Believe it or not, the air within modern homes can be up to five times more polluted than outside air. When you also take into account that we can spend up to ninety percent of our lives inside, the term sick building syndrome should require little explanation.

Unlike outdoor air, inside air is recycled over and over with pollutants like tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust and pet dander all adding towards asthma attacks and allergic reactions.

Other symptoms of sick building syndrome include dizziness, head aches, tickly throats, stuffy nose, itchy or watery eyes, nausea, lethargy and an inability to concentrate.  However, since several of these symptoms are similar to those of a common cold, it is not always easy to to decide if indoor pollution is the cause or if it is because of some type of viral infection.

If you discover that the symptoms subside or even vanish when you are outdoors, the chances are that poor air quality inside your home is to blame. If that is the case, there are various things that you can do to all but get rid of the potential causes and breathe a little easier.

Make a big difference to indoor air quality in your house with the following seven tips.

No Smoking Inside

Even though this may sound obvious, you should in effect ban smoking within your house or at the least restrict it to one room. In our case, if friends or family, who are also smokers, call, they are either banished to the back yard or the kitchen area. If you have an extractor fan fitted in the kitchen, make sure that it is turned on and try to have smokers stand reasonably close to the fan so that the fumes get drawn out.

Air Out Regularly

Assuming that it is not freezing cold or blowing a gale outside, let some outdoor air in by opening up your windows and doors every so often. Doing so will also get rid of some of the pollutants that have built up inside your house. If you have bathroom or kitchen extractor fans, make use of them regularly. You should also routinely clean the vent-hole in the extractors and make sure they function properly.

Get Rid of Those Chemical Cleaners

Pick Out any one of those so called miracle kitchen cleaners from your cupboard and somewhere on the label will be a warning as to how dangerous they are to your health. Moreover, look at what they are made of and see if you can recognize the names of any of the substances in that bottle. In fact, I doubt you will even be able to pronounce the name, let alone know what it is. Each time you use that product, fumes from whatever is in the bottle get released into the air for you to breathe in. How is it that some well known anti bacterial cleaners start your eyes watering and bring on a coughing fit. Personally, I have taken the enviromentally friendly route to home cleaning. Baking soda, washing soda crystals, white vinegar and pure lemon juice will work wonders for the majority of cleaning tasks. Not only do they cost less but they also do not release any toxic fumes into your home.

Keep you House Clean and Dust Free

Hoovering your rugs and floors regularly will help to keep dust and airborne allergens at bay. It is claimed (although I have no proof) that some seventy percent of all house dust comprises of dead skin, which we humans shed all the time. Dust mites like to feed on this dead skin which in turn makes them grow. They then shed their own skin and that, combined with their fecal matter is what causes allergic reactions in some folks.

Pet Dander Triggers Allergies

For those families with a cat, dog or other pet, allergies like asthma attacks can be sparked off by their dander, which they shed all the time. Something needs to be done if you suspect that either you or another household member are allergic to pet dander. Ideally, it is best to keep pets out of the house altogether although that is rarely possible. As a possible alternative, try and restrict the rooms that the pet is allowed into. One definite area to keep them out of is the bedroom.

Reduce Inside Air Humidity

If the clime where you live is either very muggy or just plain wet (as in too much rainfall), you will no doubt be aware of just how much moisture levels inside your home can increase. A consequence of excessive moisture is the growth of mold and mildew. For anybody with extreme allergies, mold spores are as bad, if not worse, than dust. Dehumidifiers can be a godsend in a humid environment because they are capable of removing excess moisture from the surrounding air, thereby keeping mold and the resulting spores at bay.

Invest in a Home Air Purifier

An allergy relief air purifier or a room air cleaner does as their name suggests and clean the air of pollutants and allergens such as mold spores, pollen, cigarette smoke and pet dander.  They are especially useful if you or a family member suffers from allergic reactions or asthma since they can reduce airborne contaminants by a substantial amount.  Indoor air purifiers have become very popular recently because they are able to clean the air in your home while making it a lot healthier to breathe in. Nevertheless, there are various types of air purification technologies, some of which may not be suitable in all situations.