You don’t need to have allergies or respiratory problems to reap the benefits of having cleaner air at home.
When you have poor air quality indoors, dirt, dust, mould, pollen, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other substances may be proliferating around your home.
These substances can cause immediate and long-term effects on your health.
Some immediate, short-term effects of poor indoor air quality on your health include headaches, dizziness, dry eyes, nose and throat irritation, fatigue, and skin and digestive issues.
When exposed long-term, poor air quality can cause more serious respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, heart disease, and even cancer.
If you want your apartment in Dubai Festival City to be your perfect, healthy, and safe sanctuary all the time, you’ll have to take steps to improve and maintain good-quality air in your home.
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Maintaining Clean, Healthy, and Safe Air in Your Flat
Below are some of the best things you can do to ensure your apartment’s air is clean, safe, and healthy:
1. Keep Your Apartment Well-Ventilated.
Keeping the airflow fresh in your home is the easiest and most cost-effective way to improve and maintain good indoor air quality.
Open your windows a few hours daily or several minutes per hour during the day when the weather permits. Doing so allows you to let fresh air in and pollutants out and reduce the humidity in your home that dust mites need to survive.
You can also use a fan to circulate the air inside your home. This will help you get rid of or at least dilute the number of airborne irritants in your flat.
Additionally, make sure you always ventilate your home whenever you use chemical-heavy cleaning products.
2. Minimise Your Use Of Scented Products At Home.
Scented candles and potpourri can make your flat smell better; however, these products do nothing good for your health.
Many home fragrance products contain toxic substances, such as toluene and benzene, and other harmful irritants.
Many air fresheners, plug-ins, and air sanitisers contain some toxic ingredients as well, such as acetone, butane, and propane.
All these substances have been linked to different types of respiratory problems.
As such, try to avoid decorating your home with potpourri, lighting scented candles, and using chemicals sprays and plug-ins or at the very least, use such minimally.
If you need to get rid of a bad smell, open a window or turn on the fan or do both.
3. Fill Your Home With Plants.
Plants have air-purifying benefits and are natural, beautiful decorations to have at home. Moreover, they are affordable and come in different varieties that you will do well to fill your apartment with them.
Plants soak up pollutants, which means they purify the air in your home. They help remove harmful chemicals, including benzene, formaldehyde, and VOCs that can cause the “sick building syndrome.”
Devil’s ivy, peace lilies, spider plants, and ferns are some of the best plants that remove carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other chemicals from the air.
However, to get the most air-purifying benefits from houseplants, you need to have plenty of them in your home.
4. Keep Your Home Cigarette- And Smoke-Free.
Cigarettes and tobacco products are so toxic that you should always keep your home free from these products.
As such, do not let anyone smoke inside your home.
Harmful airborne tobacco particles and other toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde, arsenic, and ammonia, can remain at harmful levels for hours indoors, so it is best to designate your home a smoke-free zone.
If you smoke, try to get rid of this unhealthy habit as soon as possible.
Additionally, incense sticks, candles, and other items that you burn for recreational purposes release carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into the air. As such, avoid or minimise using or lighting these products at home.
5. Make Sure Your Air Conditioning Unit Is Clean And Well-Maintained.
Whether you have a central air conditioning unit or window type, keep it clean and well-maintained.
Change the unit’s air filters regularly. Do this at the start of every season or monthly if you have pets, allergies, or asthma.
Changing the air filters in a timely manner allows you to improve the air quality in your home. Additionally, it will help you save money since your AC will run more efficiently, which means your monthly energy bills will be lower.
Also, keep your air vents clean all the time. Making this a habit allows you to breathe cleaner, healthier air.
Clean air vents will also help your cooling system run more smoothly and minimise your need to dust your home frequently.
6. Maintain A Clean Apartment.
Keeping your home clean also plays a key role in improving the quality of indoor air.
Follow these cleaning practices to have healthier air in your flat:
- Vacuum regularly. Vacuum your home at least twice a week and even more if you have carpets and pets. Doing so allows you to get rid of pollen, dust, dander, and dust mites that can irritate your respiratory system.
- Change your bedding frequently. Dust mites and germs tend to accumulate on dirty blankets, duvets, bed sheets, and pillowcases. As such, replace those regularly and wash the beddings in hot water.
- Dust surfaces regularly. Use a damp cloth or sponge to prevent the particles from flying around. Also, keep surfaces clutter-free to make it easier to dust them.
Use chemical-free cleaning products as often as possible. Many regular household cleaners contain toxic chemicals that mix with the air inside your apartment and irritate the nose, throat, and lungs.
Consider making your own cleaning products using natural and safer ingredients, such as vinegar, baking soda, and citrus juice.
7. Invest In An Air Purifier.
Air purifiers trap and remove nearly 100% of pollutants by drawing in dirty air, filtering it, and releasing it back into the room.
As a result, the air circulating in your home is cleaner and fresher.
Air purifiers are especially helpful during hay fever season and when you have allergic rhinitis.
Air purifying devices can be purchased in most shopping malls.
When purchasing this machine, look for one with a high clean air delivery rate or CADR. The higher the number, the more efficient and faster the unit can filter the air.
You can also consider buying an air purifier with a fan so that the cleaner, healthier air can circulate around bigger rooms.
Following these tips can help you breathe easier literally and figuratively in your apartment. Moreover, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’re doing everything possible to improve your home’s air quality.