It’s that time of year when many people start to experience their allergy symptoms much more keenly than they do the rest of the year due to the precedence of pollen and dust mites amongst other things.
The good news is, if you are someone who suffers from allergies, whether they be to tree pollen or pet dander, there are a lot of simple things you can do to keep allergens to a minimum in your home so that you will suffer far less.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best things you can do to allergy-proof your home right now:
Vacuum regularly
If you only do one thing to help your allergies at home, make it this. Why? Because vacuuming regularly will help you to remove everything from grass pollen and dust mites to pet dander from your environment. The more allergens you can pick up and remove from your space, the less likely your allergies are to be triggered, and this is undoubtedly the easiest and most effective way to do just that.
Install an air purifier
Air purifiers are a must-have device for anyone who suffers from allergies. They do a great job of filtering various pollutants, from pet dander to dust mites, out of the air, so you can breathe a little more easily, and you can buy them very cheaply right now, so there is no reason not to have one running in your home. In fact, ideally, you should have at least two units one upstairs, and one downstairs, for best results.
Hang blinds
If you have curtains in your home, it might be a good idea to replace them with metal or wooden blinds instead. Why? Because the fabric is really good at holding on to allergens whereas wooden or metal blinds can be dusted very quickly and effectively to remove allergens like pollen which may find their way in through the windows.
Of course, this will only work if you take the time to dust your blinds each day, so make sure you take time to schedule that particular chore into your day too.
Install wooden flooring
In a similar vein, carpets will also hold on to allergens like pet dander and dust mites more effectively than wooden or tiled floors. So, if you are serious about allergy-proofing your home it is worth investing in removing your carpets and replacing them with a flooring solution, such as hardwood or tile, that is less likely to get dirty, and attract allergens, and is much easier to mop clean each day.
Clean your sheets each week
If you want to avoid having your allergies set off by dust mites, then you need to ensure that you wash your sheets at a high temperature each week. There’s nothing worse than having itchy skin when you’re in bed trying to sleep, and by doing this, you can minimize the chances of that happening and offer itchy skin relief. Just make sure you use a washing powder that is hypoallergenic just to be on the safe side.
Wear slippers
Often, you can unwittingly bring allergens into your home on the soles of your shoes. You walk across grass or through the park and you pick up all manner of dirt and pollen on the bottom of your feet if you are not careful. Luckily, you can prevent them from becoming a problem in your own home by taking your shoes off and putting a pair of slippers on before you come inside. That way, you won’t tread anything problematic, and you know what? Your feet will feel so much more comfortable in slippers too.
Change your clothing
If your allergies are really bad, and they are triggered by outside pollutants like pollen, then it can also be useful to change out of outdoor clothing into a fresh set as soon as you get home. Throw the outdoor clothing right into the wash and it will be far less likely to fill your home with various contaminants that make your nose run and your skin itch.
Brush pets regularly
If you take your dog or cat out into the yard and brush them regularly, you will be able to get rid of any loose pet hair outside of your home so that they are less likely to shed it indoors where you may end up breathing it in and having a poor health reaction to it.
Keep pets clean
If your pets go outdoor regularly, then it is also important that you keep them as clean as possible because, obviously, their fur will get covered in pollen and many other pollutants, which they will then bring back into the home.
That being said, you should not wash dogs or cats too often because it can be bad for their skin. What you can do instead, is used pet-safe wet wipes to wipe them down and keep allergens at bay, while also ensuring that you do not harm their delicate skin.
Change the filters
If you have an air conditioning unit or some other kind of HVAC system, then it is important that you change the filters regularly. A failure to do so may mean that the unit starts to put any accumulated dust back out and around your home which it could cause your allergy symptoms to flare up. The dame goes for filters in air purifiers, which do need to be changed very regularly if you want them to keep being effective for you.
Deal with mold
Another common allergy in the home is mold. Even if you are not sensitive to it, mold can cause huge problems for your asthma or your respiratory system in general, so as soon as you notice a patch of it has sprung up, you need to contact a reputable company offering mold testing in Las Vegas, NV (or wherever is local to you) to find out what type of mold you are dealing with and how best to remove it.
In the first instance, you can handle mold by cleaning it away with a mixture of bleach and water. Then, you are going to want to treat the area with anti-mold products you can buy at the store. Thirdly, you will need to identify any sources of humidity or leaks, which could cause mold to spring up, and fix them too.
Use dehumidifiers
In a similar vein, it could be a good idea to invest in a couple of dehumidifiers for your home, especially if you have noticed that the air does get humid. This will help to remove excess moisture from your home, which is one of the best things you can do to stop mold from forming, but it will also help to keep your home much more comfortable too.
Make your own cleaning products
Many cleaning products contain pollutants that can make allergies worse and irritate the respiratory system. Luckily it is really easy to make your own natural cleaning products using common kitchen staples like white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. Try switching to a natural cleansing solution for a while and see if your allergies improve as a result.
Open windows at the right time
Opening your windows regularly is a great way to get rid of any stake polluted air in your home, and let fresh air inside. However, it can also cause outside pollutants like pollen to get inside. That is why it is so important you choose the right time to open your windows. You can do this by checking the pollen count to see when it is likely to be at its lowest, and it is often also a good idea to open windows late at night when there is less pollen, and less pollution from cars, factories, and other workplaces, too.
Invest in pest control
Pest control is really important for people with allergies because pests and their droppings can be a major cause of flare-ups. However, it is always a good idea to choose an eco-friendly pest control company if you can because they are likely to use less harsh chemicals which will not add to your allergy problem, and which will enable you and your family to breathe more easily at home too. Just make sure you deal with pests swiftly, however you choose to do it.
Use unscented products
From air fresheners and perfume to candles, if you can choose an unscented version of the common household products you use on a regular basis you should because money fragranced products contain chemicals that can aggravate the skin and the respiratory system and they are so unnecessary. If you must have scented products, then at least take the time to test which ingredients make your allergies worse and which do not seem to have any effect at all.
As you can see, allergy-proofing your home is not as difficult as you might have thought. Sure, you might not be able to remove every single trace of every allergen from your home, but you can reduce them significantly, and by doing so, you will notice a significant reduction in your allergy symptoms too, so what are you waiting for?
