A lot that goes into a fun night of entertaining friends and family. There’s food and drinks to buy, places to be set, rooms to clean, and playlists to be made! But more importantly, there’s the quality of your indoor air to maintain. This factor is often overlooked, but studies consistently show that indoor air quality is 5x more polluted than outdoor air. So in order to be the hostess with the mostess, here are a few tips for maintaining your home’s indoor air quality and comfort when entertaining:
Get Your HVAC Checked
While you’re making calls to schedule the caterer and DJ, give your contractor a ring to come out and take a look at your HVAC. The last thing you want is an air flow emergency in the middle of your party. Ensure all your equipment is working properly before the big day so you can breathe easier… literally.
Increase the Airflow
Airflow is a key component of good indoor air quality. If it’s a nice day, open up some windows and doors to remove stagnant air and refresh the air inside your home. If it’s too brisk or windy, or you’re entertaining in a room like the basement, turn on ceiling fans or set up a standing fan or two. They may not add much to your party decor, so you can always run them until guests arrive before stashing them away.
Clean Your Sheets, Cushions & Curtains
The only thing affecting your indoor air quality more than poor ventilation are hidden dust mites. They often linger in the fabrics of your home, such as your bedding, curtains, and cushions. Give these items a good pat down before cleaning them with a low allergenic washing soap. And try to keep furry friends off sofas and beds until after the party’s over.
Light a Few Candles
Disclaimer: for this tip, not just any candle will work. In fact, most scented candles will actually pollute indoor air with toxic chemicals, while also irritating guests with allergies or asthma. Beeswax candles are a totally different story, however, possessing air purifying qualities. Like the way in which many purifiers work, beeswax candles release negative ions which counteract the positive charges that dust, pollen, dirt and other pollutants contain. Plus, they’re all-natural and smell amazing!
Replace the Furnace Filter
When that scheduled maintenance rolls around, they’ll tell you whether or not your furnace filter needs to be replaced. Or you can simply check for yourself. A replacement will help you decrease the amount of mold, dust and other junk being blown into your home, while also helping your furnace run more smoothly to maximize your airflow and save you money.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Cleaning your home is always on the pre-party checklist, but some products actually harm your air quality as you clean. Take a look at labels before you start tidying up to make sure you’re using natural soaps and products that won’t release any harsh chemicals into the air and leave an unfavorable residue. Or simply head to the kitchen to try lemon and vinegar solutions that leave no carbon footprint whatsoever!
Add Some Greenery
Not only do houseplants add a nice, comforting ambience to your home’s decor, but they also help remove toxins from the air- and add oxygen, of course. Any type of plant will help do the trick, however, some are better than others. Here are the top five plants to add to your party shopping list:
- Bamboo Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
- English Ivy (Hedera helix)
- Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
- Janet Craig Dracaena (Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig’)
- Red Edged Dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
Somewhere between deciding on the party menu and downloading new songs for the playlist, you’ll want to make sure you check off these important must-dos to maintain and improve your indoor air quality. These few simple changes will leave your home feeling so comfortable and inviting, your guests may never leave! (you’ve been warned.) For more information on how to improve your home’s air quality, contact us to chat with one of our experts today.