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YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
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NON-TOXIC CLEANING 101
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FEATURED
YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
ExPLORE
NON-TOXIC CLEANING 101
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality inside and around your home, specifically as it relates to the health and comfort of the people living there. Everything from how often you open your windows to what's in your cleaning products affects it.
Poor indoor air quality is linked to a range of health issues. Some problems show up quickly (think headaches, sore throat, watery eyes), and others, like heart disease, respiratory disease, or cancer, build over time. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to your indoor air quality, especially for families with young children, people with asthma or allergies, or anyone spending long hours at home.
Improving the indoor air quality and minimizing household air pollution is easier than you may think. Here are quick, simple ways to clean up the air in your home.
This is the most immediate thing you can do to improve indoor air quality. Opening your windows creates air exchange, flushing out stale, pollutant-laden air and pulling in fresh air from outside. It's a habit worth continuing year-round.
In Germany, residents open their windows twice a day as a standard practice, even in winter. In fact, in many rental properties, it's actually required. Regular ventilation is scientifically proven to reduce mold growth.
If your neighborhood air quality is a concern (you live near traffic or experience high pollen days), check your local air quality index before opening the windows. On good air days, even 10 to 15 minutes of cross-ventilation makes a real difference.
This is the highest-leverage swap you can make. What you clean your home with directly affects the air your family breathes.
Conventional cleaning products release toxic chemical compounds into the air during and after use, and some of those compounds can linger for hours. Switching to plant-based, non-toxic cleaning products removes a major ongoing source of indoor air pollution.
A good place to start is with the products you use most often and in the smallest spaces. For example, bathroom cleaners and kitchen sprays are used frequently in rooms that often don't have great ventilation. Swapping these products first makes a real impact on indoor air quality. Truly Free Home Everyday Cleaner and Bathroom Cleaner are both plant-powered and free of the harmful chemicals that contribute to indoor air pollution. Plus, they actually clean.
Despite marketing claims, conventional air fresheners don't clean the air. Instead, they coat nasal receptors with harsh chemicals designed to dull your sense of smell while introducing pollutants into the air.
Harsh fragrance is also one of the most common indoor air quality offenders, and it hides in everything from plug-in diffusers to scented candles to sprays. If a product lists "fragrance" as an ingredient without any transparency, that’s a red flag. Companies aren’t required to disclose what’s in a fragrance, and, as a result, often sneak in harsh chemicals like phthalates.
If you’re looking for a safe air freshener that won’t affect your indoor air quality, try Truly Free Home Space Freshener. Our formula relies on plant-based ingredients to neutralize odors and essential and plant-based fragrance oils for scent, so you don’t have to worry about harsh fragrance chemicals.
Air purifiers with HEPA filters can capture particles as small as 0.3 microns, including dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and some bacteria. For families dealing with allergies, asthma, or a home that gets limited ventilation, a quality air purifier is worth the investment.
When shopping for an air purifier, look for true HEPA filtration (not "HEPA-style," which is a marketing term). Air purifiers also work best when sized for the room, so check the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) rating and match it to your square footage. Not sure which room to put your air purifier? Always opt for the bedroom first. Considering we spend seven to eight hours a night in the bedroom, it’s one of the highest-impact placements.
If a full air purifier isn't in the budget right now, the next best move is calling your HVAC technician to clean your air vents and replace your air filter. A clogged or dirty filter recirculates dust and particles back into the air instead of trapping them.
Aim to keep indoor humidity between 40 to 50%. Below that range, skin dries out and respiratory irritation increases. Above it, you're creating ideal conditions for mold, mildew, dust mites, and bacteria. A simple hygrometer lets you monitor your levels.
In humid climates or during warmer months, a dehumidifier in basement areas and bathrooms helps significantly. In drier climates or during winter when heating dries out the air, a humidifier—especially in kids' rooms—can make a noticeable difference in respiratory comfort.
Other small habits that can help with indoor humidity levels? Running your bathroom exhaust fan during and after showers, and your kitchen vent during cooking.
Dust isn't just an eyesore; it carries allergens, dust mites, pet dander, and trace chemical residue from products used in your home. Vacuuming regularly with a HEPA-filter vacuum prevents those particles from becoming airborne again. Standard vacuums without HEPA filtration can actually push fine particles back into the air as exhaust.
When dusting, use a damp cleaning cloth rather than a dry feather duster, which sends particles into the air instead of capturing them.
The sources of poor indoor air quality are more varied than most people expect. Here are the most common contributors:
Poor ventilation is one of the biggest factors. When a home doesn't have adequate air exchange—fresh outdoor air isn't regularly cycling through—pollutants and moisture build up with nowhere to go.
High humidity creates the conditions for dust mites, mold, and bacteria to thrive. If your home regularly feels heavy or damp, your air quality is likely suffering.
Combustion sources like gas stoves, fireplaces, and candles release carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and fine particulate matter when they burn. These substances aren't alarming in small doses, but over time or in poorly ventilated spaces, they can cause air quality issues.
Building materials and furnishings—especially in older homes—can off-gas pollutants for years. Pressed wood products like plywood, particleboard, and paneling are common sources of formaldehyde. So are certain paints and adhesives.
Conventional cleaning products are a significant and often overlooked source of poor indoor air quality. Products containing ammonia, chlorine bleach, and triclosan release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air every time you use them. That fresh-clean smell after scrubbing your bathroom? It's often VOCs.
Pesticides, whether from products used inside your home or tracked in from outside, can release hazardous air pollutants over time.
Indoor air pollution can look a lot like seasonal allergies or a mild cold, which is part of why it goes unaddressed for so long. Here are signs your symptoms are from your air and not a bug.
Your symptoms ease when you leave the house for extended periods and return—or they worsen when you come back inside. You feel foggy, tired, or generally off, especially after long stretches at home, and haven’t been around anyone who was sick. Your symptoms flare after moving furniture or dusting. Multiple people in your household experience similar symptoms at similar times.
Of course, if you’ve made adjustments to address potentially poor indoor air quality and still experience these or other symptoms, always consult a doctor.
Some indoor air quality concerns require professional assessment. Radon testing, for instance, is a must if you live in a high-risk region. Radon is colorless, odorless, and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Asbestos in older homes should be assessed by a certified inspector if you're planning any renovation, while carbon monoxide detectors should be in every home with gas appliances and should be tested regularly.
You don't have to overhaul your home to breathe easier in it. The most meaningful improvements to indoor air quality usually come from consistent habits, like opening windows, switching out toxic cleaning products, and keeping humidity in check, layered together over time.
Start with the simplest swaps. Replace your harsh air freshener, open the windows in the morning, and grab a non-toxic Truly Free Home Everyday Cleaner. The air in your home is worth protecting, and the changes that move the needle most are also the easiest to make.
