How To Improve The Air Quality In Your Home
Today is this year’s National Clean Air Day, so it feels like a great time to talk about small, simple things we can do in our own home to improve the air quality in the place that we eat, sleep, relax, and entertain friends! Air pollution is scary, in fact according to the World Health Organisation, it’s a bigger threat than HIV and Ebola, and the harmful particles are SO tiny that they can get into our lungs causing long term damage, as well as impacting our skin. It’s not nice, and with Brexit looming, it seems to be low on the priority list for the government to make serious change, so here’s what YOU can do to make sure your space is as clean as possible.
Firstly, Ivy and indoor plants (1) with ‘hair leaves’! We can probably all remember our school biology lessons, that plants take in carbon dioxide, and give off oxygen as part of the photosynthesis progress… right?! That’s why having plants in the home is one of the best things we can do for the air that we breathe. Ivy is particularly good at absorbing impressive amounts of toxins and pollutants, acting as efficient air and water filters! (4) are especially great as they’re so easy to grow; perfect for ‘beginners’ or forgetful owners! They love bright, indirect sunlight, they have lovely little flowers, and they remove pollutants like formaldehyde and xylene from the air. Check our this section of the Patch (9) website for more air purifying plants.
Swap some of your beauty favourites for more natural products such as (2). This is one of my favourite multi-tasking products, known for it’s antibacterial effects. Our skincare and beauty products often include a long list of chemicals, which are sprayed, wiped or brushed onto our skin. These only add to the chemicals in the air of our homes, so where possible, switch to a natural alternative. Neals Yard Remedies is one of my favourite natural skincare brands, the products are still incredibly luxurious to use, they smell heavenly and they truly work as well as, if not better, than none-natural alternatives.
As well as using oils like Tea Tree oil on your skin, there are other essential oils which you can use alongside a (3) to improve the overall wellness effects in your living room, bathroom or bedroom. As well as adding aroma to a room, diffusers provide numerous health benefits; adding a diffuser fills the room with a natural fragrance (stay away from candles which are made from paraffin wax – they can release harmful chemicals into the air which are harmful for our respiratory systems!) and is the easiest way to dispense benefits from the essential oils into the air, improving your health, boosting your energy and improving your sleep – depending on the oil you use!
The cleaning products we use are a big offender; they can release dangerous chemicals and contain harmful ingredients like ammonia and bleach. They can often cause headaches and other health problems (some have even been linked to cancer) so this was one of the first switches we made in our own home! When it comes to cleaning, I don’t want to compromise on products that do their job well, so Charlie and I are obsessed with (5). They’re plant based, naturally derived ingredients that are better for you, your home, and your pets too! We love the fragrances of them too, safe in the knowledge that the mists and sprays aren’t contaminating our home with more chemicals.
