Breathe safe, live happy this festive season

With the onset of festivities like Navratri, Dasara, Diwali, Christmas and others cleaning and doing up your homes, painting, renovation become priority activities. Particles of dust, compounds in paints, solvents and furniture, clearing moisture damages, incense sticks are common sightings at such times.

Given our current lifestyle a large part of our time is spent indoors. The quality of air inside homes, offices, schools, health care facilities or other private and public buildings is a critical determinant of healthy life and well-being. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), any air that carries more than 10 mg of pollutants in a cubic meter of air is hazardous.

Some of the most common elements in our homes can act as pollutants and affect the quality of air we breathe, causing some serious health hazards. It is important to look at indoor pollutants as a larger threat.

Here are some easy solutions to tackle pollutants in homes and ensure safe festivities

Indoor plants

Keep plants like Aloe Vera, English Ivy, Bamboo Palm, which are known to clear the air of benzene and formaldehyde, both known human carcinogens. Unlike most plants, Aloe Vera releases oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide at night, making it ideal for bedrooms.

Salt lamps

This Diwali switch to beautiful lamps made from salt pieces. These are known to release negative ions, thus improving air quality, fighting indoor pollution and keeping your house odour-free.

Paint your homes before winter sets in

Avoid painting your homes in winter. This is the time when some products release volatile organic compounds.

Beeswax candles

Get over the trend of using scented candles this festive season that gives off more fragrance, in turn causing more harm. Choose unscented tapered candles or better, pure beeswax candles that burn with almost no smoke or scent and clean the air by releasing negative ions into the air.

Service your ACs and clear the furnaces

Follow a strict maintenance schedule of your air conditioning and heating systems to ensure they are not clogged or dirty and change filters as and when necessary.

Use natural scents and fragrances

Synthetic fragrances in laundry products and air fresheners emit dozens of different chemicals into the air. Avoid aerosol sprays like deodorants, hair sprays, carpet cleaners, furniture polish and air fresheners. Natural fresheners like a sliced lemons and baking soda will keep your kitchen fresh and mildly fragrant.

Get rid of half-used paint cans

These are capable of releasing significant levels of harmful VOCs even when they are resealed. Store unopened cans in a well-ventilated area like outdoors in a shed, until ready to use since they continue to emit fumes despite being airtight.

Damp Dusting: Dust your door knobs and fittings with a damp cloth as it prevents agitation of settled dust particles.

By:U Rajnikanth