What Are Volatile Organic Compounds?

If you are shopping around for an effective air purifier, you may have run into the term VOCs. This may leave you wondering what volatile organic compounds are. Here is a guide on the matter. Volatile organic compounds, otherwise known as VOCs, tend to be human-made chemicals that activate as a byproduct of cleaning several other reactive agents.

This is a collective concentration of chemical odors that are building over extended use of related chemicals. Where do these derive from? Typically they come from building materials, office supplies, hobby products, and a variety of chemicals used for cleaning or polishing. VOCs have low water solubility and high vapor pressure, meaning they can easily float around as airborne particles. Breathing in volatile organic compounds can lead to a risk of ill health over time.

Additionally, VOCs tend to be extremely smelly. So you might want to make an air purifier out of charcoal to mask the scent. And, having an air purifier that removes radon can help with air quality.

Additionally, if you wonder what are the harms of using air purifiers you will find that some are harmful while others are not. Avoid air purifiers that use ozone filtration. They release harmful ozone particles that are not healthy when inhaled.

How to Reduce or Eliminate VOCs

Studies have shown that VOCs can cause multiple adverse health effects, not just breathing problems. Exposure to VOCs include cancer in humans, cancer in animals, and carbon monoxide poisoning are among the top offenders. Immediate reactions to VOCs are loss of coordination, throat discomfort, and skin or eye irritation. 

That’s why your air quality in an indoor environment should be considered, and using an air purifier will help remove or lessen VOCs. Here are some ways you can reduce or eliminate any volatile organic compounds lurking in your home.

Install an Air Purifier

Air purifiers can effectively reduce and eliminate the amount of volatile organic compounds in the air throughout your home. While we would recommend HEPA-based purifiers for most issues, they are not that effective when it comes to VOCs. Instead, go for an air purifier that has been equipped with an activated carbon filter to handle volatile organic compounds. You can check out what does a carbon air filter do. Other options include ionic air purifiers, though these carry some risk of ozone exposure.

Eliminate VOC-Causing Materials

A whole lot of common household materials can ramp up the production of volatile organic compounds. These include chemical-based cleaning agents, paints, crafting supplies, and much more. We recommend doing some research to figure out which items in your home are causing an uptick in VOCs. After that, simply remove the offending materials and be sure to read the labels before making related household purchases.

Clean Surfaces With Approved Cleaning Agents

You should regularly clean and maintain the various surfaces throughout your home, as this will reduce the amount of VOCs present. When cleaning, be sure to shy away from chemical cleaning agents, as they could increase the number of volatile organic compounds in your home. We recommend going with simple cleaning solutions that use water and vinegar. You should also use a simple microfiber cloth.

Open Doors and Windows

Increase your home’s ventilation to reduce VOCs. Simply keep the doors and windows open for a while. This should work to get rid of any lingering volatile organic compounds.

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