WLLW Round-Up: Why Indoor Air Quality Matters More Than Ever
In this article, we bring together our top guides for creating cleaner, healthier air at home.
WORDS Elissa Rose
Summer is around the corner but for many people, it comes with concerns about allergies. While we often focus on what’s happening outside, it’s important to consider our homes and how we can promote better indoor air quality. This round-up of our articles explores the complex, often invisible factors that affect the air we breathe indoors and offers practical, research-backed strategies to create healthier spaces.
Photo courtesy of blackboxguild/Adobe
Breathe Easy in Your Home All Year Round
This foundational article draws from the work of Harvard professor Joseph G. Allen, who warns that indoor air is often more polluted than the air outside. Given that we spend up to 90 percent of our lives indoors, this is no small concern. Allen explains how the 1970s energy crisis led to tightly sealed homes with poor ventilation, a design flaw we still live with today. From off-gassing furniture to common cleaning products, the culprits behind ‘sick’ buildings are everywhere. The piece offers straightforward solutions: open windows, upgrade your air filters, and choose non-toxic materials. It's a call to action for healthier homes that prioritize our wellbeing.
Photo courtesy of Ivanna/Adobe
The Impact of Indoor Air Quality on Asthma and Allergies
This article focuses on vulnerable populations – particularly children, the elderly and those with asthma or allergies – who are disproportionately affected by poor indoor air quality. It explores the relationship between VOCs, mold, dust and respiratory distress, supported by WHO data and clinical studies. Practical interventions include humidity control, HEPA filters and low-VOC materials, but the article also encourages readers to monitor their home environments, track symptoms and seek professional testing when needed. With air pollution now linked to millions of deaths annually, it demonstrates the need to consider air quality as a critical component of chronic illness prevention.
Photo courtesy of Andy Gordon/Adobe
Breathing Room: Enhancing Indoor Air Quality to Support Mental Wellbeing
Mental health and indoor air quality are more connected than we think. This piece sheds light on how poor IAQ can disrupt sleep, worsen anxiety and even contribute to cognitive decline. Exposure to mold, VOCs and elevated CO₂ levels creates a feedback loop of stress and inflammation, all within the supposed safety of home. Drawing again on Dr. Allen’s research, the article provides practical guidance: ventilate regularly, purify the air, use low-VOC materials and control humidity. The key message is that clean air not only supports physical health but is essential to clarity, calm and emotional resilience.
Photo courtesy of Vianca Soleil
The Fresh Air Illusion
Scented candles, air fresheners and harsh cleaners promise freshness but often degrade indoor air quality. This article unpacks how these common household products release VOCs and nanoparticles that can linger for hours, if not days. Drawing on data from Purdue’s zEDGE Lab, it explains how even ‘environmentally-friendly’ labels can be misleading. The article also offers global insights, from friluftsliv in Scandinavia to natural purification methods used in Japan and Latin America. WLLW suggests healthier alternatives such as beeswax candles and natural cleaning sprays to keep homes fresh without compromising air quality or wellbeing.
Photo courtesy of Ralf Geith/Adobe
When the Dust Settles: Clearing the Air for a Healthier Home
Dust may seem harmless, but this deep dive reveals it as a complex pollutant made of skin cells, pollen, microplastics and flame retardants. The article outlines how dust builds up in hidden corners – under beds, inside closets and around vents – and explains the real risks it poses, from triggering asthma to harboring harmful chemicals like VOCs. Children, in particular, are vulnerable due to their proximity to dusty surfaces. Fortunately, solutions abound: microfiber cloths, HEPA vacuums, no-shoes policies and managing humidity levels can all drastically reduce exposure. By shifting how we clean and ventilate, we can keep our homes safer for everyone.
Feature Image: Silje Kverneland
Photography: blackboxguild/Adobe, Ivanna/Adobe, Andy Gordon/Adobe, Vianca Soleil, Ralf Geith/Adobe
Further Info
Healthy Buildings (Harvard) Introduction to Indoor Air Quality (EPA) Healthier Home Checklist (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America) The Surprising Link Between Indoor Air Quality and Mental Health How Air Fresheners Impact Our Health
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