There’s so much in the news about the air quality that we breathe every day, it can be a little scary. Between greenhouse gasses, manufacturing emissions, and Mother Nature contributions, there’s a lot of yucky stuff out there in the air. While you can’t directly control what’s in the air outside, you can do a few things to make your home’s air safer for you and your family. Here are some things to think about.
Check for air gaps
You want to make sure that your home is sealed tightly, protecting it from the outside air. Take a look at windows and doors to see if there is any air leaking through. Attics and basements are also notorious for letting air in. Caulking, weather-stripping, and even adding insulation will reduce the amount of outside air that is getting in.
Change the furnace filter for better air quality
All of your home’s air is circulated throughout your home via the heating and cooling ducts. Your furnace filter does a great job of catching a lot of the allergens and pollutants if it’s maintained properly. It’s a good idea to change out the filter every month or so to make sure it’s clean and doing its job.
General Cleaning
Everything floating through the air will eventually settle somewhere. But, it won’t stay there. As you and your family move around your home, all of that dust gets recirculated back into the air. It’s a vicious cycle! Here are a few areas to look at.
- Clutter: The more things that are laying around and on shelves, the more places there are for the dust and allergens to settle. Minimizing clutter will not only make your home easier to clean, it will also improve your air quality.
- Curtains and blinds: It’s a good idea to get in a routine of cleaning your curtains and blinds on a regular basis. They’re just another place where pollutants can settle and get back into the air.
- Bedding: It’s just somewhere else that will collect dust. Changing your sheets often will help, as well as switching out your comforter regularly.
- Floors: It’s the last place that the dust will land, and the first place where it will be kicked up and get right back into the air quality. Hard floors should be kept clean, especially in the corners and along the baseboards. And, vacuuming carpets often, sometimes daily, is a must.
- Laundry: Letting it pile up until laundry day isn’t the best way to keep your home clean. All of that dust is settling everywhere, just waiting to get back into the air quality. It’s better to do a load of laundry every day, eliminating any piles of clothes that can attract pollutants.
- Clean from top to bottom: When you’re cleaning, it’s a good idea to start at the top. Dust the ceilings, then work your way down to the pictures and shelves on the walls. Give everything a little time to settle on the floors before you clean them to get rid of as many pollutants as possible.
Pets
Your pet’s fur will also carry all kinds of things, from dust to dander to mites. And, all of that will get into your home’s air quality. Bathing them regularly and brushing them every day, preferably outside, will help a lot.
Doors
Keeping interior doors closed will also reduce the number of pollutants in the air. You’re just eliminating areas where all of that dust and dander can get to and collect.
Have your carpets and furniture professionally cleaned for better air quality
Regardless of how well you vacuum your carpets, you won’t be able to get them completely clean. You can try to clean them on your own, which will help a little. But, having them professionally cleaned is really the best option to get everything out of the fibers. A professional carpet cleaner just has better equipment, and some knowledge about what it takes to thoroughly clean your carpets, as well as the right chemicals for the job. You can also have your furniture professionally cleaned as well to get rid of all of those pollutants.
For all of your carpet and upholstery cleaning needs, give us a call today. One of our highly-trained specialists will meet with you in your home and show you the different ways that we can help to make your home’s air quality cleaner for you and your family.
