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Tips for Clean Air Indoors on Smoky Days: A Public Health Comic

When it’s smoky out, it’s important to do all you can to keep indoor air clean. Check out these tips from our crafter’s corner and don’t forget to visit kingcounty.gov/wildfiresmoke for more tips and resources.

1. The Public Health Crafter’s Corner presents Tips for clean air indoors on smoky days

2. Person (showing smart phone app called AirNow.gov): When it's smoky outside, stay inside and keep indoor air as clean as possible. Cat: Why? We already closed the windows.

3. Person (standing in x-ray machine): Our lungs need a break. So we should reduce sources of indoor air pollution. Cat: What does that even mean?

4. Person (standing with mop): Wait until the air quality gets better before doing things like vacuuming and sweeping. They stir up dust and allergens. Web mop is ok! Cat (knocking flower vase off table): I like allergens.

5. Person (holding chopsticks in front of wok): You know how it smells like hot oil after frying food? Frying, broiling, grilling, and baking add to indoor air pollution. Cook in other ways on smoky days. Cat (with three cans of tuna): Let's just eat tuna from a can.

6. Person (holding a pumpkin spice candle and a votive holder): Candles also add pollution. Put them away on a smoky day. Cat (next to smelly can of tuna): Instead, relish other delightful aromas. Goodbye, pumpkin spice!

7. Person (with box fan and duct tape): Clean the air with a HEPA air purifier or make an air cleaner with a box fan, a MERV-13 filter, and duct tape. Asterisk: Kingcounty.gov/wildfiresmoke Cat: Just duct taping stuff together? That's lazy crafting.

More information about protecting your health from wildfire smoke, including how to make a DIY box fan filter: kingcounty.gov/wildfiresmoke


Meredith Li-VollmerComic by Meredith Li-Vollmer is a risk communications specialist at Public Health—Seattle & King County. She is also author of Graphic Public Health: A Comics Anthology and Roadmap (2022).

Originally published on August 21, 2023 on Public Health Insider. Re-posted in the September 2023 issue of AgeWise King County.