Many people are jumping for joy at the thought of warm weather, while others are dreading what the blossoming of Spring will do to their allergies. If you are one of the millions of people that suffer from indoor, outdoor, or seasonal allergies, here are several things you can do to allergy-proof your home. Keep the dust, dirt and other allergens out of the home, and minimize your allergy symptoms once and for all.
How to allergy-proof your home:
- Remove those shoes. Yes, something as simple as removing your shoes before entering the house can help allergy-proof your home. Think of all the places you walked through the course of the day, and you can see how easily you can track in dust, dirt, pollen, and other irritants. Once these allergens are in the house, they’re free to float through the air and latch on to surfaces.
- Protect bedding. You may not realize it, but the allergy symptoms you’ve been suffering with may not be coming from outdoors. As you sleep, you may be being exposed to dust mites, and other allergens, living within your mattress, pillows, and mattress pads. To keep dust, dirt, pet dander, and other irritants out of the bedding, protect it inside a protective zippered plastic cover.
- Shake out the dust. At least once a week, the following items should be removed from the home and shaken thoroughly outside to remove dust, dust mites, hair, dirt, pollen, and other allergens: Decorative pillows, accent rugs, throw blankets, curtains and drapes, and pet bedding.
- Change the air filters. The air filter for your heating and air unit should be changed at least once a month. When you remove it, you’ll see how much dirt and dust can accumulate on the filter in a short amount of time. If left in place, these irritants are released into the air inside your home.
- Vacuum frequently. To remove allergens living deep within your carpet fibers, allergy-proof your home by vacuuming frequently with a unit equipped with a HEPA filter. For those suffering with severe allergy symptoms, considering removing the carpet and replacing it with hardwood flooring.
- Bathe pets frequently. If you own pets, you’ll want to bathe them frequently to remove pollen, dirt, dust, and other particles from the fur. This will also reduce shedding, which can be an irritant in itself.
- Dust. Since many homeowners are irritated by dust, the chore of dusting the furniture can be frequently overlooked. But, if it’s not removed from the home, it will only make your allergy symptoms worse. Dust frequently using a product that cathces hair and dirt as it removes it, such as a Swiffer Cloth. If needed, wear a dust mask over your nose and mouth to prevent inhaling the dust as it’s removed.
- Keep mildew at bay. After showering or bathing, wipe down shower walls and doors to keep mildew from forming.
- Dehumidify the basement. Since many Columbus residents live in a home with a basement, most of us are familiar with how easily mold and mildew can grow in these dark damp spaces. To prevent mold growth, use a dehumidifer.
http://www.examiner.com/interior-improvement-in-columbus/how-to-allergy-proof-your-home