7 Practical Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality This Winter
What’s in the air you breathe? With winter keeping us cozy indoors, it’s the perfect time to rethink how we can improve the air quality in our homes. While winter brings snowy landscapes and hot cocoa moments, it also comes with shut windows, stuffy air, and sometimes, an invisible cocktail of pollutants.
⚠️ According to the EPA, indoor air quality can be two to five times worse than outdoor air, with pollutants like dust, mold, and chemical VOCs contributing to respiratory issues.
In fact, the American Lung Association notes that poor indoor air quality is linked to conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It’s no wonder improving indoor air quality is one of the best investments you can make for your family’s health!
Good news: improving your home’s air quality doesn’t require an engineering degree or a big budget. It’s all about a few thoughtful choices and simple swaps to help you breathe easier—literally.
❄️ Here are 7 tips to make your home a haven of fresh, clean air this winter.
1. Embrace Natural Cleaning Products (without the dirty chemicals)
Winter is prime time for indoor cleaning marathons. Make sure your go-to sprays, soaps, and scrubs aren’t filling the air with harmful fumes. A good rule of thumb: if you need gloves to handle it, it’s likely not great for your lungs either.
Dirty chemicals do not belong in our products. More on that here.
✨ Elva’s All Naturals offers safe, effective cleaning products that cut through grease and grime without harsh chemicals. Your hands will stay soft, your home will sparkle, and your body won’t absorb a toxic load.
2. Change Your Furnace Filter (a.k.a. Your Home’s “Liver”)
Your furnace filter is the unsung hero of your home, quietly working to trap dust, allergens, and pollutants. Show it some love by checking and changing it regularly—monthly is ideal, especially in winter when the furnace is working overtime.
Bonus tip: If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and eco-conscious option, consider switching to a washable, reusable filter. They last for years and reduce waste. Don’t forget to clean your vacuum’s filter, too—same principle, same "eww" factor when neglected!
3. Invite Nature Indoors with Air-Purifying Plants
Nothing says “clean air” quite like a few leafy green roommates. Plants like snake plants, peace lilies, English ivy, and bamboo palms are not only gorgeous but also powerhouses when it comes to filtering toxins and boosting oxygen levels.
If you’re looking to improve indoor air quality on a dime, check local plant swap groups, Facebook Marketplace, or your friends’ overgrown collections. A single plant can make a world of difference. Bonus: They’re low-maintenance and thrive even in lower winter light.
4. Choose Natural Candles or DIY Scents
Did you know many candles release harmful chemicals like toluene and benzene into your home? Paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct, is a common culprit. Instead, opt for clean-burning soy or beeswax candles.
On a budget? Simmer a pot of water on your stovetop with fragrant goodies like orange peels, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, or star anise. It’s simple, inexpensive, and fills your home with cozy, natural aromas without any VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).
5. Swap Out Synthetic Fragrances
Plug-ins, sprays, and synthetic air fresheners often mask odors with harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and phthalates. Yikes!
Instead, opt for a diffuser with a few drops of essential oil (lavender and eucalyptus are winter favorites) or stick to the stovetop simmer trick mentioned above. Your lungs will thank you!
6. Be Choosy About Your Personal Care Products
Your skin is like a sponge, absorbing whatever you put on it—including lotions, soaps, and shampoos. Unfortunately, many products sneak in harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances under the catch-all term "fragrance" or "parfum". These have the potential to irritate lungs and cause breathing difficulties over time.
Be especially wary of products that are sprayed into the air - a direct path into your lungs. This includes perfume, cologne, hairspray, and anything with a spray nozzle.
Stick to products made with all natural ingredients to reduce your chemical exposure. Bonus: Your skin will thank you for the extra TLC during the dry winter months!
7. Say No to VOCs During Home Projects
Winter renovations? Choose materials with low or no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) whenever possible. Paints, adhesives, building materials and flooring can off-gas harmful chemicals into your indoor air for weeks, months, and sometimes even - years.
You may be delighted to know that there now exist many construction materials that are much more eco-friendly and that do not contain VOCs. Shopping online is your best bet for many of these items.
Years ago, we completed a flooring project and after shopping extensively, discovered that a floor glue without VOCs was in fact available, so we bought it (online - not in stores) instead of what the contractor recommended. It worked out great!! In fact, the contractor thanked us for finding the product - it performed better than the toxic one they normally used. It also caused them to read the material safety data sheet on their usual "go-to" product, and they then became aware of the need to reduce their toxic chemical exposure. Especially for those who work in this field with almost daily exposure, the need is great to choose safer building materials.
When you cannot change the choice of material, remember to ventilate with outside air as much as possible during your project.
Check local Habitat for Humanity ReStores for eco-friendly materials at a discount. Not only will you save money, but many secondhand items have already off-gassed, making them safer for your home.
Breathe Easy All Winter Long
Taking steps to improve your indoor air quality is like giving your home (and your lungs) a big winter hug. Every small choice—from cleaning with natural products to adding a few plants—creates a healthier environment for you and your loved ones.
Winter may keep us indoors, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make our “inside air” as fresh and pure as a crisp January morning. Here’s to cleaner air and healthier homes—one small change at a time!