The last decade has seen a dramatic rise in the number of asthma cases, especially among children, and air pollution is partly to blame. Also, according to the American Lung Association, the air inside homes and other buildings can sometimes be more polluted than outside air. Since Americans spend, on average, 90 percent of our time indoors, there are easy steps to take to make the air in our homes healthier.

Most importantly, don’t smoke, or allow others to smoke, in your home. Infants inhale two-and-one-half times more frequently than adults, without the benefit of the filter on a cigarette. A child living with a smoker consumes 100 cigarettes worth of smoke by the age of five, says Aileen Gagney, home health specialist for the American Lung Association of Washington. Secondhand smoke increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and causes chronic bronchitis and ear infections.

After banning tobacco from your home, try these other easy strategies for improving indoor air quality:

• Keep a handle on dust. Be sure to vacuum and dust weekly to help eliminate viruses, toxic chemicals, allergens and asthma triggers from your home. Vacuum longer than you think you need to in order to extract more dust, especially if you have thick-pile carpeting. For dusting, skip the feather dusters and furniture spray in favor of a rag dampened with water.
• Remove your shoes at the door and ask your guests to do the same. Shoes pick up pesticides from lawns and toxins from car exhaust on streets and sidewalks, then track them into your house.
• Prevent mold by reducing moisture in the air. Run the bathroom fan for 45 minutes after a shower. Close the lid on the toilet and cover or eliminate other sources of standing water that will evaporate. If you use a humidifier, clean the filter regularly to prevent mold growth.
• Pay attention to odors such as natural gas and avoid artificially scented air fresheners and cleaning products. “If it smells bad, it is bad,” says Gagney. “If it smells good, it’s probably bad, too.” Buy fragrance-free detergents or make your own with natural ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda. Add lemon juice to your cleaning products or heat real vanilla extract on your stove for scents that aren’t potentially harmful.
• Use carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Don’t use a combination product, though—smoke rises while carbon monoxide tends to sink toward the floor. Change the batteries every July 4th.
• Contact your state or local chapter of the American Lung Association. If you think something in your home is making your family ill, contact www.lungusa.org. Many chapters provide free home inspections and training to identify potential problems.

For more information related to your family’s health and well-being, visit the Your Child section of our site.