Is well-chosen interior design all you need for a good indoor appeal? Well, scientists believe that smell is at least as important, if not more important than the looks when it comes to attraction.
We can tell a lot about someone’s health just by their smell, so it is not surprising that bad smell in your home subconsciously indicates that something is not right.
Really delving into clearing the air in your indoor environment can prove to be much more beneficial than merely increasing the appeal of your home. This is especially of help to people who suffer from asthma and other chronic lung diseases.
1. Clear the Furnace
The first thing to do in any home that has an HVAC system installed is to make sure your furnace and air ducts are clean.
There may be several causes to odor in your air ducts. Usually, it is dust or mildew, but sometimes it can be due to dead animals or problems with part failures. Dealing with ductwork doesn’t always require professional help, but there are different solutions to all of these problems.
Dust may be the most common problem but also the one to cause many other problems in the long run, like clogging your filter, leading to an overheated furnace, bigger energy expenses, and, of course, more polluted air. So regular check up of the ducts will prove to save you a lot of bother later on.
2. Change Your Filter
Changing your air filter is as important as clearing the ductwork. Dust particles, pet hair and dander, pollen and other pollutants clog the filter, which not only prevents the furnace from properly functioning but loses in time its own filtrating properties, recycling the already polluted air.
Depending on the quality of your filters, they will need more or less frequent replacing. The cheapest fiberglass air filters usually need to be changed once a month and don’t serve the air clearing as much as they provide feeble protection to your furnace.
HEPA filters prove to be the most effective, especially if you’re prone to allergies or have pets. Consider these filters for other stand-alone appliances as well, such as your dust cleaner and air purifier. Look into different filters and find the option best suited to your household needs at Filter King.
3. Do Dusting and Humidity Control
If your house smells musty, it can be a sign of accumulated dust and increased humidity in your house. These two can go hand in hand when dust absorbs the moisture and leads to mold, mildew and other bacteria development. On the other hand, different pollutants can fly around more easily if there’s not enough moisture.
This can endanger your health even if you don’t have any particular respiratory problems. So you should opt for keeping the humidity in your house at about 40% by using either humidifiers or dehumidifiers, depending on the humidity level at your home.
4. Go Green and Go Minimal
Many people forget this, but plants will provide you daily with fresh air in your home. However, there are some additional points made in favor of houseplants not many people know about. Some of the exotic houseplants are thought to have filtrating powers, processing and reducing the amount of pollutants in the air.
No wonder many advocates of minimalism like decorating with plants. Although the goal is to reduce the decor to a few essentials, the main reason for decluttering is clearing up the mental space along with the visible one. Decluttering is thus a form of cleaning – reducing the space for dust to gather. It certainly makes it easier for you to clean the house regularly.
5. Use Natural Air Fresheners
When you’ve made sure your air is clear, you can always spice it up a bit with some additional pleasant scents. It is also a quick solution to deodorize your house when in a hurry or if you’re having an unexpected visitor. However, these solutions provide no lasting results.
As there has been some controversy regarding chemicals in air fresheners, you can look for more natural solutions. Essential oils, organic scented candles, and even DIY simmering potpourris can help your house smell great just in seconds.
So, next time you start cleaning, think about your air quality, try some of these and make your house smell like an oasis.
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