Why This Matters
We spend 90% of our time indoors, yet indoor air can be 2-5x more polluted than outdoor air. In Indian homes, cooking, furniture off-gassing, and poor ventilation create a cocktail of pollutants that affect your health daily. This is the gap that indoorair.guide was set up to close.
Understanding what's in your air is the first step to breathing better. Here's a breakdown of the 9 major indoor pollutants and their India-specific sources. For detailed definitions of terms like PM2.5, VOCs, and AQI, see our Glossary.
Common Indoor Air Pollutants
A quick reference guide to what you're breathing and where it comes from.
| Pollutant | Usually Higher Where? | India-Specific Sources | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
Carbon DioxideCO₂ | Indoor | Closed bedrooms, AC rooms, offices | Causes sleepiness, headaches, poor focus. Signals poor ventilation. |
PM1.0(Ultrafine Particles) Biggest health risk | Both | Combustion smoke, vehicle exhaust, cooking fumes | Smallest particles; penetrate deepest into lungs and bloodstream. |
PM2.5(Fine Particles) Biggest health risk | Bothspikes indoors | Tadka/frying, incense (agarbatti), candles, traffic infiltration, construction dust | Linked to heart disease, lung illness, inflammation. Biggest health risk. |
PM10(Coarse Particles) | Both | Road dust, construction sites, pollen, mold spores | Irritates airways; triggers asthma. Easier for the body to filter than PM2.5. |
VOCs | Indoor | Paints, plywood furniture, cleaning liquids, room fresheners | Can trigger headaches, allergies, long-term toxicity. |
Nitrogen DioxideNO₂ | Both | LPG/PNG gas stoves, traffic | Irritates lungs; worsens asthma. |
OzoneO₃ | Outdoor | Urban smog; some ioniser purifiers | Powerful lung irritant. Avoid ozone-generating devices. |
Formaldehyde | Indoor | Pressed wood furniture, laminates, adhesives | Eye irritation; possible carcinogen with long exposure. |
Carbon MonoxideCO Biggest health risk | Indoorwhen present | Gas geysers, generators, charcoal, enclosed parking | Dangerous, can be fatal at high levels. Install detectors. |
Key Takeaways
Simple steps to reduce your exposure to indoor air pollutants.
Ventilate Daily
Open windows for 10-15 minutes, especially while cooking or after using cleaning products. Use our Ventilation Guide to check when it's safe.
Source Control
Use exhaust fans, avoid incense in closed rooms, choose low-VOC paints and furniture.
Know Your Risks
PM2.5 and CO are the most dangerous. Consider an air purifier and CO detector. Construction dust deserves its own deep-dive.
Want to Know What's in Your Air Right Now?
Check real-time air quality for your city and get personalised recommendations. Read our construction dust guide for a deeper look at one of India's biggest indoor pollutants, or explore the latest IAQ research.
Email us at indoorairguide@outlook.com