Improving the Quality of Life Indoors Too

 Our green friends are also Good Samaritans of the earth. We humans may not bother much about their survival, but they enrich our existence through their very own. That plants in general reduce outdoor pollution is everybody’s knowledge. But few are aware of how they enhance the quality of life indoors too.
                         In highly industrialized urban lifestyle, more and more people spend longer hours indoors. It is estimated that in the cities people spend almost 90 per cent of their time indoors. Scientific studies in the last several years indicate that the air within offices, homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the air outdoors.

Indoor pollution

Contemporary homes and buildings are often tightly sealed to avoid energy loss from cooling or heating systems. The synthetic materials used in modern constructions produce potential pollutants that remain trapped in these poorly ventilated buildings, and these pollutants result in what is often called the Sick Building Syndrome (The condition in which occupants of a building experience health hazards).
Pollution sources that release gases or particles into the indoor air are the primary cause of air quality problems in buildings. Inadequate ventilation, high temperature and humidity levels can increase concentrations of the pollutants.
Many of the volatile organic compounds (VOC5), which are emitted as gases from wide range of solids or liquids, cause short- term and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of the VOCs may be ten to thousand times higher indoors than outdoors. The pollution sources include - paints, paint removers, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, televisions, gas stoves, copiers, printers, computers, correction fluids, glues and adhesives, permanent markers, wood preservatives, cosmetic sprays, tobacco smoke, disinfectants and air fresheners, wall and floor coverings, plastic products, synthetic fabrics, upholstered furniture, central heating and cooling systems, compressed and laminated wood products and so on.
 While pollutant levels from individual sources may not pose a significant health risk by themselves, most homes have more than one source that contributes to indoor air pollution. There can be a serious risk from the cumulative effects of these sources.

Health effects

There are more than 900 identified VOC5 that may pose acute and chronic health problems to individuals who live and work inside the buildings. The extent and nature of the effects depend on many factors including level and duration of exposure. Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, skin allergies, visual disorders, and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that people may experience soon after exposure to some VOCs. Some of these organic compounds can cause long term health problems such as asthma while some are even carcinogenic.

Role of plants
                      Scientific studies show that plants play an important role in cleaning the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. Plants are known to clean the air through their food processing called photosynthesis. In the process, they clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide, and by releasing lifesaving oxygen into the air. Plants are also proven to be effective in absorbing certain VOCs and reducing dust accumulation.
                                            A team of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists led by Dr. Bill Wolverton tested the effect of house plants on the three major indoor air pollutants - Benzene, Formaldehyde and Trichioroethylene. Formaldehyde is used in many building materials and cleaning products where as Benzene and Trichloroethylene are found in oils, paints, adhesives, inks and varnishes. Plants clean air Research has proved that certain plants could be effective in abating indoor air pollution. These are common indoor foliage plants which are easily available in local nurseries. In the NASA study, certain houseplants were found to remove about 87 per cent of indoor air pollutants within 24 hours. Scientists suggest that for the plants to be effective, it is necessary to use one potted plant per 100 square feet of home or office space. They also recommend that the plants be grown in six-inch containers or larger for more leaf area.
                                               These exciting revelations in the last few decades have helped us realize that a house plant, valued for its aesthetic value, quietly but efficiently works in the background to enhance our well­ being. Hence we can rest assured that plants within built spaces help to soothe and calm our senses and purify and refresh the air we breathe.

Countertop Materials Ranked by Stain-Resistance

Most countertop manufacturers market their products as stain-resistant or stain-proof, but there is often a major caveat. Many countertop materials resist stains only if maintained properly – and even with sealing and care, they aren’t always 100-precent stain-proof. Here is a list of the 16 most popular countertop options, in rough order from the most stain-resistant to least stain-resistant.

            Quartz countertops are really an engineered stone surface made primarily of quartz crystals with some additives. They are very resistant to stains and heat, and are anti-bacterial. If durability and ease of maintenance are more important than cost, quartz is certainly a good option.

            Solid-surface countertops, better known as Corian or Wilsonart, are also among the lowest-maintenance options available, and is typically a little cheaper than quartz. They will resist most stains, and the rare stain is easily repaired with an abrasive cleaner and scrubber or, in extreme cases, some fine sandpaper.

            Glass countertops also are very stain-resistant, but they require more maintenance and care than soild-surface. While wine or mustard may not mar glass, simple fingerprints and watermarks are quite visible.

           

            Stainless steel and copper countertops are similar to glass in their stain-resistance. They are technically stainproof, but watermarks, fingerprints and grease marks can be obvious and ugly.

            Richlite is a paper-based fiber composite that looks like real wood but is more stain-resistant and requires less maintenance. Like many other countertops, it can be sealed to resist most stains.

            Slate  is stain-resistant and doesn’t need to be sealed, but it scratches easily.

            Granite is rarely this far down any list of countertop options. To be sure, some high-end granite is quite stain-resistant and may not even require sealing. However, most granite on the market must be sealed regularly to resist stain-proof.

            Porcelain tile resists stains. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of most tile grout. Grout can be difficult to clean, and must be sealed regularly to resist stains.

            Ceramic tile, particularly glazed tiles, also resist stains. But grout presents the same problem as with porcelain tiles.

             Natural stone tile is a cheaper way to get natural stone onto your kitchen or bathroom countertop, but it is also a more stain-prone. Both the stone and the grout can stain, though grout lines are typically thinner than on other tile surfaces.

            Soapstone can take on surface stains, but they are typically scrubbed ot sanded away with relative ease.

            Wood countertops stain easily. Coffee, tea, wine, mustard and other foods and drinks can mar wood surface. However, stains are also easily sanded away or removed with lemon juice, a hydrogen peroxide solution or wood bleach. Moreover, wood countertops are rendered more stain-resistant with monthly or quarterly oil rubs.

            Marble stains easily and must be maintained frequently. Of course, if you must have the look of marble, there is no other way to truly match it.

            Travertine is another soft stone that is easily stained, particularly in the small pits across the surface. Also consider limestone in the same category.

            Concrete must be maintained and sealed carefully to resist stains. Lemon juice, vinegar and other acidic materials can compromise the sealer and leave the concrete exposed to stains.

            Plastic laminate earns the worst rating on our list, though the failing grade may be a little unfair. Quality laminate countertops are quite stain-resistant. The problem is that stained laminate surfaces are more difficult to repair than nearly every other surface. There is little choice but to replace or resurface a stained, scratched or burned laminate countertop.