Did you know that indoor air quality in winter is more harmful than outdoor air?

Yes, during the winter months, doors and windows are kept closed to preserve heat, which traps the air inside your home. As the warm air circulates, it carries dust, allergens, and moisture, leading to unpleasant odors and poor air quality.

Don't worry! You can use simple yet effective 7 easy hacks to improve your home's overall indoor air quality in winter. It will help you create a healthier living space and ensure that you breathe clean and fresh air. Let's get started!

7 Hacks to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Winter

Here are 7 easy hacks you can use to improve the air quality in your home during winter:

1) Improve Ventilation

When you keep your windows and doors shut to conserve heat in winter, the air inside your home becomes stagnant and accumulates pollutants such as dust, pet dander, moisture, and mold. One simple way to maintain winter air quality is to improve ventilation in your home.

To do this, you should open your windows each day for at least 10-15 minutes. It allows fresh air to circulate inside your home and flush the pollutants out without making your home too cold. You can also consider using exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms to vent out moist air in areas that lack natural airflow if opening windows isn't feasible.

It will improve air ventilation, reduce indoor pollutants inside your home, and create a more comfortable environment in winter.

2) Use Air Purification Devices

Air purifiers can help you get rid of bad air such as mold spores, bacteria, and even volatile organic compounds from the air that negatively impact indoor quality and can lead to various respiratory health issues.

Moreover, try to install your air purifier with HEPA filters in high-traffic areas or rooms where you spend most of your time to maximize its effectiveness. The reason being is that these areas hold higher levels of airborne pollutants, so placing the purifier there helps improve the air quality where it matters most.

These air purifiers effectively remove dust, pet dander, mold spores, and other allergens inside your home and improve overall indoor air quality.

Don't miss our step-by-step guide on how to clean your bathroom ceiling air vent.

3) Change Your AC Filter & Schedule Duct Cleaning

Air filters get clogged over time, limiting the airflow in your home and circulating dust, dirt, and allergens throughout. Therefore, you should replace your AC filters regularly every 1-3 months with HEPA filters to maintain indoor air quality in winter.

Moreover, You should schedule duct cleanings to remove accumulated dust, debris, molds, and bacteria from your HVAC systems.

It will reduce allergens and pollutants in the air and significantly improve the health and comfort of you and your family.

4) Use Cooking Vents

Your kitchen is the hotspot for smoke, grease, moisture, and odors, especially when you are frying, grilling, or baking. The microscopic particles and fumes release into the air, linger smell, and contribute to poor air quality. 

You should turn on your exhaust fan to vent out cooking fumes and steam outside to reduce the buildup of pollutants in your home.

Utilizing cooking vents in your kitchen enhances airflow and clears the cooking odors that contribute to poor indoor air quality.

5) Control Your Home's Humidity Levels

Heating systems run constantly in homes during winter. The air inside tends to become dry and lowers humidity levels in the environment. This causes dust and allergens to become airborne more easily and it contributes to poor indoor air quality.

You can use a humidifier to maintain humidity levels in your home to combat these issues. Humidifiers restore moisture in the air and maintain optimal humidity levels.

Try to place humidifiers in areas where you spend most of your time, such as the living room, bedroom, and bathroom.

6) Deep Clean Your Rugs and Carpets Regularly

In winter, dust, allergens, pet dander, and other pollutants build up in carpets and upholstery. It affects the air quality in your home. Thus, you should schedule deep cleanings with professional cleaning services.

The professional cleaners use specialized equipment and cleaning solutions to remove bacteria, mold spores, dust mites, and other hidden contaminants from your carpets and fabrics. The deep cleanings will keep your home fresh and the air clean

The deep cleaning solutions from professional cleaners ensure that the air in your home is kept clean and healthy throughout the winter.

7) Place Baking Soda Bowls to Absorb Odors

Nothing kills bad odor like baking soda. Sealed homes in winter create still air which makes odors stay longer. Baking soda has the ability to absorb and neutralize unwanted smells - food smells, pet dander, and mildew.

You can place bowls of baking soda in various areas of your home near pet areas, trash cans, and closets. 

Baking soda bowls will keep the air fresh without using chemical-based air fresheners.

Conclusion

Poor air quality in your home can cause allergies, respiratory issues, and eye irritation. To improve your indoor environment, use the hacks mentioned above in the blog and comply with indoor air quality laws. The Indoor Air Quality Act Illinois constantly emphasizes the importance of maintaining good air quality. Therefore, deep clean your homes and prevent dust and pollutants from affecting your air. 

Many professional cleaning companies including Fresh Tech Maid offer specialized deep-cleaning solutions that promote a better living and healthy environment in your home. However, research and be sure to hire reliable and professional cleaning services that offer great value for money, and make a significant difference in the overall cleanliness of your home.