The holidays are a special time — filled with warmth, food, laughter, and gathering with the people who matter most. As we come together in homes filled with cooking and celebration, the air we breathe becomes an important (and often overlooked) part of how well we feel throughout the season.
The good news? With a little awareness and a few simple habits, you can keep your home feeling fresh, comfortable, and welcoming for everyone who walks through the door.
This guide explores the most common indoor-air challenges during the holidays — and how to navigate them with confidence, gratitude, and ease.
Why Indoor Air Matters — Especially This Time of Year
During the holidays, we naturally spend more time indoors — cooking, cleaning, hosting, and decorating. But indoor air isn’t regulated or monitored the way outdoor air is, which means particles and gases from everyday activities can build up more quickly than we realize.
One landmark investigation found that indoor fine-particulate levels during a “Thanksgiving-style” cooking day reached concentrations that would be considered “very unhealthy” outdoors.1
That doesn’t mean we should cook less, gather less, or celebrate less — not at all. It simply means that the activities that make this season joyful can also temporarily increase exposures to:
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Ultrafine particles
- Combustion by-products
-
Dust, dander, and allergens
For people with asthma, allergies, chemical sensitivities, or respiratory conditions, this can be especially noticeable.
But with a little preparation, these challenges are completely manageable — and they shouldn’t get in the way of enjoying your time with family and friends.
Hosting Thanksgiving? What to Know About Your Indoor Air
When you open your home for guests, the indoor environment shifts in ways that are easy to miss but simple to manage. Below are the most common sources of holiday-season pollutants — and how to stay ahead of them while keeping your home warm, inviting, and festive.
Cooking: The Heart of the Holiday (and a Surprising Source of Emissions)
There’s nothing quite like the smell of a holiday feast. But even the most delicious meals produce particles and VOCs — sometimes more than we’d expect. Everyday actions like frying, roasting, long oven runs, or even using a toaster can create spikes in airborne pollutants, especially in tightly sealed homes.2
The good news is simple ventilation can make a meaningful difference. Try implementing some of these tactics:
- Running your range hood throughout cooking
- Cracking a window when outdoor conditions are good
- Reducing heavy frying or smoke-heavy techniques
-
Using a high-quality air purifier (like the Austin Air HealthMate Plus) near the kitchen or dining room
These small steps keep your home comfortable for everyone — especially guests with sensitivities to smoke or strong odors.
Cleaning and Decorating (Without Overwhelming the Air)
Decorating your home for the holidays is part of the fun — fluffing pillows, dusting off decorations, making everything smell festive and inviting. The problem is many traditional holiday products (cleaners, candles, sprays, new décor) release VOCs or shed small particles.
You don’t have to skip the sparkle, though. Instead:
- Ventilate while deep cleaning
- Choose low-VOC or fragrance-free cleaning products when possible
- Limit use of synthetic scented candles and sprays
- Give newly unboxed décor time to off-gas in a ventilated area
- Do a quick vacuuming or dusting before guests arrive
- Keep your Austin Air running while decorating
These small choices keep your home both cozy and breathable.
Gathering Spaces and Guest Rooms
Nothing feels better than welcoming people you love into your home. But more people in a space (especially smaller spaces) naturally increases CO₂ and humidity, and guest rooms that sit unused can hold dust or dander that become airborne once the room is occupied again.
A few thoughtful preparations make a world of difference:
- Open guest rooms a few days ahead
- Wash bedding and improve airflow
- Dust surfaces and vacuum carpets
- Run an Austin Air purifier to freshen the space before loved ones arrive
-
Ensure fireplaces or gas logs are properly vented before use
This helps create a space where guests can relax, breathe deeply, and feel truly at home.
Traveling? Don’t Let Air Quality Catch You Off Guard
Traveling to loved ones is part of the holiday magic — but unfamiliar environments can bring unfamiliar irritants. Different HVAC systems, new allergens, pets, or humidity levels can all influence how you feel.
A little preparation ensures your trip is smooth and comfortable:
Pack an “air-quality kit” that includes:
- Daily medications
- Rescue inhalers
- Antihistamines or nasal sprays
- (If needed) an epinephrine auto-injector
-
A compact HEPA purifier like the Austin Air “it” for your sleeping area
It’s also perfectly okay to ask your host a few gentle questions about pets, fragrances, or humidity issues. Most hosts appreciate the chance to prepare a comfortable space for you.
And while traveling, stay hydrated — airports, airplanes, and heated vehicles are notoriously dry. Keeping moisture in your system helps your airways stay calm and comfortable.
A Simple Holiday Air-Quality Checklist
Whether you’re hosting or traveling, this quick guide helps keep you breathing easy:
Before Hosting
- Run your exhaust hood during heavy cooking
- Open windows when outdoor air is good
- Dust, vacuum, and prepare guest rooms early
- Reduce smoke-heavy cooking techniques
- Limit heavy fragrances or scented candles
-
Use an air purifier in high-traffic areas
Before Traveling
- Pack meds and your “air-quality kit”
- Bring a compact air purifier if you’re sensitive
- Stay hydrated
- Check local outdoor air quality at your destination
-
Ask about pets, fragrances, or humidity if needed
During the Gathering
- Take short breaks in well-ventilated areas if needed
- Keep medications close
- Pay attention to early signs of irritation
-
Open a window or run a purifier if the air feels stuffy
Final Thoughts
This season is all about gratitude — for family, for friendship, for warmth, and for the simple joy of being together. And with just a bit of awareness, you can make your home (or someone else’s) a comfortable, healthy, welcoming place to gather.
Indoor air quality doesn’t have to be a source of worry. With practical steps like ventilation, mindful cleaning, and the use of air purifiers, you can focus on what truly matters: sharing meals, making memories, and enjoying the people you love most.
REFERENCES
1 Twilley, N. (2019 April 1). The hidden air pollution in our homes. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-hidden-air-pollution-in-our-homes.
2 American Lung Association. (2024 November 25). Is Cooking Making Your Indoor Air Unsafe?. https://www.lung.org/blog/cooking-air-pollution.
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