Cleaning Tips to Reduce Allergies
Growing up, my brother suffered for horrible allergic reactions to just about everything. He was allergic to dust, pollen, grass, mold, everything. It was so bad that my father had to give him booster shots a few times a week. I know that this hurt my father at least as much as it hurt my brother. I also have bad allergies, but nothing compared to his. If you are like us, I’m sure that you do everything that you can to keep the sneezing and the runny noses at bay. I have found a number of simple tricks to help you reduce the amount of irritants that exist in your home.
If you are allergic to mold, you need to kill all of it and keep it from coming back. To kill mold, spray with a solution of white vinegar and water. Then scrub with pure white vinegar. Trust me the smell goes away after about a day, but a little vinegar smell is better than suffering from a mold allergy. To keep the mold from growing back, all you need to do is remember what it needs to live; moisture and darkness. Make sure that your home is watertight and leave the lights on in any areas that mold loves to grow. Make sure that your basement is watertight, even if you do not see any mold. It will find a way in and spread.
If you suffer for an allergic reaction to dust, carpet is you best friend. Hardwood floors look great, but carpet works like a giant filter that removes the dust particles from the air that you breathe. Obviously, this means that you need to vacuum your carpets every week. Make sure that you get a vacuum that has a filter rated for dust removal. Use a Swiffer WetJet on any hard surfaces. These do a great job at trapping dust and other particulates.
When you clean your house, don’t forget the ceiling fans, curtains, and floor duct screens. All of these can trap dust and pollen and circulate them around your home. Also, launder any blankets or comforters that you may use often.
Make sure to use your air conditioner in the summer. Change the air filter on it every month with a quality air filter. You may also want to look into a small room-size air filter for your bedroom. Talk to your local heating and air company about installing an air purification system in your air handler. They can be expensive, but remove more particulate that any air filter could ever dream of.
