4 Household Items That Can Wreck Your Indoor Air Quality

Most people never think twice about their indoor air quality—but that’s a dangerous mistake. According to a report published by the CDC, “walking into a modern building can sometimes be compared to placing your head inside a plastic bag that is filled with toxic fumes.” Yikes.

The modern world is filled with toxic chemicals, and many people have little idea of just how many of today’s everyday products can be harmful to their health. Everything from the scent of your deodorant to the candle burning in your kitchen can pollute the air you breathe. At Dust Doctors, we’re committed to helping homeowners improve their indoor air quality. To help you mitigate the health hazards inside your home, we’ve listed four common household items you should do your best to avoid. 

Aerosol Sprays

Whether you use aerosol hair products, air fresheners, or household cleaners, you’re putting your indoor air quality—and your lungs—in jeopardy. Aerosols contain a wide variety of volatile organic compounds that are associated with respiratory inflammation and even skin allergies. Because these sprays contain millions of tiny particles, they can spread everywhere throughout your home and can even become lodged in the deepest reaches of your lungs. If you can, avoid aerosols and opt for pump spray products instead.

Dry Cleaning

Do you regularly dry clean your clothes? If so, you’re not only compromising your indoor air quality, but you’re also exposing yourself to a known carcinogen called perchloroethylene. When you bring your dry cleaned clothing inside, the carcinogen releases into your home’s ambient air, where it can trigger skin issues and lung irritation.

Household Cleaning Products

If you use scented household cleaning products, your home may smell pleasant, but you’re compromising your indoor air quality. Scented cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds that are associated with lung inflammation and allergies.

When you use these products consistently, these compounds become airborne, and your HVAC system circulates them throughout your home. Because these particles can become trapped in your ducts and filters, you may be facing continual exposure. So if your prone to breathing issues, avoiding scented products is your best bet for respiratory health.

Candles

Candles, especially of the lemon variety, can pose a serious threat to your home’s indoor air quality. While they may provide a lovely ambiance and enticing scent, candles contain fine particles that release into the air during burning.

Lemon candles can be particularly damaging due to a common scent ingredient called limonene. Limonene is a volatile organic compound, and when it interacts with ground-level ozone, the two form formaldehyde. Since formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, you should not use lemon-scented products that contain limonene.

At Dust Doctors improving indoor air quality is top of mind. Whether we’re helping you choose a top-of-the-line air purification system or performing air duct cleaning, we’re here to make sure you and your family breathe easy. To learn more about our products and services or to schedule your appointment, give us a call at 651-319-9777 or send us a message on our contact page. If you’re ready to get started, go ahead and request your free quote!