ideal for hanging baskets.
Spider Plants are beneficial in kitchens with gas stoves because they help regulate carbon monoxide and xylene levels.
6. Essential Oils
Viruses, fungi, bacteria, and even mold cannot survive in the presence of essential oils such as cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, thyme, grapefruit lemon, clove, and tea tree.
According to Weber State University research, Thieves Oil kills 99.96 percent of airborne bacteria.
It is an antiseptic blend of pure essential oils such as pine needle, cinnamon, thyme, eucalyptus, lemon, and grapefruit that helps keep the home germ-free and the air purified.
It can be added to soaps and detergents to help you breathe cleaner, fresher air.
