A modern home offers many comforts. Temperature-controlled rooms keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and carefully engineered windows can even shield you from noisy neighbors and nasty drafts. But there’s a small catch to this cocoon-like space: The air can get stale.
A home that blocks out the outside world may also seal in dust, dirt, and mold. And while you might think you’re handling this debris, that’s not always the case since some are microscopic in size. Even seemingly harmless organic compounds from things like cooking meals, laundry detergent, lighting a candle, pets, and cleaning supplies can build up and irritate your airways, says Neil Kao, an allergist based in Greenville, South Carolina.
To help you improve your air quality, we tapped doctors, allergists, and other experts for their best advice on how to clean the air in your home.
Don’t Wear Shoes In the House
What stays outside doesn’t make its way in, so if possible, keep your kicks outside. If that’s not an option, tuck them into an entryway closet or at least keep them by the door versus wearing them inside.
“One of the most common sources of exposure to mold, bacteria, viruses, herbicides, and even feces is the outside,” says Dr. Chelsea Azarcon, a doctor based in California. “When we wear shoes in the house, we track these air pollutants into a space with much poorer ventilation than the outside, increasing our risk of breathing them in.”
Leave Your Bed Unmade in the Morning
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Here’s your official permission to not make the bed—at least within the first 30 minutes to an hour of waking up.
“Warmth and moisture from your body help encourage dust mite growth, and leaving your bed unmade after you’ve slept in helps it cool and air out,” says allergist Kenneth Mendez, CEO and president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “A clean, dry bed with clean bedding will help promote a healthier environment in your bedroom.”
Manage Mold
Mold is one of those sneaky substances that has subtle beginnings but can quickly grow out of control. It can grow on most surfaces but particularly enjoys warm and moist conditions, says allergist Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards Ltd.
“Always keep an eye out for any telltale signs of mold growth, such as musty odors and dark stains, and tackle the issue immediately,” he says. “Choose effective cleaning products to help remove mold, and appliances such as a dehumidifier for rooms with too much moisture to prevent mold growth returning.”
Open the Windows
The simplest way to clean the air in your home is to let some in from the great outdoors, says Alan Barlis, a New York City-based green architect.
This is particularly important if you are air-drying laundry, taking a shower, cooking, or cleaning, and it should be done even in kitchens and bathrooms built with ventilation systems that exhaust directly to the outdoors.
If your ventilation system only has recirculating fans, leave the nearest window open as they run. Also make sure to scrub the filters and de-grease screens every six months.
Switch on an Air Purifier
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Air purifiers circulate and clean the air inside your home, collecting up to 99 percent of particulates—including pollen and dander—as they work. Look for one rated MERV-13 or higher. (MERV stands for “minimum-efficiency reporting value,” a measure of filtering efficiency.)
For those without central air, a freestanding HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration unit can be very effective within a room, though not over the entire house. Place them in spaces where you spend the most time, such as a bedroom or living room.
Keep Your Pets Clean
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Cuddling with your pets is the best, but it’s always better when they’re sporting freshly shampooed fur. Not only does this make snuggle time nicer, but it also is a great way to clean the air in your home.
“Pets can track dust, dirt, mold, pollen, and bacteria inside on their fur and spread it to our furniture, floor coverings, and sheets,” Dr. Azarcon says. “I recommend using a pet brush vacuum attachment to clean your pet’s fur and wiping their paws with baby wipes when they come inside.”
Patrol for Dust
While modern houses built away from or high above busy streets may need dusting just once per week, grime builds up more quickly in older structures or those with poor ventilation. These homes require wipe-downs at least twice a week.
When dusting, dampen your rag since dust and water molecules conveniently latch onto each other. For wood surfaces and antiques, break out a microfiber cloth—and don’t forget about your windowsills, shower rungs, and shelves.
To get every speck and streamline your work, always start high and finish low, says Sabrina Fierman of New York’s Little Elves, a fine interior cleaning company.
Here’s a case for minimalism: The fewer items you need to dust, the easier it is to tackle this chore. It can really help you stay on top of your dust situation.
Wash Towels and Mats
Place towels in an area where they can easily air dry after each use since wet or damp cloth tends to breed mold. Toss them into the washing machine at least once every three days and clean bath mats half as often. Avoid mats with rubber backings since they don’t withstand washing as well.
Grab a Mop
Along with dusting surfaces, take care to tend to your floors. “The most effective way to clean the air is to clean the floor,” says Derrick A. Denis, vice president of indoor environmental quality at Clark Seif Clark, a Chandler, Arizona, consulting firm.
Gravity pulls down particles, which then swirl back up with the smallest crosscurrent. Brooms get at crumbs, but to rein in the teeny-tiny particles that irritate your respiratory system, swab down or squeegee once a week. To reach tight spots effortlessly, choose a mop with an articulated, telescoping handle and a removable machine-washable top.
Vacuum with a Vengeance
For rugs and upholstery, use a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter; this ensures that what you just sucked up doesn’t go right back into the air. Snap on attachments to target furniture, and use the small brush for the tops of books along your shelves.
After, move on to the floors. Dense carpets trap more dust, so they require several passes with the machine. Lighter weaves or bare floors make the task easier, as does choosing covered shelves instead of open ones for your library.
Launder Your Linens
Sheets trap skin cells that slough off while you sleep, as well as dust and the mites that feed on them. These pests then generate by-products that can trigger allergies. To tackle the issue, wash sheets and pillowcases on the hottest setting. Keep extra pillows in a closet, and minimize decorative ones. Dust mites love bedrooms (and beds) because they’re warm and humid environments.
Dry out humid environments to nip dust mite activity. You can add a dehumidifier during the winter and summer, and/or turn on your AC.
Wash Your Pillows
Dust and dust mites love the insert, too. Fortunately, you can obliterate them in your washer (just make sure to check the care label). Do two per load to keep it balanced—once with detergent (use liquid; powders can leave residue), and again without. Then tumble-dry on no heat with tennis balls to keep them fluffed. To reduce the chore to twice a year, protect pillows with anti-dust mite encasings.
Strip the Window Dressings
Curtains and drapes are huge dirt collectors, so make sure to wash them routinely. Custom treatments, especially those with elaborate detailing such as pleats, can often only be dry-cleaned, even if crafted from a typically resilient material like cotton. In this case, break out the vacuum.
For the fastest cleanups, opt for blinds since smooth textures trap less dust. With a wet cloth, you can restore them to their original glory—no heavy lifting required.
