Get to the Source

Most pollutants and irritants will only affect people who suffer from allergies or other breathing problems. "People at risk of being discomforted by inhalation exposures in the home will largely be people who already have some kind of lung trouble, such as asthma or emphysema," says David Cugell, M.D., professor of Pulmonary Diseases at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. "Otherwise healthy people will rarely encounter in a home environment something really significant in terms of their long-range health."

Many irritants can be left at the door. Consider having a no-shoe household, since chemicals and allergens from lawns enter on shoes. When you finish gardening or lawn mowing, change clothes as soon as you enter the house. Pollen and chemicals attach to our clothing during outdoor activity, then spread to floors and furniture.

Carpeting is a major haven for all these irritants. If you have a choice, wood floors are the air-friendly option.

To deal with pollutants once they've entered the home, Astry recommends a three-pronged attack: filtration, ventilation, and moisture control.