4 Ways to Create an Allergy-Free Home
Asthma and allergy symptoms are often associated with poor indoor air quality. Things like dust mites, dander, dirt, pollen, cigarette smoke, and other airborne contaminants aggravate symptoms and can cause:
- coughing and sneezing
- wheezing and difficulty breathing
- shortness of breath
- sinuses and sore throats
- tightening of the throat and chest
- irritated eyes
- difficulty breathing
- headaches
- dizziness and fatigue
Although it depends on what you are allergic to, many people experience their worst allergy and asthma symptoms indoors. If your allergies are worse indoors than you may be more susceptible to dust, dander, and dirt than pollen and other outdoor contaminants.
Common Asthma and Allergy Triggers:
- pet dander
- pet saliva
- household pests (saliva, droppings, decomposing bodies)
- pollen
- mold and fungi (spores and fragments)
- dust and dust mites (microscopic insects)
- smoke from cigarettes, fireplaces, incense, candles, and fireworks
- dry and/or humid air
- chemical odors and fumes (volatile organic compounds – VOCs)
Regardless of when you feel severe allergy and asthma symptoms, there’s a lot you can do to prevent sinus and breathing problems at home. Although the outdoor environment is beyond our control, luckily, we have a lot more control of the environments inside our homes, offices, and schools.
We’ve already gone over the amazing air cleaning and sterilizing abilities of ultraviolet light, but here are some everyday DIY tips that you can start employing today to control your asthma and allergy symptoms.
4 Ways to Create an Allergy-Free Home
1. Keep your windows and doors closed.
Although ventilation is important and airborne contaminants can get trapped in the home, it’s a good idea to prevent outdoor air and pollen from entering the home. Additionally, running your air conditioner will help mitigate allergies by trapping some airborne contaminants.
You also want to make sure you have an effective ventilation system in place, especially in basements, kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms where excess moisture can be a problem. For additional protection, consider investing in air cleaners, such as UV germicidal irradiation.
2. Keep your indoor fabrics to a minimum.
For instance, hardwood, tile, and vinyl flooring are a lot better than rugs and carpet for reducing allergy and asthma symptoms. Similarly, go for vinyl blinds rather than cloth drapes. The same applies to your furniture — avoid upholstery if you can and stick with materials like wood, leather, vinyl, and plastic.
The idea is to have as few pollutant traps as possible. This includes stuffed animals, pillows, and linens. Don’t sleep with stuffed animals (if you “bear” it) and clean your pillows and linens frequently. You may also want to invest in dust mite and allergy covers for your pillows and mattresses and avoid down pillows and comforters. Dust mites (microscopic insects) are a huge allergen trigger and can lead to the development of asthma.
3. Clean and vacuum regularly, especially if you have a lot of fabric in your home (carpet, cloth curtains, couch covers, pillows, pet beds, etc.).
If you can’t get rid of the rugs and carpet in your home, invest in a HEPA filter vacuum to trap as many contaminants as possible.
When cleaning, wear a particle mask and gloves. Also, look for dark and humid places where mold, fungi, and dust mites might be living. Get rid of any clutter such as old newspapers, cardboard, and old clothing. If anything is water damaged, get rid of it to prevent mold and mildew from developing. Oh, and don’t run your fans when cleaning as this will just stir up dust in the home.
While we’re on the topics of fans, one trick for dusting the blades without disturbing the dust is by using an old pillowcase. Enclose the fan blade in the pillow casing and slide away to get everything inside the casing.
4. Control mold and mildew.
Mold and mildew are a leading cause of allergies. Some mold prevention strategies include having a working humidification system, running ventilation fans in the bathroom and kitchen, increasing ventilation, running your HVAC system, getting rid of wet materials, waterproofing your home, repairing gutters, and investing in sump pumps and other basement waterproofing solutions.
Basically, you want to keep your home as dry as possible. Fix any water damage and prevent water leaks as soon as you can. Remember, the longer you wait, the worse it gets.
Professional indoor air quality solutions include:
- Home air purification and filtration systems
- Ultraviolet air purifiers
- Whole house furnace humidifiers
- Home heating system tune-up and cleaning
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- HEPA filters and air purification
Watch this video to learn more about allergy symptoms and treatments:
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Our clean and polite technicians lay down work mats and wear shoe protectors in addition to cleaning up the work area upon completion. We can help improve your indoor air quality for a safer, healthier home.
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