It's a reality: indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air. So how do you hunt down indoor pollution? What are the right gestures and the right products and materials to use for a healthy home? We take stock on this National Air Quality Day 2024.
National Air Quality Day 2024, celebrated on October 14, once again highlights the critical importance of the quality of the air we breathe, not only outdoors but also in our homes and workplaces. This day aims to raise public awareness of the impacts of air pollution on health and the environment, while highlighting concrete actions that everyone can take to improve air quality on a daily basis. Because it is in our indoor spaces, often considered safe and protective refuges, that our health is also at stake. Interiors are sources of insidious pollution that must be combated every day with simple gestures and others that are much more committed. Here are some practical tips to fight against indoor pollution and ensure a healthier environment on a daily basis.
What are the sources of pollution in a house?
Before looking at solutions, we need to look at the sources of the problem. When we walk through our doorstep, we tend to think that pollution is behind us, left in the street or in the city. Error. Houses and apartments are filled with indoor pollutants. These pollutants have been present for so long that we tend to forget about them. These are mainly tobacco, cleaning products, but also indoor air fresheners (incense, candles, perfume burners, diffusers, sprays, etc.) which can emit volatile pollutants into the indoor air. Less used on a daily basis, but just as harmful, DIY products (paints, solvents, glues, etc.) are also part of this list, as are some products used to make furniture.
We must also take into account the living organisms present in our interiors: mould spores, dust, etc. If it is not directly considered as a pollutant, humidity, produced by daily activities such as showering, drying laundry or cooking, can degrade indoor air quality. Finally, a home with a high humidity level will accumulate mold and dust mites, pollutants that can cause lung disease. Poor air quality can lead to symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, eye irritation, allergies and asthma.
How to fight against indoor pollution on a daily basis?
Reduce the use of multiple household products to reduce indoor pollution. Follow the instructions for use of the products used and in particular the safety dosages. Ban spray products that spray harmful molecules into the air. Prefer products that are certified as protecting the environment or make your own household and eco-friendly products.
The first solution to fight against indoor pollution is simple: adopt the right daily gestures to make your interior more breathable. Here are the main recommendations:
- Ventilate all the rooms in the house for at least 10 to 15 minutes a day, opening the windows in winter and summer. Whether it's raining or shining, opening your windows helps renew the indoor air and reduce the concentration of pollutants. Some activities, such as cleaning, DIY or drying laundry, require even more ventilation.
- Reduce the use of scented candles and other fragrance diffusers to cover out bad odors. If candles are not to be banned completely, it is necessary to ventilate after they have been burned to renew the air.
- Choose the broom vacuum cleaner, as the latter tends to spread airborne dust. Vacuum twice a week to remove as much dust as possible. Better yet, invest in a steam cleaner, which thoroughly cleans all surfaces (carpet, tile, parquet, walls, ceilings) and removes 99.99% of bacteria without the use of detergents.
Reduce the use of household products to limit indoor pollution. Follow the instructions for use and safety dosages, and avoid spray products. Prefer certified ecological products or make your own household products.
How can we fight against indoor pollution in terms of development and works?
- Check that the CMV (controlled mechanical ventilation) is working properly. It allows you to renew the air in damp (kitchen, bathroom) and dry (bedrooms, living room) rooms. Make sure the exhaust screens and vents are not blocked.
- Fight against humidity, especially in bedrooms. Avoid drying clothes, installing aquariums or multiplying plants. Instead, place them in rooms with large openings such as the living room.
- Be careful when working at home: many materials (paints, glues, solvents, etc.) contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Wear a mask, gloves and goggles when handling them, and ventilate after use. Store these products in a well-ventilated area, out of the reach of children.
- Favor DIY work indoors in spring or summer, so that you can ventilate for longer and evacuate VOCs. If you are repainting a piece of furniture, opt for outdoor work, if possible, to avoid deteriorating the indoor air quality.
- Finally, pay attention to the flooring. Carpets and PVC can contain substances that are harmful to indoor air quality. Prefer solid parquet from European forests, tiles, or natural linoleum to limit pollutants.