Baby, it's cold outside... but open those windows anyway!
DID YOU KNOW: Indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air, even in urban areas?
While keeping windows closed in winter provides warmth and can save on energy costs, it also traps harmful pollutants.
Opening a few windows for just five minutes per day can significantly improve indoor air quality.
Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating, do not draw fresh air into the house. Recirculated air usually contains pollution from:
- Flame retardants in furnishings and building materials
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) common in
- Mainstream household cleaning products
- Personal care products with added fragrance
- Artificially-scented air fresheners and candles
- Paint
- Pesticides
- Nitrogen dioxide generated during combustion in stoves, space heaters, water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, and boilers that use coal, oil, kerosene, wood, or gas.
We spend so much time indoors, especially in winter. Reducing in-home air pollution is critical, especially if children are present. Consider:
- Cracking a few windows open for five minutes daily
- Dusting often (try our all-natural DIY Dusting Spray recipe below!)
- Replacing cleaning products with non-toxic options
- Banning the family and guests from wearing shoes inside
- Using essential oils, clean-burning natural candles, or simmer pots instead of chemical air fresheners (like plug-ins) and artificially-scented candles
- Placing HEPA air purifiers in bedrooms and the living room
TIP: Reduce your risk of flu and other respiratory illnesses by
- Supporting your immune system daily with Sweet's Elderberry AND
- Keeping your home at a 40-50% humidity level.
Use a hygrometer (linked here, available for around $10) to monitor humidity, especially in winter.
Questions? Email us anytime at info@sweetselderberry.com.