In 2014, the biggest airport in Venezuela decided to charge a fee to their passengers for the right to inhale clean air, also referred to as the breathing air tax by angry social media users who wasted no time in pulling down the airport. A user immediately complained about the £12 tax in Maiquetia International Airport with the following tweet:

“Could you explain to me the ozone thing in Maiquetia? The toilets don’t have water, the air-con is broken, there are stray dogs inside the airport, but there’s ozone?”

Ozone was part of a new system installed to purify the air and protect the health of the travelers Needless to say that travelers took to the social media to make fun of the new tax. You may think it’s infuriating, funny or plain ridiculous. But when you think about it, there’s something deadly serious about the breathing tax, and that is that the air you breathe is not clean. Surprising as it might sound, the statement also includes indoor air.

Keeping the air fresh

The air in your home needs to be renewed regularly. There’s a household habit in Germany that insists on opening all windows for one hour every day, even at the heart of winter. The advantage is that you can fill your house with fresh air and stimulate indoor air circulation. You can also add an AC system to keep the air circulating freely between rooms. This will ensure that your house keeps a high air quality at all time. Additionally, keeping the rooms ventilated means that there is a lot less possibility for mold growth to settle and spread. A functioning AC unit, indeed, reduces the moisture in your home. However, you need to organize regular servicing with professional air conditioning companies. When the unit is damaged or contaminated, it can spread unhealthy bacterial presence throughout your home. As a rule of the thumb,; new units should be checked yearly.

Ventilate your home

Keeping the air clear

How do you keep the air pure inside your home? If you think that pollution is only reserved for the outdoors, you need to think again. Cleaning products, chemicals, fragrances, formaldehyde and other toxins are present in all households. They can gradually put your health at risk as unhealthy particles spread in the air. But thankfully, you can rely on decorative houseplants to purify your indoor effectively. Bamboo palms, for example, are great against chemical contaminants like formaldehyde and benzene. Boston fern is one of the best plants against air pollutants, and it can even add beneficial humidity to the dry air.

Indoor plants that clean the air

Keeping the air clean

Finally, you can also play a significant role in the cleanliness of your indoor air. Weekly or bi-weekly vacuuming can get rid of dust particles in the air and also reduce the risk of mold infestation. Additionally, it allows you to control the presence of allergens in your home, such as pollen or pet hair. Keeping things clean and tidy is, by far, the best approach to purify indoor air.

You may not be ready to pay a breathing tax, but you can certainly make sure that the indoor air is breathable and healthy. Maybe purification is the way to stop a tax on the air in your home!