Clean Air, Beautiful Homes

When you think of air pollution, you most likely conjure up images of the moving vehicles in busy urban streets, or exhaust smoke from power plants, or smoke from burning city waste, fuel-wood, etc. But do you know that in reality indoor air can be 5 times more polluted than the outdoor air? This is because contained areas enable pollutants to build up more than open spaces do. Just take a look at these facts and figures:

• About half a million women and children die each year from indoor air pollution in India.
• 28% of all deaths due to indoor air pollution in developing countries occur in India.
• A pollutant released indoors is one thousand times more likely to reach people's lungs than a pollutant released outdoors (called the Rule of 1000).
• Nearly 50% of pneumonia deaths among children under five are due to particulate matter inhaled from indoor air pollution.

Unlike outdoor air pollution, the effect of indoor air pollution is health related and less of an environmental issue. Some people react to indoor air contamination by coughing or sneezing or things like that, but the symptoms go away as soon as they leave the building. For others, there are more serious effects, especially if they are exposed to the contamination for a longer period.

Here are some sources of indoor air pollution that might surprise you:

1. Candles

As lovely as they can be, most candles will pollute your home with harmful gases and sediments. While burning, all candles release some soot particles that become airborne and can lead to respiratory problems.

2. Secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke, comes from incompletely burned tobacco products. In the short term, exposure to secondhand smoke can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. In the long-run, it can cause many of the same health problems as smoking, like wheezing, pneumonia, bronchitis,, and lung cancer. Asthma attacks may be triggered by secondhand smoke exposure.

3. Air Fresheners

Most store-bought air fresheners emit toxic pollutants at levels that may lead to health risks. 

4. Cleaning Products

Many conventional household cleaning products contain harmful chemicals like alcohol, chlorine, ammonia or petroleum-based solvents, all of which can have negative effects on your health, irritate your eyes or throat, or cause headaches.Some cleaning products release dangerous Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can contribute to chronic respiratory problems and aggavate allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Products containing VOCs include most aerosol sprays, chlorine bleach, rug and upholstery cleaners, furniture and floor polish, and oven cleaners.

5. Kitchen Stove

A poorly ventilated kitchen can cause a huge amount of air pollution in your home.

6. Building materials and furnishings as diverse as

• Deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation

• Newly installed flooring, upholstery, or carpet

• Cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products

7. Personal Care Products

Tips and Tricks to Ensure Clean Air Inside Your Home:

Fortunately, there are ways you can minimize air pollution in your home. Here goes some simple steps to take to ensure clean air in your home:

1. Improve Ventilation

Improving Ventilation will drastically improve the air quality of your home. Open windows every day and allow the household air to exchange with air outdoors. It's probably the easiest thing you can do.
Another thing to remember is to use exhaust fans when cooking and showering or using hot water in the bathroom.

2. Eliminate odors, don't mask them

Find the source of bad smells (a rotting potato in the cupboard? musty blankets? a pet accident?) and clean it up. Where appropriate, use a box of baking soda in the area instead of air fresheners.

3. Wash very dirty or dusty laundry in the hottest water.

4. Buy Houseplant

Not only are they beautiful additions to your home, but houseplants have powerful toxin-removing capabilities as well. These natural little air cleaners don’t look out of place, make distracting noises or cost money to maintain; all they need is a little water and sunlight.The best varieties to reduce indoor air pollution include the Boston fern, English ivy, spider plant, peace lily and areca palm, just to name a few. Keep two plants per 100 square feet where you need them most and you can expect cleaner indoor air in no time.

5. Ban Smoking

Don't smoke or allow others to do so in your home.

6.  Cleaning

A regular cleaning schedule is an obvious and effective action to improve air quality. 

• Use a vacuum cleaner. Apart from floors and carpets, vacuum walls, carpet edges, upholstered furniture and any spot where dust accumulates.
• Mopping floors will collect additional dust that a vacuum cleaner can miss.
• Keep out dirt with doormats at entrances to your home.
• Wash pillows, sheets, and comforters once a week to reduce exposure.

7. Use Royale Atmos by Asin Paints

As the festive season is just round the corner, many of you might have plans to give your homes a makeover. This time, try a paint that not only looks good, but also helps to purify air and improve air quality inside your home. 'Royale Atmos' by Asian Paints just does that. It's activated Carbon Technology reduces harmful pollutants from the air.

Just take a look here: https://www.asianpaints.com/atmos. 
This is a very informative link. You will get to know a lot about indoor air pollution and the role of 'Royale Atmos' to combat it.

Here's wishing a happy, clean and pollution free festivities to all of you in advance.