With the majority still sheltering from home, the focus has been making it a healthier and safer place for residents. One of the best ways to ensure well-being is by improving the air quality at home. Pulmonary care specialist Dr. Lisa M. Cannon shares these tips to keep the home from potentially harmful pollutants.
No smoking indoors
Recent studies show that there is a thing called thirdhand smoke. These are potential carcinogens from tobacco smoke particles that mix with gases in the air or absorbed into common surfaces like rugs, curtains, clothes, walls, and many others. Making the home a no-smoking zone lessens secondhand and thirdhand smoke, clearing the air by a considerable percentage. For those living with smokers, requesting them to take their cigarette breaks outdoors might be a better alternative if they’re not yet ready to quit.
Clean more often
Dr. Lisa M. Cannon says that one of the most effective ways to improve air quality is to clean more often. Keeping surfaces, corners, and furniture clean will prevent the buildup of dust, dander, dust mites, and other allergens that can trigger illness. Experts also suggest choosing cleaning materials that are mild and produce fewer fumes.
Improve ventilation
Installing high-grade filters for air-conditioning, opening windows regularly, changing the curtains, and adding fans are some of the simple ways to promote better ventilation at home. Dr. Lisa M. Cannon says that ensuring good air circulation will prevent harmful particles from accumulating at home.
Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., is a board-certified pulmonary disease and critical care physician with a private practice in Bergen County, New Jersey. For more reads on health and medicine, visit this page.
Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon 