Keeping an Allergy-Free Home
Washing, vacuuming, carpet steam cleaning, air filters and smart bedding choices are all ways to combat allergens in the home. With the number of people suffering from asthma and allergies on the rise knowing how to keep your home allergy free is vital.
Smart Bedding Choices
Dust mites, micro-organisms that can cause upper respiratory problems and allergies. Your bed is a dust mites paradise! Dust mites feed on dead skin cells, and as we spend a lot of our time in bed, there is a lot of dead skin cells to be found. Covering your mattress and pillows with protective overlays will help abate the issue, as will washing linen regularly and vacuuming your mattress with a HEPA equipped vacuum cleaner. There are also some bedding products available that have allergen-destroying coatings.
Washing
We've touched on the importance of washing your bedding regularly but it is also important to wash other household items such as curtains, couch covers, pillows and throws. Dust can build up quickly in all these places, especially curtains, so wash or vacuum regularly to keep dust levels low. Leather furniture can be wiped over with a damp cloth to remove dust and beware that feather dusters do little move than just move the dust around. Don't forget to wipe shelves, photo frames and ornaments over with a damp cloth regularly.
Air Filters
Placing air filters in your home may help to reduce the number of allergens you are exposed to. They have the ability to remove dust mites, pollen and pet dander from the air. The most popular type of filter is the HEPA filter, Efficiency Particulate Air Filter, which is able to filter impurities in the air that are down to 0.3 microns in size. Each unit will only do one room, and placing the filter in a hallway with the doors open will not do the entire house. Assess which room you and your family spend the most time in and put your air filter in there.
Carpet Cleaning
It is an inescapable fact that if you have a lot of carpet in your home you need to be vacuuming at least once a week to keep dust levels low. Changing/cleaning the filter to the manufactures specifications will ensure the best clean. Sending in the professionals to give your carpet a good deep clean every now and then isn't a bad idea either. Realistically though nothing beats a floor you can clean with a mop! Tiles, floorboards, laminate and cork are all much easier to keep dust free when compared to carpet. And if you must have carpet consider area rugs, easy to vacuum and a smaller surface area for dust to build up in.
So make sure your bedding is protected, upholstery washed and carpets cleaned regularly. Keep all other surfaces clean by either wiping down with a damp cloth or mopping. Air filters may also be a good way of further reducing the allergens in your home.
