Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month: Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Home

Every October, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Awareness Month acts as a good prompt to think about the air inside our own homes, something most of us rarely actually stop to consider, so this month we are providing  you with some simple tips and tricks to improve your IAQ.

It’s worth thinking about because poor indoor air quality can affect our health, our respiratory and cognitive systems, and can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Allergies and/or asthma affect an estimated 106 million people in the United States, so this is far from a minor issue.

Some of the pollutants in our indoor air worth paying attention to are dust, pollen, VOCs and other sensitizing chemicals, dust mite allergen, particulate matter, and pet dander. Some of these float through the air we breathe, while others settle and build up in places that are easy to overlook, on shelves, in carpets, in bedding, behind furniture.

None of the tips below require a big overhaul. They’re small, repeatable habits, plus a few pointers on what to look for when you’re ready to replace or upgrade something. Consistency is key.

Tip 1: Change Your Air Filters

An HVAC filter that’s clogged with dust, pet dander, or fine particles can’t let air flow freely through the system, and it loses its ability to trap allergens and fine particles effectively, so pollutants that were once being removed can start recirculating instead. That clogged filter also forces the system to work harder to push air through it, which drives up energy use and your bills. Neglecting the filter undermines the equipment’s lifespan, your energy costs, and the quality of the air, all at once.

A quick way to check your filter: pull it out and hold it up to a light. If you can’t see through it, it’s overdue for a change. Check the manufacturer’s instructions, but you may need to change it more often during peak heating or cooling seasons or when outdoor pollution or wildfire smoke is high.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified HVAC filters are tested to capture at least 85% of cat allergen, 92.5% of dust mite allergen, and 95% of pollen allergen, and to remove at least 40% of microparticles from the air. Certified filters are also tested to keep air bypass under 10%, even as the filter loads up with dust.

Tip 2: Cut Back on Knick-Knacks in the Bedroom

Open shelves or surfaces crowded with ornaments and trinkets are a common culprit, since they’re difficult to dust regularly. The same goes for decorative pillows, throws, and stuffed toys. They are reservoirs for dust and allergens too, and a shake-out doesn’t remove much; they need washing or vacuuming on the same regular schedule as everything else in the room.

When you dust, avoid a dry cloth, which disperses particles back into the room. A damp or microfiber cloth traps and retains dust instead. If you have allergies, wear a mask while doing housework. Leave the house for several hours after cleaning it. The cleaning products matter too. Many everyday cleaners release VOCs, and terms like “natural” or “hypoallergenic” are often unregulated and not backed by scientific testing. Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified cleaning products are tested to remove at least 85% of allergens, such as dust mite allergen, pet dander, and pollen, from hard surfaces, while keeping chemical emissions low.

Tip 3: Vacuum the Places You Usually Skip

Underneath the bed and behind heavy furniture are hidden buildup areas, spaces that get missed by regular cleaning while dust, pet dander, and allergens accumulate undisturbed. The same goes for behind the TV and other electrical equipment, and on top of wardrobes or cabinets. Vacuuming should be done weekly, or more often in high-traffic areas or homes with pets; if allergies are a factor, increase that to once or twice a week, plus a deeper quarterly clean covering the mattress, vents, and behind furniture.

Use a vacuum cleaner that’s been independently tested and certified, so the dust mite allergen and pet dander it collects stay trapped inside the machine instead of leaking back out through the exhaust. Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified vacuum cleaners are tested to remove more than 90% of allergen-containing test dust from floor coverings and crevices, to keep airborne allergen and particle counts low during vacuuming, and to maintain filtration efficiency above 99% for fine particles down to 0.3 microns. Certification also confirms suction doesn’t drop off significantly as the machine fills, and that emptying the bag or bin doesn’t expose you to a spike in airborne allergens.

