Let the Good Times Roll and the Clean Air Flow: How to Keep Your Air Clean This Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and the months of indoor gatherings beginning to set in for most people, now is a good time to consider how you are going to keep your indoor air quality clean and safe. Although it may not be the most exciting aspect of Thanksgiving, the fact of the matter is that because air pollution generally worsens as the temperature drops, air quality is a top concern, especially for large gatherings with people of all ages. On top of the colder air, the furious bout of indoor cooking that Thanksgiving usually entails only jeopardizes your air quality more. 

Thankfully, by pairing a Coway air purifier with a few simple tricks, you can keep your family and friends safe inside, whether you are serving up a feast are huddling around a fireplace. However, matching your air purifier to your space, and adapting broad air filtration strategies is critical to keeping the air clean. In this blog, we cover everything you need to have in your toolbox, and everything you need to know to get clean indoor air circulating in time for Thanksgiving. 

Why Thanksgiving Can Be An Air Quality Challenge 

The combination of the cooler air and increased, prolonged indoor cooking make Thanksgiving a hotspot for air quality issues. Unfortunately, the same issues hold true for the rest of the winter holidays. However, once you know where the air quality threats come from, mitigating their presence only takes a few simple steps. ,

Indoor Cooking 

Cooking up a storm is a fan-favorite Thanksgiving activity for many. However, there are air quality risks associated with the type of heat you use, and what you are cooking. For example, cooking with gas may release carbon monoxide, while cooking over a wood fireplace can release harmful levels of wood smoke. Cooking with oils and fats at high temperatures can also release unwanted odors and smoke. 

Poor Ventilation 

Even if you cook with a vent in the kitchen, a high concentration of family and friends in other rooms of the house can present challenges there as well. As people pack into shared spaces to celebrate, the risk of exchanging germs with one another rises. If you don’t increase your ventilation system, even if only by using a fan and opening a window, you won’t get the ventilation you need. Indoor spaces without proper ventilation can have 100 times more fine particles than what is considered healthy according to the World Health Organization.

Cold Weather 

Because cold air is more dense than warm air, it moves slower and tends to trap airborne particles more securely than warm air. Because of this, air pollution levels tend to be higher in the winter than in the summer. Cold weather also increases the average moisture in the air, which can contribute to winter mold. These conditions only exacerbate the challenge of keeping your air clean for Thanksgiving, and the rest of your gatherings to follow. 

How to Keep Your Air Clean for Thanksgiving 

Invest in a Coway Air Purifier 

Regardless of what type of space you have, or whether you have an HVAC unit installed, you can invest in an Airmega Coway air purifier for Thanksgiving. Aside from offering great filtration speeds and capacity, you can take your Coway purifier to where the crowd is the source of smoke or whatever the pollutant may be. Although this may not be the most ideal tactic for everyday use, especially if you use a larger unit such as the Airmega 400, it can work wonders during the holidays and large indoor gatherings. Also, consider getting a unit with a carbon filter, like the Airmega Icon, that will actively help reduce cooking odors and other smells. 

Clean Your Space 

Getting rid of excess dust and other pollutants ahead of when people arrive is a great strategy to mitigate the chance of it getting all kicked up when someone inevitably goes looking for an extra chair, or something of that nature. Take care to avoid chemical-based cleaners because these can also decrease indoor air quality. Even if you can’t do a deep clean, a good dusting with a microfiber cloth can go a long way. 

Cook With Ventilation 

Not only can ventilation, either from a cooking hood, air purifier, fan, or some combination of the three, help with removing pollutants, it can also eliminate unwanted odors. Odors from cooking and cooking smoke can have an unwanted impact on the air quality, not to mention people's appetites. Using a combination of the tools at your disposal is the best way to ensure good results. 

Take Control of Your Air Quality This Thanksgiving 

Nothing expresses your gratitude for your friends and family like putting in the effort to keep them safe. Investing in an air purifier is the easiest, most comprehensive solution for air quality problems associated with large indoor gatherings. Perhaps most importantly, a good air purifier will let you breathe easy, relax, and focus on the meal! 

Will Briskin (he/him) is a tool and high-end product reviewer with a focus on all things related to woodworking, design, and furniture. He began woodworking at a young age, and he’s been testing new tools and design ideas ever since. His passion for improving his craft has equipped him with the ability to recognize quality products in a variety of fields. When investigating products for BestReviews, Will draws on his experience as an academic research assistant and many hours spent honing his attention to detail in a professional furniture design and manufacturing studio. This allows him to write with authority on multiple subjects.

Sources:

California Air Resource Board -  Indoor Air Pollution From Cooking

Accuweather - Why Air Pollution is Worse in Winter

EPA - The Inside Story: A guide to Indoor Air Quality

World Health Organization - Household Air Pollution