We are living in a time when inhaling clean air has become a luxury. Our environment is fragile and prone to hazardous pollutants, pushing us to search for ways to block out airborne irritants.
Which is why over the past few years, air purifiers have become an important household item. However, they are not so easy to come by or purchase.
But there is a way you can purify the air in your home, to keep infection and pollutants away without breaking the bank: organic air purifiers. However, first lets understand why you need to take this approach.
Organic Air Purifier: Why We Need To Purify Our Homes
Every home needs an organic air purifier and the reason is simple. Hazardous indoor air quality is caused by smoke and scents of cigarettes, cooking or even household cleaning products that linger without proper ventilation. On top of that outdoor contaminants such as pollen, dander, and bacteria can be brought into a home by family members or pets.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says high temperature and humidity levels can also increases concentrations of some pollutants. The levels of air pollutants are often greater indoors than outside.
So a combination of all these factors is why the young, elderly and chronically ill, mainly the ones who are suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease, are most susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution.
As people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, it’s important to make sure the air you breathe inside is safe and circulating.
While high-quality purifiers remove unwanted odours, bacteria, viruses, and mould from the household air, there are some natural purifiers that you can use to cleanse the air in your homes; all the while being cost-efficient.
Organic Air Purifier: 5 Natural Options You Can Explore
1. Bees wax candles
Beeswax candles have the ability to ionise the air. | Image courtesy: Pixabay
If you love the aroma of scented candles and like seeing them placed beautifully in your home, this is a remedy you need to try.
Beeswax candles have the ability to ionise the air and neutralise toxic compounds and contaminants. They also remove common allergens like dust from the air.
The best part is they not only improve the quality of the air, but they also burn slowly. This means you will not be required to replace them frequently. Plus, there is no smoke or scent and this won’t cause any problem if you have an asthmatic patient at home.
2. Salt crystal lamp
Himalayan salt pulls toxins from the environment and acts as a great air purifier. | Image courtesy: Pixabay
You can go for a Himalayan Pink salt lamp in your room or at your office. They not only add charm to the decor of your room, but also work as a natural air purifier. Himalayan salt pulls toxins from the environment and neutralises them.
Plus, salt crystal products tend to reduce airborne irritants, pathogens and allergens by pulling water vapour out of the air. The crystal lamp has the quality of glowing naturally, while not disrupting our sleep.
Though their effect is more when turned on, they continue to work even when it has been turned off.
3. Activated charcoal
Here’s another organic air purifier that you can consider. Activated charcoal is odourless and has high absorptive properties.
It works wonders by eliminating toxins from the air, especially if it is in the form of Bamboo charcoal, which helps to purify the air.
You can even get bamboo charcoal bags that you can use to naturally trap unpleasant smells and freshen the indoor air.
4. Good ventilation
You can’t ignore the ventilation of your home. Sometimes, due to toxic air outdoors you might find it difficult to open the windows and breathe fresh air. But, you can always install trickle vents to purify and recycle the indoor air. Exhaust fans are another great alternative that help push pollutants outside.
Sometimes, all we need to be is a little alert and careful. For instance, after a shower, be sure to let all the steam out of your bathroom. Otherwise, the extra moisture in the air can cause mould and mildew growth.
5. Essential Oils
In the presence of essential oils like cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, thyme, grapefruit lemon, clove, tea tree – viruses, fungi, bacteria and even mould cannot survive.
According to a study from Weber State University, thieves oil has a 99.96% kill rate against airborne bacteria. It is an antiseptic blend of pure essential oils that helps keep the home free from germs and purifies the air. You can add it to soaps and detergents to breathe fresher, cleaner air.
The best part about these organic air purifier is that not only are they natural, but are also budget-friendly options to explore.
Importance of Air Purifier Amid Pandemic
Keeping in mind the pandemic, experts say that air purifiers can work to protect indoor air space. Hence, restaurants were among the first to jump on the air purification bandwagon to stay safe and vital.
Now as authorities have begun to agree that
coronavirus is airborne, scientists are calling for ventilation systems to be overhauled.
“Cleaner indoor air won’t just fight the pandemic, it will minimise the risk of catching flu and other respiratory infections,” said researchers said
in a study in the journal Science.
Avoiding these germs and their associated
sickness and productivity losses would, therefore, offset the cost of upgrading ventilation and filtration in buildings.
How useful is an air purifier in the pandemic situation, Prof Tambyah in an interview with the
Online Citizen explains:
“Air purifier removes a lot of the dust particles, and so maybe, you know, it reduces people from sniffing and sneezing. So if the guy has a mild COVID and you prevent him from sneezing, you’re preventing him from spreading the virus all over the place. So, from that point of view, rather than from the point of view of just specifically killing the virus. I think, you know, just probably a small benefit, but not a huge amount.”
Tips To Deal With Singapore Air Pollution
Keep the filters in your air conditioner clean. Image courtesy: iStock
Singapore deals with unhealthy air frequently due to the higher levels of pollutants. There are some precautions that you can take to keep your indoor air clean.
- Clean your home on regular basis. Vacuuming is important to remove the particles around the house.
- Don’t smoke inside your home.
- Use exhaust fans to further prevent the smoke from causing more irritation to your lungs and throat
- If you have central air conditioning, you already have a whole-house air filtration system at your disposal. It works by pulling air out of your house, cooling it and pumping it back in.
- You should clean your air conditioner to help keep asthma triggers away from your house
- Carpets are actually toxic sponge. According to an EPA study, if you use a doormat and take shoes off at the door – common toxins are reduced by about 60 percent.
So next time if you think of spraying a scented air freshener to clean your air, think again. That scent is also a form of indoor air pollution, and most air fresheners just release more potentially harmful chemicals into your home.
In addition to all the above tips, try to surround yourself with houseplants that can purify and rejuvenate air within your home. Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, the quality of the air you breathe can have a big impact on your health.
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