You may have seen Airthings’ April Fools post yesterday. Their “new” product of a fresh air spray to refresh the air was a clever joke, but it has a serious undertone. There are many products that say they ‘freshen’ the air, but what does that really mean and how do they actually impact the air we breathe? At Air for Kids, we want to show you how you can use science (and an air quality monitor) to test this out.
*Note: this challenge requires an air quality monitor that can measure smelly chemicals known as VOCs and particulate matter (PM). Ask an adult if you have one of these.
What does fresh air mean? And can you get it from an air freshener? Try this new Air for Kids Fresh Air Challenge!
Different ways of refreshing your air impacts the ‘freshness.’ Use your Airthings air quality monitor to “see” what really happens when we use these products.
What happened:
Air fresheners fill the air with chemicals (VOCs) like perfumes and other substances, but they do not actually refresh the air. Other types of air fresheners like scented candles or incense can increase the amount of tiny particles in the air (PM), which can be harmful to your health. To freshen the air in a room, try opening a window to increase the flow of air from the outside. For more information, check out our page on indoor air.
Have an adult comment on our social media to let us know how this challenge went and, for more fun activities on air quality, keep an eye on AirforKids.com for upcoming challenges.
