Breathe Better at Home (English)

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) describes the condition of the air inside and how it affects our health and well-being. Because air is shapeless and colorless, becoming aware of common objects and activities that impact indoor air quality is the first step to managing risks and reducing sources of pollution inside your home that can be harmful to your health. This resource highlights where indoor pollution can come from and actions you can take to breathe better inside your home.

Did you know the average person spends nearly 90% of their time indoors, and the air indoors can be 2-5 times worse than the air outside?

Instructions:

Look for these icons throughout the slides. Hover over the icon with your mouse for more information on ways to improve your indoor air quality.

Hover over the icon with your mouse to see the room with good indoor air quality.

This is an educational guide to help you improve indoor air quality in your home. The images show hidden sources of indoor air pollution in the home that impact health. Click on the below icons to reveal solutions for reducting pollutants in each room of the house.

The orange icons indicate particulate matter (PM) sources of indoor air pollution.

The purple icons indicate volatile organic compound (VOC) sources of indoor air pollution.

The yellow icons indicate sources of odor in the home.

Indoor air can be full of particles that contribute to indoor air pollution and can be worse than the air outside.

Because indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air, opening windows can help improve your indoor air quality. A window fan can help push bad air out and draw in fresh air.

Because indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air, opening windows can help improve your indoor air quality. A window fan can help push bad air out and draw in fresh air.

Using mechanical filtration such as a HEPA filtration unit can reduce up to 99% of the particles in the air.

During wildfire smoke events keep windows closed and use a box fan filter or portable HEPA air filter for cleaner air indoors.

Health Impacts of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Poor indoor air quality can lead to short and long-term health outcomes. Poor indoor air quality can also make existing health conditions worse. Populations most sensitive to poor indoor air quality are infants and children, pregnant women, people 65 years and older, and those with existing illnesses.

Long-term health impacts of poor IAQ can include respiratory disease (like asthma and COPD), heart disease, and cancer.

Immediate health impacts of poor IAQ can include irritation of eyes, nose and throat, headache, and fatigue.

Health Impacts of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Poor indoor air quality can lead to short and long-term health outcomes. Poor indoor air quality can also make existing health conditions worse. Populations most sensitive to poor indoor air quality are infants and children, pregnant women, people 65 years and older, and those with existing illnesses.

Long-term health impacts of poor IAQ can include respiratory disease (like asthma and COPD), heart disease, and cancer.

Immediate health impacts of poor IAQ can include irritation of eyes, nose and throat, headache, and fatigue.

Two Main Sources of Poor Indoor Air Quality

"Dust"Particulate Matter (PM)PM is typically associated with dust and can come from pet dander, pollen, carpets, furniture upholstery, and activities such as vacuuming and sweeping, and second hand smoke.

"Chemicals"Volatile Organic Compunds (VOCS)VOCs are commonly used indoors and can come from cleaning products, beauty products (e.g., hair spray and makeup remover), cooking (e.g., gas stoves, cooking oil, non-stick pans like Teflon, and charring, roasting, or frying of foods), air fresheners and other scented products like candles, and building materials (e.g., glue, paint, particle boardm, and plywood).

Two Main Sources of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Now lets explore what factors inside and outside of the home affect your indoor air quality!

Bringing fresh, outdoor air into your home is one way you can reduce levels of indoor air pollution - but relying on outdoor air alone may not be enough to fully protect the health of you and your family, especially if outdoor air is also polluted.

Improving Indoor Air Quality Begins Outside

Place tight fitting lids on trash cans and compost to reduce odors.

For adults who smoke, only smoke outdoors to keep indoor air clean and fresh.

Cooking activities like grilling, barbequing, smoking meats, and deep frying are better done outside in an open-air environment.

If you park your car in a garage, open the garage door before starting the car.

Avoid use of propane heaters indoors - if you need to heat a space, consider using an electric space heater.

Keep paint, chemicals, and other household hazardous materials stored securely with tight fitting lids to avoid accidental spills.

If you have a garage or outdoor workspace, keep doors and windows open when using the space for any prolonged period. Never operate portable energy generators or small engine appliances in an enclosed area and only use outdoors.

Hover over the blue icons to see how to improve air quality in the bathroom.

Click on the pink icon to see what the bathroom looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Check for water leaks (from pipes or roof/wall) and prevent mold by cleaning often.

Avoid air freshener products because they can contain harmful VOCS.

Ventilate damp spaces by opening a window or turning on an exhaust fan to remove moist air.

To address odors, remove the source of the smell: close toilet lids when flushing, empty garbage, clear clogged drains and clean mold, dilute odors with fresh outdoor air.

Hover over the blue icons to see how to improve air quality in the bedroom.

Click on the pink icon to see what the bedroom looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Routinely wash bed sheets and dirty laundry.

Use electric candles or ambience lighting instead of burning candles.

Use non-toxic beauty products and keep beauty products in the bathroom instead of the bedroom.

Periodically vacuum heater vents and use vent filters.

Hover over the blue icons to see how to improve air quality in the playroom.

Click on the pink icon to see what the playroom looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Damp dust bookshelves and surfaces using water and a clean towel.

If you burn incense or scented candles, consider doing so near an open window.

Damp dust house plant leaves using water and a clean towel.

Keep toys stored away in a storage bin when not in use.

Hover over the blue icon to see how to improve air quality in the entry way.