Robot vacuums deserve their own mention here, because they solve a problem regular vacuuming doesn’t. Because they run daily on their own schedule, floors get cleaned more often and allergens have less time to build up between your regular vacuuming sessions. They also mean that whoever in the house has asthma or allergies doesn’t need to be in the room, or even in the house, while the floors are being done, cutting their exposure further still. Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified robot vacuums have to meet their own set of requirements: removing at least 90% of tested allergens from hard floors and 80% from carpet, removing at least 75% of test dust from hard floors and 40% from carpet, keeping fine airborne particles and cat allergen below strict limits while running, keeping particle emissions low even on an already clean floor, losing no more than 10% of pick-up performance after two passes, and keeping particles and allergen exposure low when the bin is emptied. A robot vacuum works best as an addition to, not a replacement for, a full vacuum for upholstery and mattresses, where dust mites tend to live.

Tip 4: Wash Your Bedding on a Hot Cycle

Washing machines play a role in removing allergens like dust mite allergen and pet dander from bedding, clothing, and soft toys. The most effective removal happens at high temperatures, at least 131°F/55°C, since that’s what’s needed to kill dust mites. Not every washing machine holds that temperature consistently throughout the drum for the whole cycle, though, and that consistency is what matters.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified washing machines are tested to maintain a consistent high temperature throughout the drum and to remove more than 95% of allergens, including dust mite and pet dander, from a typical wash load. They’re also tested to confirm they don’t produce ozone during operation.

The detergent matters just as much. An effective laundry detergent should remove allergens from fabric without leaving behind chemicals that are sensitizers, and its VOC levels should be low.

Tip 5: Add a Mattress and Pillow Encasing

Dust mites thrive in the warm, humid environment of bedding, and their waste is a well-established trigger for people who are sensitive to it. A dust mite-proof encasing on your mattress and pillows is an effective barrier in between washes. Look for encasings that are tightly woven with no weak points at the seams or zippers, breathable, and able to withstand repeated hot washing without breaking down.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified bedding is tested to confirm the fabric acts as an effective allergen barrier, remains breathable, withstands regular hot washing, and has been assessed for residual chemicals such as azo dyes and VOCs.

Renovating Before the Holidays? Build IAQ Into the Plan

October tends to be a popular time to fit in home projects before the holiday season gets busy. If paint, flooring, or insulation are on the list, it’s worth factoring indoor air quality into the decision.

Tip 6: Choose Paint With Low VOC Emissions

Paint releases chemicals into the air as it dries, particularly VOCs, and it keeps releasing them well after the smell of fresh paint has faded. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, VOC exposure can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, and nausea. People with asthma, allergies, or chemical sensitivities are advised to limit their exposure as much as possible, though everyone benefits from reducing it.

Many paint products are labeled “low-VOC” or “non-toxic,” but not all of them meet the criteria necessary to back that up, and full ingredient disclosure isn’t always available due to proprietary formulations. Third-party certification fills that gap.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified paints are tested for VOC emissions at both 24 hours and 14 days after application, rather than only after the standard 10-day conditioning period some other certifications use, so levels are checked both immediately and over time. The certification also reviews ingredients to confirm that any chemicals which could cause allergic reactions are present at levels low enough to minimize concern, and rules out unnecessarily harmful ingredients. Certified paints also meet LEED criteria for low-emitting materials and comply with WELL Feature X06 Part 1b4 of the WELL Building Standard.

Tip 7: Choose Flooring You Can Actually Keep Clean

Flooring is one of the largest surfaces in any home, so it has a real influence on indoor air quality. Soft flooring can trap dust, pet dander, pollen, and mold, which can become airborne again when disturbed, but that doesn’t mean carpet is off the table. Hard-surface flooring, such as wood, tile, or vinyl, doesn’t trap allergens as easily, but the adhesives and chemical treatments used with it can still release VOCs.

Carpet has traditionally been the flooring people with allergies were steered away from, but treated carpets now build allergen-reducing technology into the fibers themselves, through coatings that bind allergens or probiotic-based treatments that help break them down over time, rather than just trapping them. Performance varies by product, so it’s worth looking for independent verification rather than assuming any carpet labeled “treated” behaves the same way.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified flooring is tested to remove at least 90% of surface allergens for resilient flooring (vinyl, linoleum, sports flooring) and at least 75% for textile and treated carpet, with VOC emissions, including from any adhesives, checked at 24 hours and again at 14 days after installation.

