We vacuum the floors, wipe down the counters, and occasionally discover something alarming under the sofa. But, when was the last time we thought about cleaning the air?

Everything from cooking and cleaning to dust, smoke, dampness, and household products can affect the air inside your home. Fortunately, improving it doesn't mean we have to turn the living room into a laboratory.

Open the Windows When It Makes Sense

Sometimes, the simplest thing we can do is let the house breathe. Opening the windows and doors can bring outdoor air inside and help dilute pollutants that have built up indoors. The EPA also recommends using kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans, especially when we’re doing things that can pollute the air.

Of course, there are days when the outdoor air isn't something we want indoors, either. Smoke, heavy pollution, and other outdoor conditions can make opening the windows a bad trade. But, when the air outside is fresh, give the house a little airing out.

Turn On the Fan While You're Cooking

Dinner doesn't always stay in the kitchen. Cooking can release particles and other pollutants into the air, so use your exhaust fan if you have one that vents outside.

And don't wait until the smoke alarm has joined the party. Turn the fan on while you're cooking and let it do its job.

Don't Let Dampness Move In

A little moisture is normal. A perpetually damp bathroom is another story. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally between 30% and 50%. The CDC confirms that by saying we should never let it exceed 50%, in order to discourage mold growth.

A small humidity meter can tell you what's happening so you don’t have to judge the air by how your hair looks. If things are consistently damp, a dehumidifier may help. And leaks, wet areas, and mold need your attention, rather than a strategically placed bath mat.

Give Dust Somewhere Else to Live

Dust has an impressive ability to return approximately a few minutes after we clean it. We can't banish it completely, but we can keep it from taking over. The EPA suggests:

• Vacuuming carpets and furniture regularly

• Dusting with a damp cloth

• Considering a vacuum with a HEPA filter

• Changing HVAC and other filters as recommended

A damp cloth is particularly handy because we'll actually collect the dust, rather than send it on a brief flight around the room.

An Air Purifier Can Help

An air purifier isn't a magical force field, but the right one can help us reduce airborne particles. The EPA's guide to home air cleaners recommends a portable unit that's properly sized for the room. HEPA filtration and the unit's clean air delivery rate, or CADR, can help us compare options.

Then comes the unglamorous part: changing the filter. A purifier with a filthy, overloaded filter isn't going to perform particularly well. And skip the machines that are designed to produce ozone. The EPA advises against ozone generators in occupied spaces.

Don't Expect the Houseplants to Do All the Work

Your pothos is lovely. But, we should probably stop expecting it to run the building's air-quality department.

Although houseplants have been studied for their ability to remove certain chemicals, under laboratory conditions, the EPA says there's no evidence that a reasonable number of plants remove significant amounts of indoor pollutants.

Keep the plants because they're pretty. Just don't assign them HVAC responsibilities.

Start With What's Making the Air Dirty

Before you buy any gadgets, look around the house. The EPA says controlling the source of indoor pollution is usually the most effective way to improve indoor air quality. That can mean taking a few practical steps around the house, including:

• Keeping smoke outside

• Dealing with moisture problems

• Ventilating while painting

• Opening windows or using ventilation when working with products that release fumes

• Properly maintaining fuel-burning appliances

An air purifier can help with particles, but it can't undo everything else happening inside the house.

Give Your Home a Little Breathing Room

Cleaner indoor air doesn't have to become another elaborate home project.

Open the windows when the conditions are good. Use the kitchen fan. Keep the dampness under control. Stay reasonably ahead of the dust, and change those poor, neglected filters. Then, enjoy the houseplants for what they really bring to the operation: looking adorable in the window.

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