Breathing Better With Asthma: 8 Ways To Clean Your Indoor Air After A Recent Diagnosis
Asthma can abruptly and rudely take total control over your life and if you've recently been diagnosed with this dreadful condition, an immediate evaluation of your indoor air quality is in order. You want it as clean and healthy as possible, but hopefully, with as little sacrifice as possible. Keep the following tips in mind.
1. Control The Humidity In Your Home
Because humidity may trigger asthma, you need to get it under control quickly. While you may not be able to control the humidity outdoors, you can indoors by doing the following:
- Use a dehumidifier in warm weather.
- Install fans above cooking surfaces and in your bathroom.
- Ventilate with fresh air, provided doing so won't introduce other allergens into the home.
- Limit the time you spend in a hot shower.
- Keep a lid on the pan when you boil anything on the stove.
2. Keep The AC And Dehumidifier Super Clean
Because dust, mites and other aggravating particles can be constantly recirculated through the home via dirty filters, it's in your best interest to clean all the devices that regulate air quality and temperature.
3. Address Any Leaks In The Building
If water is seeping in through the attic or another area, the moisture is likely going to increase the humidity of the home, thereby irritating your asthma. Additionally, the moisture can lead to mold, which will further complicate your asthma symptoms.
4. Vacuum Regularly
Dust mites contribute to poor indoor air quality, and they'll have you sneezing and sniffling endlessly. Vacuuming with a HEPA filter, or High Energy Particulate Air filter, should remove more of the elements that contribute to indoor breathing problems.
5. Question Every Chemical You Bring In The House
Paints, hairspray, perfumes and any other chemical you're exposed to can decrease your indoor air quality as it raises your level of asthmatic symptoms. Read labels carefully. Be on the lookout for volatile organic chemicals and start switching to products that won't hamper your breathing. Even the clothes you have professionally handled by a dry cleaner will bring down your indoor air quality, possibly leading to an asthma attack. You have to look at everything non-natural as a possible enemy and eliminate it from your home, including the products you use to clean.
6. Consider Replacing Your Carpets
Because carpets tend to harbor dust, pet-dander and more microscopic menaces, you might want to remove them from your home, if possible. If you have slippery floors, lay down area rugs that can be easily cleaned or cheaply replaced.
7. Have Your Home Tested
There are still persistent issues with lead paint, asbestos and other nasty substances you probably thought were completely eradicated. Especially if you live in an older home, have it tested, and if something nefarious turns up, address it right away.
8. Ask Your Physician About A Home Air Purifier
From central and large systems to handy portable models, home air purifiers serve a number of consumer needs. Ask the doctor who diagnosed your asthma how you can benefit from an air purifier and, specifically, what you should look for when shopping. Air purifiers can remove a significant amount of air impurities, leading to healthier and easier breathing. You can find them from suppliers like Smell Fresh Arizona.
Different levels of asthma call for different measures of treatment, along with the measures you'll need to take to purify the air in your home. If you have a pet, unfortunately, they may also come into question as being a trigger of symptoms. Before you go emptying your home of all its contents, including the cat or dog, though, start with the basics and see if that doesn't help. Seek guidance from your physician, and as time goes by, you'll learn what affects you the most and how to deal with it. Everyone deserves to be breathing the cleanest air possible, most especially those with respiratory issues, like you.