Common Living Room Items That Could Be Affecting Your Indoor Air Quality

Sep 6

3 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

A bright living room with natural timber furniture, soft furnishings and indoor plants.

Living-room air pollution is rarely one dramatic source. More often it is a mixture of low-level emissions from furniture, finishes, flooring, cleaning products, synthetic fragrance and combustion that sit in the room where people spend hours every day.

That is why a room can smell “new”, “clean” or strongly fragranced and still deserve a closer look.

New Furniture Can Be an Indoor Air Source

Furniture and cabinetry made from MDF, particleboard and other composite wood can release formaldehyde. EPA guidance identifies pressed-wood products as one of the more significant formaldehyde sources found in homes, particularly when new materials are present.

Heat and humidity can increase formaldehyde emissions from some products. If you are buying new furniture, ask what it is made from, favour verified lower-emission products where possible, and ventilate well after bringing large new items into the home.

The Soft Things Matter Too

Rugs, carpet, underlay, adhesives, foam-filled furniture, paints, varnishes and other finishes can all introduce VOCs or odours. Health Canada lists carpets, furniture, cabinets, cleaning products and personal-care products among common indoor sources of gases or particles.

Assess a sofa or rug by what it is actually made from: the material, adhesive, foam, finish and backing all matter. A strong persistent chemical odour is a reason to ventilate aggressively and avoid adding more new-emission sources to the room at the same time.

Synthetic Synthetic Fragrance Is Not the Same as a Naturally Scented Home

Plug-ins, air fresheners, fragranced sprays and heavily scented cleaning products can add VOCs to indoor air. EPA guidance includes air fresheners and many household cleaners among indoor VOC sources.

I separate synthetic fragrance from essential-oil-based scent. If you want scent in the room, essential oils are a different option from synthetic perfume blends. Use quality oils and sensible dilution, particularly around children and pets.

Candles and Incense Add Particles, Even When They Smell Beautiful

Burning materials changes indoor air. EPA lists candles, fireplaces and other combustion activities as indoor sources of particulate matter. Health Canada similarly recommends reducing candle and incense use because of the particles and other pollutants they can generate.

Create atmosphere without adding smoke. Warm low-flicker lighting, lamps, natural materials and biophilic elements can give the room warmth and character without burning anything.

Ventilation After Renovating Is Not a One-Day Job

VOC concentrations can remain elevated after painting, varnishing, installing flooring or bringing in new furniture. EPA notes that emissions from household products can continue after the activity itself has finished.

During and after renovations, increase ventilation, choose lower-emission materials and allow finishes to cure before spending long periods in the room where practical.

What I Would Change First

Remove unnecessary plug-ins and synthetic air fresheners. Check whether new furniture is composite wood and look for lower-emission alternatives when replacing it. Reduce candle and incense use if indoor air quality is a priority. Ventilate after new furniture, paint, flooring or adhesives are introduced.

Then look at the whole living-room environment, including lighting, acoustics, visual clutter and materials. Indoor air is only one part of whether the space supports the people using it.