Going green and clean: How to clean the air inside your home

A big trend for 2020 is going green and clean. People are choosing healthier foods and products. But what about the air you breathe inside your home?

The Environmental Protection Agency reports indoor air quality can be up to five times more polluted than outside! So, what can be done to clear the air?

Laura Browning is a busy mom of two who can’t slow down when the family feels rundown.

“Kids always seemed to be sick, runny noses," Browning shared.

She wanted to make healthier changes but wasn’t thinking about the air inside her home.

Thad Tarkington, CEO & Co-Founder, Second Nature said, “Recent data from the EPA has found that indoor air is two to five times worse than outdoor air.”

Tarkington’s company delivers air filters right to people’s door. He’s using a monitor to test the air quality of this home.

“There’s a big trend in this home wellness, how can I create the environment that I live in and make it a really healthy, sustainable place,” continued Tarkington.

Cyberbullying and mental health: How is it tied to depression?

According to the National Institutes of Health, using a pleated air filter and replacing it every 90 days can remove harmful particles from the air including mold spores, dust and pet dander.

“You’re going to see about a 64% reduction in infectious, airborne illness,” explained Tarkington.

Other tips to clear the air? Use cooking oils, like avocado, which have a high smoke point to avoid breathing in toxins. And, take off your shoes!

“A recent study by the University of Arizona actually found the average shoes carry nine or ten different bacteria,” said Tarkington.

Now it’s the first thing Laura’s kids do when they walk in the door!

“Everybody has their own little bin over there and they take off their shoes and put them in the bin,” smiled Browning.

She also changes her air filter regularly … and says she’s seen a big difference especially in her son Marshall.

“He has not been sick since he was two, which is crazy!” Browning exclaimed.

Proving a little extra effort can go a long way.

Another tip: use a vacuum with a Hepa filter to capture those tiny air particles. Also, the EPA says replacing your clogged filter with a new one regularly can lower your energy consumption between five and 15 percent. The home Thad’s team tested came back with poor air quality, so changing air filters regularly was recommended.

Contributors to this news report include: Janna Ross, Field Producer; Roque Correa, Editor; and Kirk Manson, Videographer.

5 reasons smiling is good for your health