Stuffy Nose? 7 Ways to Clean Up Indoor Air

The Editors at Sharecare

By Michael F. Roizen, MD



Did you know that 20% of the U.S. population lives in communities with lethal levels of smog and particulate pollution -- the toxic soup of chemicals, metals, acids, ash, and soot that triggers asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, and early deaths? Makes you want to close the windows, bar the door, and stay home, right?

Not so fast. The indoor air quality in your living room might be worse.

Indoor levels of some pollutants (e.g., formaldehyde, chloroform, styrene) can be 2 to 50 times higher than levels in your front yard. Since most of us spend nearly 90% of our time inside, we're inhaling by-products of everything from household cleaners to emissions from our laser printers.

Here's how to cut down on pollutants, improve your indoor air quality and breathe easy.

  • Ban cigarette smoke. Secondhand smoke is the single largest source of particulate pollution inside homes. The best way to purify your indoor air -- and reduce your risk of lung, cervical, and other cancers; heart disease; asthma attacks; wrinkles; even erectile dysfunction -- is to keep smokers 500 feet away from you and your home.

Help a loved one quit with this 10-step guide.

  • Skip air fresheners and spray-on cleaners when house cleaning. Regularly breathing in a volatile organic compound called 1.4-dichlorobenzene, which is found in room deodorizers (toilet-bowl freshening blocks, too), could reduce your lung function by 4%. Use aromas from 100% essential oils instead.

Find out whether too much cleanliness can cause allergies and asthma.

  • Open closed windows regularly. Whether you live in an ultra-modern shelter or a drafty old farmhouse, you need to air out your castle regularly, not just after you paint the powder room or refinish vintage floors. Tightly constructed new homes may have higher pollution levels than leaky old ones, so open the windows regularly. For easy breathing, always switch on exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom when you're cooking or cleaning.

Quiz: Summer allergy survival strategies

  • Cut down on the chemicals you bring home (especially dry-cleaning ones like trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, or PERC). They've been linked to kidney and nervous system damage as well as cancer. Hang clothes outdoors for an hour before bringing them inside.

  • Boot out microscopic gunk. Inhaling indoor particulates -- produced by everything from burning logs to broiling fish -- can leave you wheezing, or worse. Keep furnaces in good repair, and be sure vents to heaters, clothes dryers, and ranges are clean and working properly. If you heat with wood, ensure your stove is well sealed and burns efficiently.

  • Bring nature indoors. Live plants can do wonders for your indoor air quality by filtering out respectable amounts of volatile organic compounds from your air.

  • Avoid "gassy" decor. New no-iron linens and drapes may release formaldehyde, which can trigger allergies, asthma, nausea, coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing. Wash all permanent-press curtains, bedding, and clothes before using. You'll reduce formaldehyde emissions by 60%.

Now, take a deep breath -- you can breathe easy!

Michael F. Roizen, MD, is the cofounder of RealAge.com and chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic.

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