We breathe around 15,000 litres of air every day. That’s roughly 20,000 breaths, most of them taken indoors — in our homes, offices, and the spaces where we spend the vast majority of our time. Yet the air inside these spaces rarely gets the attention it deserves. We choose paint colours with care and agonise over furniture placement, but the invisible atmosphere filling our rooms often goes unconsidered.
The good news? Understanding indoor air quality doesn’t require a science degree. A few key concepts can help you make choices that genuinely improve the air you and your family breathe.
What’s Actually in Your Indoor Air?
Indoor air contains a complex mixture of gases, particles, and biological matter. Some of it comes from outside — pollen, traffic emissions, dust. But much of what we breathe indoors originates from the materials and activities within our homes.
The most discussed indoor pollutants are VOCs (volatile organic compounds) — the chemicals that create that distinctive ‘new paint smell’ or the scent of fresh furniture. VOCs evaporate from liquid or solid materials into the air at room temperature. Some dissipate within days; others continue off-gassing for months or even years.
Common indoor VOC sources include paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, engineered wood products containing formaldehyde-based glues, cleaning products, and some textiles and carpets. At high concentrations, VOCs can irritate eyes and respiratory passages, trigger headaches, and affect concentration. Long-term exposure to certain compounds raises more serious health concerns.
Beyond VOCs, indoor air may contain particulate matter (tiny suspended particles from dust, cooking, or outdoor pollution), carbon dioxide (which builds up in poorly ventilated spaces, causing stuffiness and reduced alertness), and excess moisture, which can encourage mould growth.
How Materials Shape Your Air
The materials surrounding you — walls, floors, furniture, finishes — aren’t passive backdrops. They interact with your indoor environment constantly, sometimes releasing compounds, sometimes absorbing them.
Conventional paints, for instance, may release VOCs for weeks after application. Engineered wood products bonded with urea-formaldehyde glues can emit formaldehyde over extended periods, particularly in warmer conditions. Vinyl flooring may release phthalates, used as plasticisers to keep the material flexible.
Natural materials behave differently. Clay plaster, for example, doesn’t just avoid releasing harmful compounds — it actively helps regulate humidity by absorbing and releasing moisture as conditions change. This buffering effect can help maintain comfortable humidity levels and reduce conditions that encourage mould growth. Similarly, untreated solid wood, natural linoleum, and lime-based finishes contribute to a more balanced indoor atmosphere.
This is why material choices matter beyond aesthetics. What covers your walls and floors affects the air you’re breathing right now.
Signs Your Air Quality Might Need Attention
Indoor air quality problems aren’t always obvious. But certain patterns can suggest your home’s atmosphere deserves investigation.
You might notice lingering chemical or musty odours that don’t seem to have a clear source, condensation regularly forming on windows (indicating high humidity and possibly poor ventilation), feeling more alert or energetic when outside or in other buildings, symptoms like headaches, fatigue, or irritated eyes that improve when you leave home, or stuffy or stale-feeling air, particularly in bedrooms after sleeping.
None of these signs is definitive on its own, and many have multiple possible causes. But if several resonate, it’s worth considering whether your indoor environment could be improved.
Simple Steps That Make a Difference
Improving indoor air quality doesn’t require wholesale renovation. Small, consistent actions can meaningfully shift the balance.
Ventilate regularly
Open windows for even a few minutes each day, especially after cooking, showering, or waking up. Cross-ventilation (opening windows on opposite sides of a space) is particularly effective for flushing out stale air.
Choose low-emission materials
When redecorating or renovating, look for products certified for low emissions. The GREENGUARD certification, for example, indicates a product has been tested and verified for low chemical emissions. Clay and lime-based paints naturally avoid the VOC concerns associated with many conventional coatings.
Mind the humidity
Aim for indoor humidity between 40% and 60%. Too dry, and respiratory passages become irritated; too damp, and mould becomes a risk. Breathable materials like clay plaster help maintain this balance naturally, but ventilation and (where needed) dehumidifiers also play a role.
Be mindful of what you bring in
New furniture, textiles, and materials often have the highest emission rates. Where possible, air new items outside or in a well-ventilated space before bringing them into bedrooms or other occupied areas.
A Note on Certifications
When shopping for materials, certifications can help you navigate claims. Look for GREENGUARD or GREENGUARD Gold (verified low VOC emissions), EN 16516 (the European standard for emissions testing into indoor air), or the Declare Label (which provides full ingredient transparency and confirms no ‘Red List’ chemicals of concern).
These aren’t the only markers of quality, but they provide third-party verification rather than relying on marketing claims alone.
Breathing Easier
Indoor air quality might seem like an invisible concern — literally. But once you understand the basics, you can begin making choices that genuinely improve your daily environment. You don’t need to change everything at once. Even small shifts — opening windows more often, choosing a natural paint for your next redecoration, being more mindful of what materials you bring into your home — add up over time.
The air you breathe is shaped by the materials around you. Understanding that connection is the first step toward a healthier home.
Products to Explore
If you’re ready to make a change, consider starting with low-emission paints and finishes — the category with perhaps the most immediate impact on indoor air quality. Clay paints, lime washes, and natural oil finishes offer alternatives that support healthier indoor air while bringing their own distinctive character to your walls.
