Home › Active Breathing Guides

Indoor Air Quality and Your Lungs: 10 Ways to Breathe Cleaner Air at Home

You spend about 90% of your time indoors. Make that air count.

Quick answer

Indoor air often contains dust, mould spores, pet dander, smoke, cooking fumes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cleaning products and furniture, which can irritate the airways. To breathe cleaner air at home, ventilate daily, use extractor fans when cooking, never smoke indoors, keep humidity between 30% and 50%, fix damp and mould, vacuum with a HEPA filter, choose low-VOC products, change HVAC filters, consider a HEPA air purifier and keep pets out of the bedroom.

Key takeaways

We think of pollution as something outdoors, but the air inside our homes can carry just as many irritants, and we breathe it for far longer.

Common indoor air pollutants

Particles

Dust, pet dander, pollen and smoke from cooking, candles or wood stoves can reach deep into the airways.

Mould and damp

Damp walls, bathrooms and window frames release mould spores that irritate the airways.

Gases and VOCs

Gas stoves, cleaning sprays, air fresheners, paints and new furniture release gases and volatile organic compounds.

10 ways to cleaner air

ActionWhy it helps
Open windows dailyDilutes pollutants
Use the cooker hoodRemoves cooking fumes
Never smoke indoorsSmoke lingers for hours
Keep humidity 30–50%Limits mould and dust mites
Fix damp and mouldRemoves a spore source
HEPA vacuum weeklyTraps fine dust
Choose low-VOC productsFewer chemical fumes
Change HVAC filtersCleaner circulated air
Consider a HEPA purifierRemoves fine particles
Pets out of the bedroomLess dander at night

Supporting your airways

Cleaner air reduces the load on your lungs, and daily habits such as walking and deep breathing keep them working well. LungExpand Pro adds daily support for clear, relaxed airways with ivy leaf, mullein, serratiopeptidase and peppermint oil, plus umckaloabo and vitamin D3 for respiratory defences.

Note: install a carbon monoxide detector if you have fuel-burning appliances, and talk to your doctor if your breathing symptoms are worse at home or at work.

Sources

  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – "Introduction to indoor air quality."
  2. American Lung Association – "Indoor air quality."
  3. World Health Organization – "WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: dampness and mould," 2009.

Common questions

Is indoor air worse than outdoor air?

It can be: the EPA notes indoor pollutant levels are often 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors.

What humidity is best for breathing?

About 30% to 50% limits mould and dust mites.

Do air purifiers help the lungs?

HEPA purifiers can reduce fine particles, dust and pollen indoors.

← Back to home

↑