I lifted the kitchen chair by its back, and it tore away from its base. I guess I don’t know my own strength! As I examined the chair’s back, I discovered that this chair was pressed wood held together by glue. While researching how to repair it, I learned that pressed wood products emit toxins. Not only did I have a broken chair, but it was releasing toxins and polluting my indoor air quality!
Mention air pollution, and most people, including me, think only of outdoor air quality. We rarely question the quality of air in our homes, but we should. The Canadian government’s website offers detailed information about indoor air quality and warns that our indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.
You might wonder why. If there is printing ink, paper towels, furniture made from pressed wood, like plywood and particleboard, waxed papers, plastics, glues, detergents, or window cleaners in your home, your indoor air quality is polluted by the gases emitted by these products.
Certainly, most of us regard these things as harmless. Who would knowingly bring toxins into their homes? Research shows that we spend over 90 per cent of our lives indoors, whether at home, work, or in the car. Because of COVID-19 and colder weather, we are probably spending even more time indoors. I decided further research on improving indoor air quality was necessary.
Indoor air polluters are Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs), mold, pollen, pet dander, and dust. VOCs are organic compounds released as gases from numerous sources, including cigarette smoke, building materials, such as paint, glues, and varnish. Common household products such as air fresheners (ironic, isn’t it?), cleaning products, paint, and carpeting emit harmful gases.
Most homes contain these toxic chemicals such as xylene, ammonia, benzene (a known human carcinogen), formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. These dangerous particles float through the air, most of which are entirely invisible to the human eye. Short-term exposure to these toxic chemicals contributes to adverse health effects like headaches, eye, nose, throat irritation, breathing difficulties, and dizziness. Long-term contact often leads to lifelong respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, liver damage, and cancer.
But we can help mitigate this growing health concern. The most effective way to reduce indoor air pollution is to remove or reduce the source of contamination, such as instituting a no-smoking rule indoors and using green cleaning products.
Another key strategy concerns ventilation, as insufficient ventilation and the lack of fresh air entering the home accounts for most VOCs. Health Canada’s Residential Indoor Air Quality strongly suggests maintaining good air circulation and heat flow. We can open windows and doors depending on outdoor conditions, use kitchen and bathroom fans, replace filters as per the manufacturer’s instructions, and use an air filter system. Portable air cleaners, particularly HEPA filters, can reduce air contaminants as they collect particle pollutants with a fine filter. For those with asthma or other respiratory diseases, the filter can be lifesaving.
Another solution is to bring nature into our homes with air purifying plants. In 1989, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the Clean Air Study, and the published results provided a definitive list of the most significant plants at purifying indoor air.
Although this research is over 30 years old, the information is accurate and comprehensive. The study further reveals that plants grown indoors can significantly improve health, reduce fatigue, strengthen the immune system, and enhance concentration. Surrounding ourselves with plants improves how our bodies feel and prevents disease, makes us happier and calmer, and increases our efficiency and productivity.
When added to our homes, plants provide air that is purer and free from harmful agents.
The Peace Lily plant removes benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, and trichloroethylene from the air. This is a low maintenance plant that likes shady, indirect sunlight and moist soil.
The Aloe Vera plant is also low maintenance. I appreciate this plant as a remedy for minor skin ailments such as cuts and bruises. Also, the gel inside the leaves soothes sunburn. An aloe plant is a practical addition to any kitchen windowsill, as it loves a sunny spot and requires infrequent watering. This succulent plant purifies the air of formaldehyde and benzene in varnishes, floor finishes, and detergents.
Snake plants are a fantastic addition to our homes. The plant can filter harmful toxins, remove carbon dioxide, and release oxygen. For those with allergies and breathing issues, select a snake plant. Research suggests that these plants effectively remove harmful toxins like benzene and formaldehyde from indoor areas. The snake plant is a hardy houseplant that tolerates low light and prefers infrequent watering.
The robust Spider plants are beneficial for indoor use because they purify and detoxify the air we breathe, filtering out airborne pollutants. The NASA study showed that spider plants could eliminate 90 per cent of the potentially carcinogenic chemical formaldehyde, just like snake plants. The plant absorbs unpleasant odors and fumes and is known to promote good sleep. The hardy spider plant is a long-standing staple among houseplant-lovers. Spider plants are resilient and low maintenance, needing only occasional watering. They thrive in bright, indirect light.
Spider plants produce a chain of white flowers and “pups,” which are baby plants that hang down from the mother plant. This rapidly growing plant looks beautiful as it cascades from a hanging basket. The spider plant is one of the few houseplants that are non-toxic to animals.
We feel happier when surrounded by plants that are decorative and beautiful. A healthy home environment is essential to a person’s well-being, and houseplants contribute their air-purifying properties to rid the home of toxic elements. We spend much of our lives indoors, so bringing nature into our homes is an excellent idea. In my home, I added a snake and a hanging spider plant. Not only will life be more joyful, but indoor air quality will improve.
As for that toxic, flimsy chair, it’s gone!
Find more information at www.canada.ca and search Indoor Air Quality.
Photo by Jude Smart on Unsplash
Nancy J. Schaaf is a retired Registered Nurse and health writer.
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