Natural ways to purify air
- Incorporate inside plants
- Banish dust with microfiber
- Diffuse essential oils
- Keep pet hair down
Blooming flowers. Bright sunshine. Warm breezes. That can mean only one thing—spring is in the air! And with spring comes spring cleaning. This year, add indoor air to your spring cleaning list. Why? Indoor air can be full of dust particles and pet hair (even if pets aren’t allowed in your office). And considering that on average, people spend about 90% of their time indoors, keeping the air we breathe fresh and clean is essential.
If you’re looking for natural ways to purify air in your workspace, we offer ideas.
Incorporate inside plants
Furnaces and air conditioners can dry the air out. Dry air contributes to dry skin and can raise your chance of catching a cold. That’s where indoor plants come in—they add moisture back to the air. One study found a collection of spider plants boosted the relative humidity from 20% to a more comfortable 30%. Flourishing green plants placed throughout your office can add a refreshing look and feel. Bringing a bit of nature inside can also help keep your staff from feeling cooped up. Pop-up planter kits with everything from chives to forget-me-nots are an easy way to incorporate inside plants into your workplace. If you have remote employees, send them natural giveaways, like a growable planter kit or an air plant. They’ll appreciate a touch of the outdoors inside their home office.
Banish dust with microfiber
Dust and dust mites can contribute to uncomfortable allergy symptoms, like sneezing and itchiness. Keep dust at bay by removing “dust collectors” sitting around in your workplace, like knickknacks and artificial flowers. Also—be sure to regularly dust bookshelves and picture frames around the office. But don’t just grab any old rag. Regular cloths only clean the very top of a surface, whereas microfiber cloths hold onto deeply ground dirt and tiny particles of dust. This is because they’re made with super-fine synthetic fibers shaped with an asterisk-like structure. Another natural way to purify air is to add an air purifier to your office space. It won’t take away all the particles that float around, but it will help reduce them.
Diffuse essential oils
While they may smell great, many scented candles contain irritating chemicals. Candles can also release smoke and soot into the air and because they can be dangerous if left unattended, you may not be permitted to burn them in the office. When you want to add a fresh fragrance to your office, essential oils make an excellent replacement for things like candles, potpourri and wax warmers. And the best part is that essential oils come in almost every smell you can imagine. To help staff de-stress, use an electronic diffuser to diffuse calming lavender in the air. If you want a cool and crisp oil to invigorate your team in the morning, diffuse peppermint essential oil. And for that mid-afternoon slump after everyone’s had lunch, diffuse a refreshing blend of orange, lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine and vanilla oils. You could even send a mini bottle to remote employees as a natural giveaway.
Keep pet hair down
While pets are amazing and make wonderful work buddies, it’s easy for their hair to get everywhere—including floating around the air. If your business allows staff and customers to bring their pets inside, vacuuming your workspace two to three times a week is a good habit. Be sure to use attachments to reach corners and the tight spots where the floor and wall meet. You can also keep pet hair down by brushing furniture every couple of days with a reusable pet hair remover.
Keep indoor air fresh and clean
With natural ways to freshen the air, like diffusing essential oils, incorporating more inside plants and dusting with microfiber cloths, the air you and your staff breathe will be fresher and cleaner.
Top Takeaways:
- People spend about 90% of their time indoors
- Inside plants help reduce moisture in the air
- Microfiber cloths pick up more dust than other options
- Essential oils make great candle and wax warmer replacements