Good actions for a healthier indoor air
Air your home at least 10 minutes a day and more when you tinker, cook, clean, dry clothes indoors or take a shower or bath.
Do not interfere with the operation of the ventilation systems and maintain them regularly.
Do not smoke indoors, even open windows.
Have the combustion appliances and installations checked by a professional every year before the beginning of winter.
Avoid using continuous mobile fuel booster heaters and indoor generator sets.
Respect the doses of use of the products of maintenance, hygiene and do it yourself on the label.
Be even more vigilant if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The quality of the environment in the kitchen
The Cook
Use ceramic hotplates, which do not produce carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides such as gas stoves, or electromagnetic fields such as induction hobs. You can also equip a hood.
Dishes Use
a dishwasher, this will save you money. To avoid noise, avoid models that are more than 50 dB, so you can turn it at night without problems.
The quality of the environment in the living room
The sofa
If it is fabric, it contains mites. It is therefore preferable to have a sofa with removable cover to wash the covers at least once a month. For others, read carefully the label indicating the treatments used.
Furniture
Avoid furniture made of plywood or chipboard.
Television
Prefer LCD or plasma screens, or an OLED screen to cathode screens that emit strong magnetic fields. Stand more than 1.20m when looking at the screen. When you’re not using it, turn off the TV instead of putting it to sleep.
Limit the waves
Move away from different electronic devices and remember to turn them off once their use is complete.
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The quality of the environment in the office
Computer
If you have a choice, prefer a computer monitor labeled TCO 05.
The desk
The worktop must be matt or satin so as not to tire the eyes. The office chair has to be adapted to not strain the back or the neck.
Wireless connections
Limit and prefer wired connections that do not add waves to the pollution of your environment.
Printer
If you use your printer or copier very much, do not place your desk near the machine as it can produce ozone.
The quality of the environment in the nursery
A healthy child’s
Room The room is the place where we spend a third of our time, and more for children, so we must ensure that it does not become a privileged ground for the various pollutants habitat.
Humidity between 50 and 60% is ideal for children’s rooms. Underneath, dry air will cause irritation of the respiratory tract. In addition, the child up to 6 months breathes only through the nose and its environment can quickly become very uncomfortable. Finally, it is important to increase the humidity level in cases of nasopharyngitis or respiratory problems related to the flu or a cold.
The floor
Avoid the carpet: although pleasant to the touch, the carpet quickly becomes the landmark of mites and VOCs, especially since it is difficult to clean thoroughly.
Prefer hard floors: traditional terracotta, or solid parquet, they are easy to maintain. Rubber floors (with the Blue Angel label to guarantee their quality) can be an interesting alternative.
Walls
To paint: choose a natural lime paint, or an alkyd emulsion paint that contains very few solvents.
The wallpaper: if it is leachable, it contains phthalates in large quantity. Otherwise, it has the same ability as carpet to absorb and re-emit air pollutants. It is better to avoid it.
The bed
Find the right place: do not place the bed near a radiator or window to avoid thermal shock. Be careful to keep it away from all sources of electromagnetic waves.
Choosing the right bed: a good bed consists of a mattress, and a box spring. Ban metal beds that have a high affinity for electromagnetic fields, as well as box springs – true mite nests. Opt instead for a slatted frame and mattress 100% natural (attention latex can however be allergenic), neither too soft nor too firm. High beds are not to be considered for at least eleven years, ensuring that safety standards are met. If you run out of space try the drawer beds.
Protective covers: equip the mattress and cushions with dust mite covers. No need to take anti-mite treatments that can be toxic and generally leave a few washes.
Furniture
Prefer raw wood: raw wood has a low formaldehyde content, unlike plywood and chipboard.
Toys Dust cups: Wash them regularly and make sure they are stored in a closed box as soon as your children furniture have finished using them. Be careful about quality: toys are not always safe for children. To know which ones to choose, you can consult the WECF guide.
The environment
A pleasant room: move the bed away from sources of noise and attenuate as much as possible. The temperature of the room should not be too high (around 15-16 ° C). Humidity, the humidity level in the air, must be between 30 and 60%.
Limit the waves: prefer battery-powered alarms and keep baby phones away from the beds. If there is a TV in the room (which is not recommended!), Make sure it is more than 1m from the bed.
A peaceful sleep: to be able to have a restful sleep, it is necessary to eliminate the sources of noise. The darkness is also necessary to sleep well, it is necessary to equip the window shutters.
