Want to keep your car and house from smelling like wildfire smoke? Try this feature

Energy & Environment Want to keep your car and house from smelling like wildfire smoke? Try this feature Comments: by Addy Bink - 07/16/26 10:54 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Addy Bink - 07/16/26 10:54 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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(NEXSTAR) – The wildfire smoke has moved in, bathing much of the Midwest and Northeast in poor air quality (in some cases, the worst in the world) and smelly, hazy skies.

Conditions in parts of the U.S. are so hazardous that health experts are encouraging people to stay inside as much as possible or wear a mask when outside.

In your home or car, it’s recommended that you keep your windows and doors shut as much as possible to prevent the smoke from infiltrating. Running your air conditioning in both environments can help keep the air clear, but you may first need to ensure a feature is activated.

In your car, you need an overlooked button. Known as the air recirculation button, the feature reuses air that’s already inside your car rather than pulling in smoky air from outside for the climate control system.

A dog walks along the shores of Lake Superior amid heavy wildfire smoke Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Duluth, Minn. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)

Using the air recirculation button can also help keep you cooler in the summer and improve your gas mileage.

Experts recommend making sure your home’s AC unit is doing the same thing.

While most units will recycle the air that’s already in your house, some have a fresh air function. Dr. Brian Christman, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University, previously told Nexstar’s WJW that that feature should not be used during times of smoky skies.

If your unit has a fresh intake mode, Christman recommends switching it to recirculate. You will also want to ensure that the filter is in good condition and, ideally, rated as a MERV 13 or higher.

To better keep the air inside your home clean, you can use blankets or towels to cover cracks, such as those under doors.

“If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it’s just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you’re doing most of your activities in,” Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University’s Center for Climate and Health, told The Associated Press.

Smoky skies are expected to impact the Midwest and Northeast through Friday, but storms and rain could help conditions improve over the weekend, Nexstar meteorologist Darrius Stringer said. Most states could experience much cleaner air by Sunday.

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