Photo: Annie Sprat
Stale indoor air can become an issue almost overnight. One week you’re fine; the next, your eyes don’t feel quite right, and your bedroom smells a little bit like wet cardboard. A few simple practical tactics can have a massive positive impact on indoor air quality, making your home a nicer, healthier space to spend time in.
Cracking a window sounds too simple, but this kind of ventilation still beats most gadgets in terms of simple effectiveness. Open a pair of windows on opposite sides of the flat for ten minutes, and watch the figure on your CO₂ monitor shoot down. Timing matters, though: city livers might want to aim for late morning or late evening, to avoid rush‑hour exhaust.
Extractor fans above the hob and in the bathroom clog up much faster than people expect. Unscrew the kitchen hood, clean the grease mat, and make sure that you continue to use it regularly. Bathroom fan dust bunnies trap moisture and feed mould; pull the cover regularly, and give the blades a damp cloth wipe.
Too dry and your nasal passages can start to feel horrible; too wet and mould moves in behind wardrobes. In most cases, aim for 40-60% – a £15 digital hygrometer makes it easy to know what you’re working with.
Winter dryness sometimes needs a small room humidifier (clean it weekly or it becomes a mould risk). Summer dampness may only require longer extractor‑fan sessions, and a portable dehumidifier in some rooms may also be a necessity.
Pipes carry water, sure, but they also keep bad air out, if the system’s working as it should. Water traps under sinks block sewer gas; when a loo in the rarely used guest bathroom dries out, that eggy whiff drifting down the hall is likely hydrogen sulphide getting past an empty U‑bend.
Repainting the study? Low or even zero‑VOC paint costs a few quid more, but spares you from potentially weeks of headache‑inducing fumes. Getting a new sofa? Make sure that the filling doesn’t give off a chemical or odour that you’re slightly allergic to.
No need to be a complete purist, just remember every surface (especially things like paint and varnish) emits something, and a few smarter picks keep the effect on your home less damaging.
