5 changes to remove Indoor pollution for healthy, happy children

Earlier we turned our searchlight on the hidden monster in your house – Indoor pollution(click here if you haven’t read it). We all learned the shocking fact that air pollution indoors is almost 2-5 times higher than outdoors, and capable of causing serious negative impact on health from asthma to cancer. But don’t be scared! Indoor pollution can easily be kicked out in a few easy steps. Read on & keep your little one safe, happy and strong 🙂
 

1: Unlock the doors to your child’s health & happiness

Sealing your house is not a safety measure. If you’re scrambling to shut all your doors and windows to keep pollutants out, then stop. One of the biggest causes of Indoor pollution is poor ventilation.
Indoor air levels are more concentrated. Opening windows allows the household air to exchange with air outdoors & decreases the levels of many pollutants in your home. This is particularly important when you’re doing activities that can generate high levels of pollutants – such as painting the house, installing carpets, furniture work or other home improvement projects, or even cooking.
Opening windows for at least 15 minutes every day will help to ensure better air quality and humidity levels in your home. So go ahead, unlock the doors to your child’s health, well-being and happiness!
 

2: Give your child the ultimate health supplement

Install a home air purifier with dehumidifier to filter allergens, dust and toxins in your home air and maintain optimum humidity to keep away bacterial & fungal pollutants.
The best air purifiers for home-use effectively remove airborne particles in your home and operate quietly. We tell you some of the key things to look for in an air purifier to decide which one to buy.
 

Functionality

The most important thing to consider is an air purifier’s basic ability to clean the air.

1. Take note of the purifier’s Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) – how efficiently the air purifier eliminates tobacco smoke, dust and pollen from the air.
2. The higher the CADR rating, the better, but go for a minimum rating of at least 3,5 cubic meter / 125 cubic feet per minute (CFM).
3. You can use purifiers with lower CADR numbers in smaller rooms, while larger rooms require higher CADR numbers for maximum effectiveness.

 

Safety

In many purifiers, the process of removing odors creates damaging particles up to 10 times the acceptable standard for an indoor appliance, which can harm ones respiratory health. These charged particles are created by ionizers. While this is an effective method for removing smaller particles from your indoor air, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and the EPA strongly discourage the use of ionizers (read here). The EPA labels ionizers as ozone generators, and warns that prolonged exposure to these types of purifiers can actually worsen respiratory diseases and cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and throat irritation. However, the best purifiers that use an ionizer have settings that allow you:

• to turn the ionizer off
• or program the ionizer operate only at certain times, such as when you are out of the house,

so that you’re not exposed to the charged particles.
 

Features

• The most important feature to check for is a purifier with removable filters and a filter monitor, so you know when they need to be changed.
• Many air purifiers come with an inbuilt dehumidifier. To avoid fugal, bacterial pollutants, the key is controlling humidity. Keeping humidity around 30%-50% helps keep these allergens under control.

 

3. Safety for your baby starts in the womb!

If your are expecting, then protect your baby from all types of Indoor pollution, including the dangers of radiation from smart devices like cellphone, laptops etc.

Yes! Babies while still in the womb are susceptible to radiation. And studies have shown that radition does impact cell-growth, DNA dormation, brain cells development etc. So if you are expecting mom, but juggling work, doctor appointments, evening walks then get yourself a Belly Armor – a simple gadget that protects your baby from radiation. These are simple blankets and tops that are made from special fabric that blocks radiation. Check here for more info.
 

4. The ultimate green gadget – Plants!

Plants are the age—old best bet to fight pollution and keep your nest safe! 
Since we ourselves were school-going kids, we know that plants give out oxygen making the air cleaner. Time to excersise that wisgom now for your own little ones!
Through studies conducted by NASA, scientists have identified 50 houseplants that remove many of the pollutants and gases. NASA, with assistance from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, conducted a two-year study directed by Dr. B.C. Wolverton – a research scientist for NASA for 20 years.
The top-rated plants is Peace Lily as this superhero plant clears the air of all dangerous toxins – benzene (found in plastics, lubricants, synthetic fibers), formaldehyde (found in carpets, adhesives, glues), trichloroethylene ( paint removers, rug cleaners, adhesives etc), toluene, Xylene and ammonia!

Source
Other plants that also remove significant amount of these toxins include Aloe Vera, Areca Palm, Bamboo Palm, Boston Fern, Rubber Plant, Dragon Tree.
In the meanwhile, turn your home greener and your little one healthier. And what’s more teach your children their earliest lesson in respecting Mother Nature get them to take care of a few plants.
 

5. Clean is the new green

Just mop, dust and vacuum clean your home regularly and you will do wonders for your little one’s health:

1. Mop – Yes a wet mop is a wonder cleaner. Especially for countries like India where dust is a serious problem. Mopping picks up the dust that vacuuming leaves behind. Skip the chemical cleaners, use plain water to mop your floors for any lingering dust or allergens. New microfiber mops (and dust cloths) reportedly capture more dust and dirt than traditional fibers and don’t require any cleaning solutions whatsoever.
2. In bedrooms – Once a month, run your bedding—pillows, comforters, quilts—through a hot dryer cycle; the high temperature will kill any dust mites. Vacuum clean all upholstery and upholstered furniture every week.
3. Once a week vacuum clean all your upholstery – curtains, corners and sofas. Dust settles in these hidden corners and further traps chemical toxins.

 

So start implementing these 5 top tips & sleep peacefully knowing your little one is safe, sound and healthy. We continue to research & prepare our next set of tips on what other things you could do to keep your home free on pollution.