This post has been sponsored by FilterEasy. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

While many people are concerned with air pollution outside their home, very few realize that indoor air pollution is a huge issue as well. In fact, many times the air inside your home is of worse quality than the air outside (according to the EPA). With the rise of more air-tight homes due to better construction, climates that make it difficult to keep windows open (long winters, hot summers) and even some of the products we use in our homes, the quality of the air inside of our homes can be diminished.

Since we spend a significant amount of time indoors, having clean air is incredibly important to our overall health and wellness. In environments that have higher levels of indoor pollutants, you’re more likely to suffer from headaches, fatigue, itchy eyes, allergies and other ailments.

I’m sharing some simple tips that can easily be implemented to improve the air quality in your home to breathe a little easier.

9 Ways To Improve Air Quality In Your Home

Open The Windows

One of the easiest, cheapest and simplest ways to improve your air quality is to simply open your windows. Even if you only open them a crack for a few minutes a day, it helps new fresh air circulate into your home. I especially like to open my kitchen window when I’m cooking to allow extra ventilation.

If you live in an area in which your outdoor air quality is not ideal (for example, large cities), try to open your windows in the early morning and late evening when outdoor air quality is usually better.

Replace Air Filters Regularly

Replacing your furnace air filters regularly is a simple, affordable way to improve the air in your home. Air filters capture and remove air contaminants (like pollen, dust, mold, pet dander, bacteria and more) to leave you with cleaner, healthier air. Most people (I’m totally guilty of this) tend to forget about their air filters and not change them as regularly as they should for optimal results. When filters are not used, dust can collect in vents leading to mold and bacteria spreading throughout your home. To make it worse, when filters are not changed regularly, they can become a source of contamination of fungal spores (mold) and allergens.  The standard time period to change filters is 3 months, but this can vary depending on your home atmosphere (pet dander, seasonal allergens, dust, etc.).

For a super simple air filter replacement option, we love using FilterEasy! FilterEasy automatically sends you your filters so that you don’t even have to add another item to your to-do list. You can easily sign up and have the filters that you need (all different sizes and types) automatically sent to your home to serve as a physical reminder to change them. There is no long-term commitment, free-shipping and prices are affordable too! Aside from the obvious air quality improvements of regularly furnace, changing your filters regularly also prevents costly HVAC repairs and allows your furnace and AC units to run more efficiently, which can save you money over time.

I love that FilterEasy has many different filter types to choose from depending on your needs. Since we are allergy sufferers, we usually use MERV 13 filters as they are so most comprehensive in removing unwanted allergens and contaminants from our air. We signed up to not only receive furnace air filters, but also filters for our air returns for an extra air cleansing boost (for our air returns we opted for MERV 8 for basic pollens and dust). Our air returns are odd sizes, but FilterEasy was able to easily accommodate our needs.

To learn more about how easy, simple, and convenient FilterEasy is, you can read more here. Sign up is quick and easy too and you can even try it out with a free trial! Sign up, forget, and breathe easier with FilterEasy.

Use An Air Purifier

Air purifiers are a great way to reduce harmful particles in the air, especially if you have asthma or suffer from allergies.

Decorate with Plants

Plants naturally cleanse the air and look good too! Plants naturally filter the air and can even help reduce contaminants like benzene, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Some simple plants that require little energy or expertise are aloe plants, palm trees and spider plants.

Avoid Synthetic Fragrances

Commercial air fresheners can contain many chemicals and many candles also create excess smoke in the home. Instead opt for natural air fresheners and fragrances. Diffusing essential oils is a great option as they contain less contaminants and many essential oils even have antibacterial properties, can ward off pests and improve mood.

Use Oils with High Smoking Points

We do a lot of cooking in our home and switching to an oil with a higher smoke point made a world of difference in keeping our air fresher and cleaner. Whenever I cook (especially if I’m frying or searing on the stove top), I crack open a window and use an oil with a higher smoke point. Oils that have high smoke points (400º F and higher) include refined avocado oil, almond oil, corn oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil. These oils are better suited for cooking at higher temperatures and will emit less smoke when cooking.

Clean Smarter

A consistent cleaning routine to help reduce dust can greatly improve indoor air quality. Try to dust a few times a week, vacuum or sweep daily (we love the robot vacuums for this), wash bedding weekly and don’t forget to launder curtains monthly.

When choosing cleaning products, aim for products with more naturally ingredients as many conventional cleaning products are loaded with less than desirable ingredients.

Take Off Shoes

For the love of all things, take your shoes off before entering your home to keep your air and floors cleaner. Your shoes can track in so much dirt, pollen, dust, fungi, bacteria and nasty things. It’s a simple step that many people overlook!

Nix Mold

Mold is a major trigger for allergies for many people, so keeping mold at bay is a must. A few tips for nixing the mold in your home:

• Hang towels to dry – Avoid keeping them bunched together and allow them open air to dry more quickly.
• Keep humidifier levels at 30 to 40%. Lower levels of humidity thwart off mold growth.
• Use a dehumidifier in dark, damper areas, like basements to help keep dryer.
• When using dryer, open a window to help moist air escape and avoid being trapped.

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Is indoor air quality something you’ve ever considered?