We Americans spend about 90% of our time indoors, but the air inside our homes can actually have a negative effect on our health. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the years from 1980 to 2005 have seen a more than 200% increase in children’s asthma — about 1 in 11 children under 18 suffers from this potentially life-threatening breathing disorder, and the rate is rising faster in preschool-aged children than in any other group. Indoor air quality is a big culprit, with dust mites, mold, pet dander, secondhand smoke, and air contaminants like certain insecticides and formaldehyde key irritants.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the most common indoor air contaminants. That once-coveted “new-car smell” is an example of synthetic materials emitting VOCs (called “offgassing”). Some of these chemicals can trigger asthma attacks in the short term, and may have serious long-term health effects as well. To help reduce VOC-related air pollution in your home, choose natural products and building materials with no- or low-VOC formulations.
- Commercial air fresheners and scented candles owe their attractive aromas to harmful VOCs. Instead, try growing indoor plants, the greenest way to clear your home’s air (and they’re pretty, too). Open your windows for a few minutes each day to freshen the air. And vacuum often with a cleaner equipped with HEPA filtration to avoid just blowing dust and allergens around your home.
 Not only are natural and organic materials beautiful and durable, they’re much less toxic to you and your indoor environment.
- Look for natural or organic materials like natural latex, organic cotton, wool, and those verifiably labeled “nontoxic” in furnishings, upholstery, and bed linens, especially in children’s rooms.
- If you can, choose hard-surface flooring made of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified woods, bamboo, cork, other natural materials, or reclaimed wood.
- Area rugs made of natural or organic fibers like wool, cotton, hemp, jute, and others without chemical finishes, can be moved and thoroughly cleaned or aired out periodically.
- If you’re really devoted to your wall-to-wall floor covering, choose natural materials and tack down your carpets, rather than gluing them with potentially problematic adhesives. Vacuum rugs and carpets regularly, and steam-clean them yourself (you can rent good machines at most home improvement stores) to avoid the harsh and potentially toxic treatments used by professional carpet cleaners.
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