Click the pink icon to see what the entry way looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Remove shoes upon entry and place in storage bin to reduce dirt in your home.

Hover over the blue icon to see how to improve air quality in the entry way.

Click the pink icon to see what the entry way looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Remove shoes upon entry and place in storage bin to reduce dirt in your home.

Hover over the blue icons to see how to improve air quality in the living room.

Click on the pink icon to see what the living room looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Open a window (if outdoor air quality is good) or use a fan to help circulate air.

Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to avoid releasing dust (look for "HEPA" on the label).

Steam clean carpet and upholstery every few months.

Keep pets off furniture and provide with their own bedding that can be cleaned.

Hover over the blue icons to see how to improve air quality in the kitchen.

Click on the pink icon to see what the kitchen looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Cook using low to medium heat to prevent burning, and use oils with a high smoke point if high temperatures are needed (oil smoke point is found on the package label).

Use trash cans with lids that stay closed when not in use.

Mop hard floors using non-toxic cleaning solution.

Use non-toxic cleaning products such as white vinegar for cleaning kitchen messes.

Turn on rangehood vent while cooking. If a rangehood is not available open a window or use a portable HEPA air filter or DIY box fan filter to help reduce particulate matter.

Use non-toxic cookware such as cast iron, ceramic enameled, glass, or copper.

Hover over the blue icon to see how to improve air quality in the basement.

Click on the pink icon to see what the basement looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the ground that can enter homes through cracks in walls and floors. It is the leading cause of caner in the U.S. among non-smokers. The only way to know if you are at risk of exposure is by testing.

Hover over the blue icons to see how to improve air quality in the laundry room.

Click on the pink icon to see what the laundry room looks like when air pollutants are removed.

Use non-toxic cleaning products and keep them safely secured to prevent accidental spills.

Ensure dryer exhaust is properly vented outside.

Empty dryer lint trap between uses in a well-ventilated area.

Use non-toxic dryer sheets (e.g. wool dryer balls).

When outdoor air quality is bad, consider taking the following actions:

• Keep windows closed
• Use a portable air filtration device (such as a HEPA air filtration unit or a DIY Box Fan Filter)
• If you have an air conditioning system, upgrade your system's filters to MERV-13 or higher, and operate the system on recirculation mode to keep polluted outdoor air outside of your home

Factors outside your home can contribute to poor indoor air quality

To improve your indoor air quality in the bathroom, it is helpful to:

• Ventilate damp spaces through open window or an exhaust fan to remove moist air.
• Check for water leaks (from pipes, roof/wall), and prevent mold by cleaning often.
• Avoid air freshener products because they can contain harmful VOCs.
• To address odors, remove the source of the smell: close toilet lids when flushing, empty garbage, clear clogged drains, clean mold, and dilute odors with fresh outdoor air.

To improve your indoor air quality in the bedroom, it is helpful to:

• Routinely wash bed sheets and dirty laundry.
• Use electric candles or ambience lighting instead of burning candles.
• Periodically vacuum heater vents and use vent filters.
• Use non-toxic beauty products and keep beauty products in the bathroom instead of the bedroom.

To improve your indoor air quality in the playroom, consider doing the following:

• Damp dust house plant leaves, bookshelves, and surfaces using water and a clean towel.
• Keep toys stored away in a storage bin when not in use.
• If you burn incense or scented candles, consider doing so near an open window.

In the entry way, remove shoes upon entry and place in storage bin to reduce dirt in your home.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the ground that can enter homes through cracks in walls and floors. Radon is the leading cause of cancer in the U.S. among non-smokers, and the only way to know if you are at risk of exposure is by testing. Inexpensive test kits are available at your local hardware store for home Radon testing.

To improve your IAQ in the kitchen, consider the following:

• Cooking using low to medium heat to prevent burning and use oils with a high smoke point if high temperatures are needed (oils smoke point is found on package label)
• Use non-toxic cookware such as cast iron, ceramic enameled, glass, or copper
• Turn on rangehood vent while cooking, if a rangehood is not available open a window or use a portable HEPA air filter or DIY box fan filter to help reduce particulate matter
• Use non-toxic cleaning products such as white vinegar for cleaning kitchen messes
• Use trash cans with lids that stay closed when not in use
• Mop hard floors using non-toxic cleaning solution

To improve your IAQ in the living room, consider the following:

• Open a window (if outdoor air quality is good) or use a fan to help circulate air.
• Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to avoid releasing dust (look for "HEPA" on the label)
• Steam clean carpet and upholstery every few months
• Keep pets off furniture and proved with their own bedding that can be cleaned
• Use a HEPA portable air filter or DIY box fan filter to remove particles from the air. If you have furry pets be sure to change filters more often

To improve your IAQ in the laundry room, consider the following:

• Use non-toxic cleaning products and keep them safely secured to prevent accidental spills.
• Empty dryer lint between uses in a well-ventilated area and use non-toxic dryer sheets (e.g., wool dryer balls)
• Ensure dryer exhaust is properly vented outside

This project was made possible by funding from Public Health - Seattle & King County's Climate & Equity Initiative, and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from the Climate & Health Program at the Centers for Disease Countrol & Prevention (CDC). Images were created by What Else Designs.Visit Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's web page for up-to date information on outdoor air quality in your area: https://www.pscleanair.gov/