1) Treat your bedroom as if it were a hospital room
Start thinking of your bedroom as a sacred space like a temple. Or even a hospital.Try to keep your bedroom as sparse as possible with only the bare essentials. Take a bit of inspiration from the Japanese and keep the furnishing minimal, with no carpets. By breathing in fresh air for six to eight hours you are protecting your lungs for a considerable part of the day, giving them the added advantage to battle the pollutants when you finally step outside to begin your day. Don't you want that kind of protection and leverage?
2) Always remove your shoes
Our shoes literally bring in the filth and muck from the outside world into our homes. If you ever place the soles of your shoes under a microscope, you would shudder at the amount of bacteria you will find. Your footwear can pick up everything from bacteria-packed fecal matter to toxic lead dust and harmful pesticides. When you walk around the house wearing the same shoes, you are only helping spread more germs and toxins, adding to whatever else are already inside.
3) Use any kind of varnish outside the house
Varnishes or any substance with an alcohol or spirit smell emit high levels of pollutants that can remain inside your house for at least a week. Step outside when using nail polish or nail polish removers. Or do it in the bathroom with the exhaust fan on. Get all wooden furniture varnished outside and bring it in only once the smell has gone.
4) Swap the usual cleaners for vinegar
Most cleaning products contain chemicals that contribute to poor indoor air quality. Research has linked once-a-week use of cleaning products with a 24 to 32 per cent higher risk of progressive lung disease. Fortunately, there are plenty of safe and effective options. Soap and water, or vinegar and baking soda can serve as inexpensive alternatives.
5) Pollen, bacteria and mould
People who live by the coast or in areas with heavy rainfall will notice mould growing on the walls of their houses or the paint peeling. Mould is a pollutant and can cause respiratory complications. Indoor air pollution is exacerbated by pollen and bacteria. Given that we spend 80 to 90 per cent of our time indoors, air quality matters. It's especially important that we clean mouldy areas of our houses thoroughly.
6) Go digital
Newspapers are printed with inks that release toluene, a harmful toxin. And as you keep stacking them, the amount of toxins only increases. Go paperless; we are in the age of the digital world after all.