How Healthy Is Your Indoor Environment?

Did you know that indoor air quality can be up to 100 times worse for you than

the air we breathe outside?

Indoor pollutants such as mould, pet dander and pollen combine with

chemicals in everyday products, making our homes a pretty toxic place to be.

As we spend at least 50% of our time indoors (more in winter), we are actually

at risk of developing allergies, asthma and worse.

Indoor air pollution is easy to manage once you understand where it comes

from. In many cases, pollutants and toxic chemicals such as polyurethane and

formaldehyde are in the items you bring into your home, such as furnishings,

paints and wall coverings. Curtains, carpets, mattresses and other absorbent

fabrics can trap airborne chemical “nasties”, as well as being a breeding

ground for dust mites and other harmful allergens.

Indoor pollutants known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are all

around us. They’re not listed as ingredients, but they’re in most household

products, such as cleaning agents, solvents, plastic, even cosmetics. When

they vaporise, they combine with other compounds to form ozone, which

really is not good stuff to breathe.

Remember; if there are chemicals and VOC’s in a product, they can escape

and they won’t be good for you if they do.

The simplest way to keep indoor air healthy is through good ventilation. By

regularly opening your windows (even in the winter), you’ll replace polluted air

with cleaner outdoor air. This also minimises the mould and stops harmful

allergenic spores being released into the air or recycled via air conditioning

units.

Water-based glues, adhesives and finishes will contain lower VOC levels,

while “green” cleaning products help reduce toxins, as citrus and pine-based

solvents react with ozone to create formaldehyde. Alternatively, vinegar or

baking soda mixed with warm water makes an excellent all purpose cleaner.

Keep pesticides out of your garden, as they’re easy to walk in on your shoes

and clothing and always keep filters and vents clean, as pollutants can cycle

through air ducts, central heating and cooling mechanisms.

Some Interesting Facts

5,100: the number of petrochemicals available for home use which have

never been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.

63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average home,

translating to roughly 45 litres of harmful chemicals per household.

100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above

outdoor air pollution levels.

10 million: the number of dust mites that may inhabit a standard size double

mattress.

1000: the number of dust particles which settle on a square centimetre each

hour.

2.3 billion: the weight in kilos of chemicals that the cleaning industry uses

each day.

Staggering…….

Take a look through the cleaning products in the Wikaniko shop to find out

how

you can make your home a healthier place to be!