Did you know that indoor air quality can be worse than the air outdoors? Unlike outside, where wide open spaces and continuous breezes tend to diffuse pollution, the inside of a home is a closed-in space that gathers pollutants and holds them in. Even when you open your windows and have a well-ventilated home, pollutants tend to linger and, over time, can cause respiratory problems. These pollutants can include anything from dust, to lead, to radon, to ordinary smog—none of which are things that you want to be breathing in large quantities.


Here are five things you can do to get rid of air pollution in the home.

1. Keep your floors clean. Floors tend to accumulate much of the dust that can rise into the air and present a threat of respiratory problems. In both hardwood floor and carpet, pollutants can build up not only on the surface but also below the carpet or floorboards. Be sure to keep the floors as fresh as possible, cleaning once a week, and consider having old carpet or hardwood flooring replaced every few years. Also, keep a mat at the front door so that there’s less chance of tracking in dust.

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