Every home has chemicals in the air. They get there from things such as hair spray, cleaning products, scented candles, and cooking oil fumes, or even materials such as pillows and furniture. It is common practice for people to open the windows for a while to let these chemicals out.
However, opening the windows to let the “bad” air out and let fresh air in doesn’t work. A large team of curious researchers has debunked the age-old trick. They tested the assumption using a model home that is part of the House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry field campaign. The results revealed that the chemical levels dropped when the windows were opened but then returned within a few minutes of closing the windows. The research has been published in the journal Science Advances.
The Experiment
- Volunteers were instructed to mimic real-life activities in the model homes.
- The researchers then measured the air for 19 different kinds of contaminants.
- Next, the people opened all the windows and doors and left them like that for a while.
- The researchers measured the air again for the same contaminants.
- After some time, the people closed all the windows and doors, and the researchers measured the air one more time for the contaminants.
The Results
- The concentrations of most of the chemicals fell dramatically when the windows and doors were open.
- Within as little as just over eight minutes, the chemicals returned to nearly the same levels as before; and soon after, they returned to their original concentrations.
The researchers don’t know why this happens for sure. They think it could be because chemicals were clinging to the furniture, walls, and other home surfaces. When they closed the windows and doors, the substances adhering to the surfaces released themselves and replaced the chemicals in the air that got flushed out.
However, how the chemicals cling to these surfaces and then release themselves is a mystery – one that the team is now focused on investigating. The strange thing is, the researchers tried mopping the floors several times with vinegar and spraying ammonia on nearly all the surfaces of the house to change surface pH. They thought maybe that would remove the chemicals clinging to the surfaces of the home, but it only made matters worse. When they measured the air, the chemical concentrations were higher for a short while.
Frank Kelly at King’s College London, said:
Modern houses are becoming more air-tight as we try to conserve energy. This may be bad for our air quality unless homes are built with mechanical ventilation systems.
Nobody knows yet if indoor chemical concentrations can make the inhabitants sick. Other scientists are researching that too. And even though this study found the chemicals in the air stick around no matter what, it’s still good practice to keep the house well ventilated. Mainly when cleaning and cooking to prevent air chemical levels from getting too high.
