We spend up to 90% of our time indoors, breathing in air pollutants. These pollutants can trigger symptoms such as allergies, asthma and chronic respiratory diseases.

Fortunately, there are many simple ways to improve your home’s air quality. These include filtering the air, introducing fresh air and managing humidity. When you purchase a home, it may include the seller's home warranty, all the upgraded appliances, and great plumbing. But there are other important things that can keep your home maintenance and clean.

1. Clean Your Vents

Many people think their homes are a sanctuary from outside pollutants, but that's often not the case. In fact, air that flows in from the outside can pick up allergens and contaminants like pet dander, dust mites, mold, pollen and smoke along the way.

Keeping these pollutants at bay requires both prevention and maintenance. Wash bedding in hot water and regularly vacuum or dust your home with a soft brush to eliminate allergens. Avoid scented cleaning products and instead choose nontoxic alternatives.

Make sure your vents actually vent to the outside, rather than recirculating indoors, and consider buying an air cleaner that filters and circulates clean, healthy air throughout the house. Also, be sure to open your windows and doors when weather permits. Indoor plants like snakes and pothos also add fresh air to your home.

2. Open Your Windows

While it may seem counterintuitive during winter, opening windows can help improve air quality by letting in fresh air and allowing pollutants to escape. In fact, this is the cheapest and easiest way to improve ventilation. If you use chemical heavy cleaning or paint products, you’ll also benefit from having the windows open to let those toxic fumes escape.

In addition to allowing pollutants to escape, open windows can circulate fresh air throughout your home, which can decrease the presence of allergens and other irritants like germs, dust, and pet dander. This can help alleviate unexplained symptoms and make your home more comfortable.

3. Clean Your Carpets & Rugs

Carpets trap airborne contaminants such as pet dander, dust particles, mold spores, and outdoor pollutants. When not cleaned properly, these pollutants can become embedded in the fibers and release toxins into the air as you walk over them.

Dirty rugs also act as reservoirs for allergens that grip the carpet’s filaments and trigger allergic reactions. They may also release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air when a chemical cleaner is used.

Keeping your rugs clean is the best way to reduce and eliminate air pollutants from
your home. Make sure to attack stains and spills promptly using an all-natural cleaner rather than letting them set. You should also make a habit of taking your shoes off at the door and wiping your feet on the mat before walking inside.

4. Control Humidity

Humidity is a much-overlooked aspect of indoor air quality. Managing humidity levels can keep your home comfortable and healthy all year round.

High levels of moisture in the air can cause structural damage to furniture, paint, wallpaper, and floors, as well as encourage mold and mildew growth. In addition, moisture can make it easier for pollutants like VOCs to off-gas into the air, making you feel stuffy and unwell.

Fortunately, controlling moisture levels is easy. Using a humidifier in the summer can help, while keeping plants that release water vapor, like Boston ferns, around can also decrease humidity levels. Maintaining ideal indoor humidity levels can also reduce the risk of pests, like spiders and cockroaches, that thrive in moist environments. This can be a major benefit for people with allergies and asthma, as pests can aggravate those conditions.

5. Change Your Filters

With wildfire smoke suffocating swaths of North America, it's especially important to keep indoor air quality in mind. That's because "there is a lot of stuff in your home that you don't want to be breathing in, like germs, pathogens, dust mites, mold, allergens and actual toxins," says Katherine Pruitt, national senior director for policy at the American Lung Association.

Changing your filters regularly is one simple way to ensure that the pollutants in your home are being removed, rather than recirculating. It's also worth considering the MERV rating (or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) of your filter; higher ratings can trap more particles, which can lead to better overall air quality. Lastly, consider collaborating with a professional. They can provide a wide range of testing methods that may give you more comprehensive and personalized information about your indoor air.