Tip 8: Don’t Overlook Insulation

Insulation is hidden behind walls and tucked into attics and floor cavities, so it’s easy to overlook, but it plays a role in indoor air quality that lasts for as long as it’s in the building. Some materials can off-gas VOCs into the air, while others may encourage mold growth if they retain moisture. When insulation is improperly installed, or disturbed during a renovation, it can also release airborne dust and fibers that add to poor IAQ, which affects installers and tradespeople as well as the people living in the home.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified insulation is tested against five criteria. Materials are assessed to confirm any sensitizing chemicals are either absent or present at levels not of concern, and formaldehyde-based binders can’t be used. VOC emissions are tested at both 24 hours and 14 days after installation, to check levels shortly after installation and over time. The product is tested for mold resistance, and for the airborne particle and dust levels released when the insulation is disturbed. Additional requirements apply to special purpose insulation, such as corrosion testing for pipe and tank insulation and erosion testing for duct liner and duct board.

When choosing insulation, ask about these factors and look for products that have been independently tested against them, and make sure the installation includes proper ventilation alongside it.

Tip 9: Size and Place Your Air Cleaner Correctly

A “large room” in air purifier terms generally means a space above roughly 350 to 500 square feet, though square footage alone doesn’t tell the whole story. The volume of air to be cleaned depends on floor area and ceiling height too, and most manufacturer coverage claims assume a standard 8-foot ceiling.

Match the unit’s Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) to the room’s square footage. A useful rule of thumb is the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers’ “2/3 rule”: the smoke CADR should be at least two-thirds of the room’s square footage.

Placement matters as much as sizing. Leave 12 to 18 inches of clearance on all sides, and don’t tuck the unit into a corner, behind a sofa or curtain, against a wall, or under a desk, all of which block the airflow the device needs. In the bedroom, position it a few feet from the bed rather than right next to it. In a multi-storey home, remember that warm air rises, so a purifier on a lower floor won’t effectively serve a bedroom upstairs; each main living space generally needs its own unit.

Tip 10: Run It Continuously, and Watch for Warning Signs

The single most beneficial habit is running the unit continuously rather than only when you think you need it. A purifier that runs steadily, even on a lower fan setting, maintains a cleaner baseline than one switched on and off. This matters most overnight, when many people turn purifiers off at bedtime despite being exposed to bedroom allergens for hours at a stretch.

Pair it with source control: a vented range hood when cooking, bathroom exhaust fans, low-VOC paints and cleaning products, and keeping scented candles, plug-in diffusers, and aerosol sprays away from the unit. Signs a purifier isn’t performing as it should include a noticeable drop in airflow at the same fan setting, increased motor noise, odors returning quickly between cleanings, and visible dust loading on the filter. Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified air cleaners are tested to reduce allergen levels by at least 90%, confirmed not to redistribute what they capture, and required to emit ozone at levels below 0.05 ppm.

Tip 11: Consider a Whole Home Air Cleaner

Air filtration is a critical part of a “whole-of-home” approach to indoor air quality. A whole home air cleaner works through the HVAC system to treat air as it circulates through the entire house, rather than one room at a time. The same principles from Tip 10 still apply: sizing, filtration quality, and independent testing are what separate real performance from a marketing claim, just evaluated across the whole house instead of one room.

Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified whole home air cleaners have to meet strict requirements to earn certification, including reducing allergens from the air, confirming through follow-up monitoring that allergens have actually been removed rather than just redistributed, restoring full performance once the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning procedure has been followed, and keeping ozone levels within federal guidelines.

Conclusion

Small changes add up over a month, and you don’t need to do all eleven at once to notice a difference in your indoor air quality.

If you take one thing from this, it’s that consistency matters more than any single product. A changed filter, a proper vacuum, a hot wash cycle, these are habits, and they work best together rather than in isolation.