Using Essential Oils to Clean the Air
According to research by the EPA, or the Environmental Protection Agency, we spend around 90% of our time indoors. This means that 90% of the air we breathe is indoor air, rather than the fresh air one would breathe while outside. Indoor air can be polluted with all types of allergens, and because they’re not seen, you typically don’t realize you’re breathing them in. These indoor pollutants can worsen allergy symptoms, they can exacerbate asthma, and they can leave you feeling run down throughout the day. For those with sinus conditions or easily irritated sinuses, these pollutants can even leave you feeling like you’re battling a cold you can’t quit, when it’s in truth the pollutants tricking you into thinking you’re getting sick.
Essential oils when diffused do a lot more than just aromatherapy, they can also help to cleanse the air you breathe. When using the right essential oils in your nebulizing diffuser, microbes, fungal spores, and other pollutants are no match, and you can reap the therapeutic rewards of the oils while simultaneously leaving your home with cleaner, fresher, and healthier air.
What Essential Oils Should I Use to Improve Air Quality?
Some essential oils are perfect for improving air quality, and others when diffused may release volatile organic compounds that can potentially irritate asthmatic conditions. For this reason, it’s important to know what essential oils to use in air purifying, and there are several you can choose from. The oils that work best for purifying and improving air quality are:
Lavender
Lavender essential oil is the natural soother, and there are a ton of uses for this oil in aromatherapy and air purifying. The antimicrobial properties of lavender essential oil has been shown to be effective in eradicating airborne fungi and bacteria within a span of 30 to 60 minutes, two of the most common airborne irritants found in the average home. On top of this air purifying benefit, you also receive the relaxation and tension relief benefits of the natural lavender scent. Because lavender has such a positive effect on sleep, and pure air aids in better rest, this is a great purification method to use before bedtime to achieve maximum benefit.
Thyme
Thyme essential oil not only has antibacterial properties to purify normal indoor air allergens, but this is the oil you want to purify air when seasonal bugs are making their round around your home. Not the insect type of bug, but the type of bug that you can’t see, the kind that gets your family down and out for weeks at a time especially during the fall and winter months.
Tea Tree
Tea tree essential oil is a superhero when it comes to antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Cleansing the air with tea tree essential oils helps to rid the air of germs spread around during cold and flu season, while also taking care of spores and other common air allergens.
Why Clean the Air Using Essential Oils?
Purifying your indoor air is important, but do you know why? Poor indoor air can have quite a few effects on your health, and with how much time the average person spends indoors, these pollutants can really begin to take a toll on how you feel. Some of the most common effects of poor indoor air quality are sore throat, sinus irritation and congestion, cough, watery eyes, and even itchy skin. By keeping your air clean, you can help to alleviate these symptoms, and provide yourself with the air your body needs to feel its best without the irritation.
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