Caring for indoor air quality (IAQ) in so-called non-industrial areas has become increasingly common. Because of people's awareness of hazards related to the presence of different substances in indoor air. A review with 103 references concerning the presence of organic compounds in non-industrial indoor environments is discussed. The main sources of indoor air pollutants are presented. Topics discussed also include: total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) concepts in IAQ evaluation, concentrations of organic compounds in indoor and outdoor air, and the influence of outdoor air on indoor air quality expressed as ratios of indoor (I) to outdoor (O) concentrations (I/O).