It’s no secret that smoking cigarettes is bad for your health. When you live with non-smokers, you also need to consider the dangers of second-hand smoking. Cigarette smoke makes ten times the amount of pollution as the exhaust of a diesel vehicle. To avoid exposing your loved ones to the high volume of smoke, you can follow these tips.
Keep Your Windows Open
By opening your windows, you can allow fresh air into your home. It may help with the smell in your home and also slightly improve the indoor air quality.
However, opening your windows isn’t enough to keep your air clean as a smoker. It’s also not always an option. If it’s too hot or cold outside, you won’t be able to run an efficient HVAC system. It will fight a constant battle against the air coming in from the outdoors.
Use a High-Quality Air Filter
The better your air filter, the better your indoor air quality. Even non-smokers have to struggle with particles in the air. For instance, dust and dirt can enter the HVAC system and diminish your air quality.
To keep your air free from particles, you should use a good air filter. The EPA rates filters based on their ability to remove particles. By choosing a filter that has a higher rating, you can take comfort in knowing that it’s filtering out the particles in your home. Do your research and buy the right air filter for your home.
You should also be sure to change your filter regularly. In fact, you should change it about every three months.
Purify Your Air
An air purifier could be enough to improve the air quality in your home. In addition to getting rid of the pollutants, a purifier can also improve the smell of your home.
Air purification systems are available in many forms. Typically, they work by pulling in the air from your home. Then, they clean the air and circulate it back to your home. This removes the dangerous particles from the cigarette smoke. Instead of breathing in harmful toxins, you can breathe in fresh air.
Eliminate the Smell
If you’re more concerned about the smell than the harmful toxins, you can work towards eliminating the smell. You may have noticed that cigarette smoke sticks to everything. It could stick to your walls, carpets, and drapes.
To get rid of the scent, remove all fabric material from your house. Then, wash them. This can remove most of the smell and leave your home with a fresh scent. If you don’t want to do all that laundry, you can try spraying a deodorizer on your fabrics.
Steam cleaning your carpets can also help. Before you use the cleaner, be sure to add a deodorizer to the machine. If you have tile floors, you can use a mixture of water and bleach. Cleaning your counters with the same solution can also help with the smell.
By far, the best way to keep toxins out of your home is to use a good air filter and to buy an air purifier. Even if you manage to kick your smoking habit, you could benefit from having cleaner air inside your home.
