8 Natural ways to clean the air in your home

Why is it important to have clean air in the home?

We have just been away for a break to the coast and when we opened the door to our home the air smelt fresh which I was pleased about.  It is really important to clean the air in your home as outside air has natural filters, but inside air is often contaminated with germs and chemicals.  The air inside our homes is therefore often more polluted than the air outside, which can increase the risk of heart related diseases.    This is especially important if you use your home to exercise.  Clean air is also supposed to be good for anti-aging, and I need all the help that I can get!  It is even associated with happiness and reducing cognitive decline which are great reasons for me to take notice of the air in my home.

I used to just spray the air to make it smell fresher but that just released harmful chemicals that I would breathe in.  Last year I realised that I needed to do more to clean the air in my house and these are some natural things that I did, or heard about, that I  have tried or think are worth considering.

Open a window

I am really bad at opening windows in the winter as our home is cold and I try to keep the heat in, but on sunny days I always open the windows.  It is recommended that you open your windows for 5 minutes a day, though obviously if I was near a busy main road I would not do this as I would probably be letting more pollutants in than I was letting out.  During the summer I also open doors. Fans in the kitchen and in the bathroom also help with changing the air. These all reduce humidity which can cause mould growth and damage furniture.

Salt lamps

My daughter got one of these Himalayan pink salt lamps off Facebook Marketplace recently.  They clean the air by using the negative ions to attract the positive ions from our electrical items and to attract dust and pathogens.  They work better when switched on but still help purify the air when not switched on.  She says that it reduces the amount of dust in a room.   Apparently these are poisonous to animals if they lick them and so would be best kept out of reach of pets.

Beeswax candles

Unlike a lot of commercial candles that might smell nice but actually release chemicals into our air in the home, beeswax candles attract and bind pollutants and allergens through their negative ions and help purify the air.  I was given some beeswax from a bee keeper and I have some wicks and essential oils and so I think I will make some more candles this week as I don’t use candles a lot.

Using essential oils in a diffuser.

Essential oils not only make the air spell better but they actually help clean the air.  I love to use rosemary, lemon, clove an cinnamon as they kill bacteria, viruses and mould.  Studies in the USA have shown that they kill 99% of air born bacteria.  Some times I just add essential oils into warm water and leave a bowl in my bedroom.  Some essential oils are apparently poisonous to animals and so check before using.

Clean more often.

Cleaning is not my favourite pastime and I will often put it off to do something more interesting and then have a purge when some one is visiting.  I use natural cleaning products made with orange peel and the house always smells nice when I have cleaned and so I am trying to get into a better cleaning routine.  I used to only prioritise the bathroom and the kitchen, but I am now trying to stick to a weekly and monthly plan for the rest of the house.

Add some more plants

I used to have so many plants in my house but over the years these have reduced as they take a lot of dusting and looking after.  Plants are brilliant at filtering the air and so maybe I need to propagate a few house plants and start growing them inside a bit more.  This is the only time of year that I have a lot of plants inside as I am growing all my seedlings inside to keep them warm.  The different palms are especially good in a living area, and a spider plant is supposed to be great to keep the kitchen as it helps control carbon monoxide.  I have been told that some plants are poisonous to animals and so please check if you have animals in your home.

Be careful what I buy and bring into the house.

I use a lot of natural fibres and materials in my house as furniture can be toxic and contain chemicals. Sometimes it is just the glue used. Paint can also contain pollutants, cleaning products, carpets, and beauty products.  I have been decluttering a lot of potentially toxic things in my house recently.

Activated Charcoal

Apparently this helps reduce toxins in the air but many think that this is debateable and the bags of activated charcoal are just good for temporarily reducing a bad smell as it reduces the moisture in the air.  I have never actually used them but my friend swears by them and has found that they have got rid of the musty smell in her wardrobe.

How do you keep the air fresh and free of pollutants in your home, and were you even aware that the air in your home can impact on your health?  I don’t think that I realised how important it was.