The Air Indoors Can Kill You: Know 5 Ways to Beat it to the Punch

If you thought that once indoors you shut the door firmly on air pollution, you couldn’t be more wrong!

Indoor air pollution is a dangerous killer, for it affects its victims slowly but surely. (Photo: iStock)

The fact that air pollution has increased manifold in the past couple of years is common knowledge. Everyday headlines scream out this fact. Even for those who ignore the news, the constant wheezing and breathlessness is testimony enough.

Yes, you’d think that once indoors, with the door shut firmly in the face of car fumes and industrial expulsions, you’d be safe from respiratory diseases. But you couldn’t be more wrong!

According to a recent assessment by the World Health Organization, out of the 8 million deaths globally attributed to air pollution, nearly 4.3 million occurred due to household (indoor) pollution.

Money Plant and Syngonium in an upcycled bottle planter, grown in a nutritive gel base. (Photo Courtesy: MySunnyBalcony)

Doctors in Indian cities are corroborating this report as well. “There has been a 30 to 40 per cent rise in the number of patients suffering from respiratory disorders in the past couple of years. A lot of it has to do with bad air quality in the house,” says Vikas Maurya, senior consultant (respiratory) at Delhi’s BLK Super Specialty Hospital.

But, before you consider packing up and heading to the hills, think again. While the situation is grim, it is not one that can’t be remedied. With a few simple measures, you will be able to breathe easy inside your home again.

Experts suggest a few quick ideas to help oxygenate your home:

Go Green

The Money Plant and Syngonium are perfect tools to ‘green’ your indoors. (Photo Courtesy: MySunnyBalcony)

What can be better oxygenerators than plants? The key is to choose the right ones that will survive indoors and also improve air quality the best. “One such is the Parlour Palm, which has been doing a great job of oxygenating the indoor space,” says Sriram Aravamudan of Bengaluru-based MySunnyBalcony, which creates customised landscapes for urban environments.

Then there is the Rhapis Palm or the Lady Palm, which is easy to grow and thrives in any well-drained soil.

Rhapis Palm in a large dome pot. (Photo Courtesy: MySunnyBalcony)

Yet another, which will not just purify air but also serve as a great conversation starter, is the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue or Sansevieria. Unlike other plants that consume oxygen at night, this one gives off oxygen after dark. It also filters irritants such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and benzene from the air. It’s best to keep this plant in the bedroom for a steady supply of pure air at night.

Minimise the Moisture

A well-maintained air conditioner is a must to ward off air pollutants. (Photo: iStock)

Dampness of any kind is a playground for pests and allergens. Humidity too leads to a rise in mould and mildew, thus triggering off cough, wheezing and asthma-like symptoms. The best thing to do is to plug in the leaks in the house and keep the air conditioner clean. A well-maintained air conditioner helps control the moisture, keeping the humidity levels at an ideal 30 per cent to 50 per cent.

Say No to High VOC Products

Look for mild-scented fragrances and cleaners that don’t irritate the nose, throat and mouth. (Photo: iStock)

Nothing worsens air quality like products with VOC or volatile organic compounds. These can be found in paints, air fresheners, aerosols, carpet cleaners and more and tend to irritate the nose, eyes and throat. They can also induce headaches, nausea and breathing problems. So, what’s the solution? Go natural. When buying fragrances or cleaners, look for mild ones that are naturally scented.

Reduce the Carpeted Area

Make sure you clean your carpet to thwart allergies. (Photo: iStock)

Gone are the days when wall-to-wall carpets were in vogue and rich upholsteries would adorn the walls. “Over time, heavy beddings and carpets become home to dust mites – microscopic creatures that thrive on moisture and trigger off allergies,” says Dr Maurya. It is wise to wash the bedding every week with warm water to get rid of the mites. And if you can’t do without your carpets, then use a wet vacuum cleaner with strong suction to clean them.

Air Purifiers

Air purifier model: SHARP FU-A80E-E. (Photo Courtesy: Barun Aggarwal/BreatheEasy)

One of the main villains in the air pollution story is a microscopic particulate matter called PM2.5. According to WHO guidelines, the level of this invisible particle should stay below 15 micrograms per cubic meters indoors but in cities like Delhi, the levels are 10 to 30 times higher than the safety limits. One way to bring the numbers of PM2.5 down is by using the right kind of air purifiers.

“I stress on the word right as there is a lot of wrong technology available which will harm your lungs even more,” says Barun Aggarwal, director, BreatheEasy, a Delhi-based clean air consultancy.

A Slew of Air Purifiers are Making it Easy

The Indian market is currently flooded with purifiers from brands such as Sharp, BlueAir, Philips, Eureka and Honeywell that cost between Rs 2,000 to Rs 95,000 and more. Ideally, a good purifier must have the right combination of a filter and a fan. Look for a high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter that sucks in air after throwing out pollutants. It’s recommended that your machine have a pre-filter as well to throw out large particulate matter before it reaches the HEPA.

In machines that don’t have a pre-filter, the large particles choke the HEPA, which is very costly to replace. Also, strictly avoid technologies such as electrostatic precipitator, negative ionizers, UV lights, ozonizers and more as they produce gases that can harm your lungs.
– Barun Aggarwal, Director, BreatheEasy

Air purifier model: BlueAir 450E. ((Photo Courtesy: Barun Aggarwal/BreatheEasy)

And then there’s the most obvious and the most crucial one: Implement a strict “No Smoking” policy in your house. Clean air does no one any harm, but smoke sure does.

Implement a “No Smoking” rule in your house – and stick to it! (Photo: iStock)

(Avantika Bhuyan is a freelance journalist who loves to uncover the invisible India hiding in nooks and crannies across the country.)