How to improve indoor air quality for babies?

If you are a parent, you would understand the importance of keeping your babies and children at home safe by making sure that the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in your home is good.

This is vital because it is linked to their health, comfort, and overall wellness.

Babies and children are sensitive and prone to infections brought about by air contaminants.

For this reason, you need to pay attention to even the smallest details when it comes to IAQ. 

At some point, there is a tendency that you might forget about this without realizing it. This could seriously affect your child’s health is disregarded.

That is why the purpose of this article is to give you some points and ideas on how to prevent this from happening.

Safeguarding your babies is challenging, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible.

Avoid home air pollutants.

You may not notice it, but certain products of things at home can produce air pollutants that may endanger your child’s health.

For you to keep a good Indoor Air Quality, you need to keep an eye on the potential air pollutants and learn how to avoid them.

Some of these products are the following:

• Harmful substances like lead, asbestos, and pesticides
• Biological pollutants like mold and mildew
• Natural air contaminants such as pet dander and radon
• Combustion aftereffects like tobacco smoke and carbon monoxide

These things are dangerous for children. If you can’t totally avoid them, then keep them away where children are most likely to hang out or play. 

Choose the proper mattress for your baby.

The baby mattress does not only serve as a shield from cold, but it also serves as a guard to keep the baby from contaminants like dust, pollen, allergens, and mold.

Hypoallergenic beddings are great solutions to this. Always see to it that the material used in the mattress is latex instead of a fibrous one.

Choose a cover that will not accumulate dust mites since there is a possibility that babies may inhale them while they are asleep. 

In washing the beddings and mattresses, avoid using harsh soaps and detergents as this may cause irritation to the sensitive throat of your baby.

Rinse it off with hot water to sanitize it and eliminate dust mites.

Avoid using toxic paints.

Some paints and finishes contain toxic substances that may cause adverse effects on adults, much more to babies.

These are composed of volatile organic compounds that are not only harmful to human beings but to the environment as well.

This is the reason why paint manufacturers are now introducing low-VOC or zero-VOC paints and finishes.

In painting your babies’ rooms, check and make sure to only use these types of paints to prevent your babies from breathing in toxic fumes from VOCs.

VOCs are not only found in paints and finishes but are also present in most home products we normally use, such as aerosol sprays, disinfectants, repellents, cleansers, and air fresheners.

Always avoid these products if they have VOC with them.

Install an air purifier. 

Installing an air purifier in your babies’ room is a big help in combating indoor air pollutants.

Purifying the indoor air is a sure way to improve IAQ for babies; that is why it is important to do it every once in a while.

Air purifiers come in a variety of sizes, designs, and features that fit your budget.

Install air filters.

Air filters are not only a good way of trapping air contaminants, but they are also an effective way of getting rid of pet dander from traveling through the air.

If you have a pet at home, keeping them away from your baby is not enough, and stopping them from shedding is also impossible. 

Thus, air filters play a vital role in trapping dander, and pet hair or feathers from mixing in the air. Although you can’t completely remove all, you can at least reduce it.

Maintain a good level of humidity.

It is important to note that the humidity in your baby’s room should be maintained to a level that will keep him/her comfortable.

High humidity may cause difficulty in breathing and may turn the room into a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.

To measure the appropriate level of humidity for a certain region or area, it is recommended to use a hygrometer. 

In places with high humidity levels, exhaust fans or dehumidifiers can be installed to decrease the humidity level.

Maintain good ventilation.

Air purifiers are not enough in keeping a good indoor air quality. It is highly advised to open the windows and let the fresh air from the outside exchange the indoor air.

Through this, you are allowing a new air to circulate inside the baby’s room, thus, making it fresher.

If you have a ventilation system at home, just make sure that it is maintained to avoid unwanted growth of bacteria.

Surround your home with plants.

Plants are not just for decorative purposes but are an effective and efficient way of improving the IAQ in your house.

We learned from grade school science class that plants are good absorbers of carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen at the same time through a process called photosynthesis. 

Plants are cost-efficient pollutant absorber. Placing some indoor plants also improves the baby’s mood.

Some studies also prove that plants are effective in making babies sleep well. Plants produce fresh air that is beneficial, especially for babies.

To make sure that you maintain good indoor air quality for your babies, it is important to consider not only the things that you can see and feel but also those that you can’t.

Babies are more susceptible to irritation and infection because of their sensitivity. Sometimes, parents overlook the small details because they focus more on the obvious ones. 

You may not realize it immediately, but indoor air could be a lot more contaminated than the outside air. It may contain particles that are hazardous, especially to babies.

The above-mentioned points could be your checklist in making sure that your baby is safe while keeping a good indoor air quality.