Low-Cost Ways to Purify the Air in Your Home

Believe it or not, the quality of the air inside your home may be far worse than the air outside, despite all of the pollution from factories, cars, etc. that’s out there. The truth is that there are many products that are found and used throughout your home that deteriorate the quality of your air.

For example, many items, such as your furniture and the paint on your walls, can cause volatile organic compounds and other toxins to leak into the air, and this can, over time, result in a variety of health ailments.

And the cleaning products you use that contain chemicals, or the artificial fragrances you use throughout your home to eliminate odours, can also be detrimental.

So what can you do to purify the air inside your home and help your family breathe more easily? Well, there are many steps you can take, but some of them are really expensive and difficult to accomplish, especially if you are on a budget.

That’s why we chose to compile a list of the most effective and easiest low-cost solutions that will help you bring cleaner air into your environment.

Bring Plants Into Your Home

Plants serve a dual purpose of making your home look more beautiful and purifying the air within it.

A word of caution, though, for those who own pets: be very careful about what plants you bring into your home, as many varieties are toxic to cats and dogs.

Sometimes even just getting pollen on their fur and then licking it could cause everything from digestive upset to respiratory distress, shock, and even death.

So if you find a plant that you would love to bring home, or even a bouquet of flowers, just do your research first to determine if it is safe for pets.

Then place it in an area that is out of reach of your critters so that they, and your new plants, will be safe.

Below is a list of just three of the many plants that work at purifying the air in an indoor space:

Dracaena: The great thing about this plant is the fact that it comes in a variety of sizes and colours, so you can choose the one that will look best in your home.

If you cannot place one near a window, go for the Massangeana or the Lemon Lime, both of which are best suited to low-light areas.

Other than finding the right spot that will allow the plant to get the ideal amount of sunshine, all you need to do is keep the soil damp and use a fertiliser to keep it growing strong.

Keep this plant healthy and it will work on eliminating xylene, benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

Bamboo Palm: For a touch of paradise, get a bamboo palm. This is a preferred plant during the dry, winter months of the year, as it will actually add a bit of moisture into the air while eliminating carbon monoxide, chloroform, xylene, benzene, formaldehyde, and other toxins from the environment.

Maintain moist soil, give it a bit of sunshine but keep it out of direct sunlight, and make sure you have the space to watch it grow as high as 6 feet tall.

Chrysanthemum: If you want something that will produce flowers, the Chrysanthemum is a great option, as it will clear the air of toxins that include xylene, formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia.

It will bloom for roughly 6 weeks every year, usually in the autumn, when cared for properly. It should be placed in an area that receives indirect, bright sunlight. Remember to also keep the soil damp.

Invest in an Air Filter

If you suffer from allergies, especially those caused by dust in the environment, investing in an affordable air filter will ensure you can enjoy cleaner air for years to come.

Just make sure you purchase one that is within your budget but produces the results you are hoping for.

And, in order to keep it functioning at its best, replace the filtrate filter regularly to ensure all allergens will be trapped and only the purest air will be released into your home.

Use the Right Candles

Standard candles are made of paraffin wax and, although these are popular and cheap, they are made using petroleum, so chemicals that include toluene and benzene, along with soot, can be released into the air whenever you burn them.

A better alternative is candles made of beeswax, which are completely natural. Or you can go with soy-based candles. These candles usually contain only natural fragrances that are much safer for your family and your pets.

But beeswax candles, in particular, can be burnt purely to clean the air, as they will not produce a scent or any smoke, Instead, they will remove negative ions, which bind with toxins, from the environment.

They are also used to remove dander and dust from the air.

Thankfully, there are plenty of affordable ways to make the air inside your home cleaner for the entire family. This is especially important if anyone in your household suffers with allergies or respiratory problems like asthma.

Start by switching to natural, eco-friendly, chemical-free cleaning products and avoiding artificial fragrances.

Then take the next step by incorporating helpful houseplants, beeswax candles, and a high quality air filter. Before long, you should notice a positive difference in the quality of the air you breathe in every day.