There are three basic ways to keep air clean:
- Preventing the entry of outdoor pollutants.
- Filtering the pollutants that are present.
- Cleaning in order to eliminate pollutants from the surfaces on which they are found.
If we do not allow outdoor air to enter the building, we will not allow outdoor pollutants to enter either. This is not practical as outdoor air is necessary in order for indoor air to be changed. If the building is close to major access roads, outdoor air supply can at least be cut off during rush hour.
By using low-emission compound materials in the building structure and furniture, the level of pollutants in these areas will drop.
Filtration in the form of filters or purifiers in the ventilation system or stand-alone filtration systems may be suitable for removing particles. A special type of filter must be used to remove gaseous pollutants.
No filtration system will be effective if high amounts of outdoor pollutants are allowed to enter the building, if indoor surfaces are excessively dirty, or if there are large sources of pollution inside the building.
Regular and appropriate cleaning of the inside of buildings is a good way to significantly reduce airborne particles.
The use of carpets or rugs is not advisable, even if vacuum cleaning (with vacuum cleaners) or high-efficiency filtration (HEPA) is carried out; this is a losing battle due to their capacity for storing harmful substances.
In addition, cleaning carpets and rugs often causes more problems than it solves as if they remain damp for too long, this causes the growth of mould and, if not cleaned carefully, toxic soap deposits will remain on the carpeting.
