You are not alone if you suffer from allergies. Did you know that almost a quarter of all Canadian adults suffer from allergies, both the indoors and outdoor varieties?
Allergies, unfortunately, do not have a cure. Preventive methods, on the other hand, can help you control or lessen your indoor allergies when in your Waterloo Region home. Understanding what causes indoor allergies is the first step, followed by taking the required steps to minimize or eliminate those causes.
Rather than being overwhelmed by all the potential allergens in your home, take a step-by-step approach through each area to identify and control potential allergen sources.
The best place to begin controlling your allergies is just outside your front door. You'll have to work harder to keep the allergen contained once it's inside. However, some will still make their way inside, so here are some important allergy-prevention tips for the entire house:
1. Declutter your home
Plastic bins are ideal for storing children's toys, plush animals, and games if you have kids. Dusting on a regular basis is an important part of decreasing allergens in your house, and eliminating clutter will help eliminate areas where dust is more prone to collect.
2. Have everyone, including family members and visitors, remove their shoes at the door.
Pollen and mold from the outdoors can enter your home through your clothing or the bottoms of your shoes. Once inside, these allergens hide in the carpet and enter your ventilation system, where they are considerably more difficult to remove. If you think visitors will balk at being asked to remove shoes, you could stock some plastic shoe covers near your home's entrance(s) instead.
3. Check to see if your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter.
The vacuum is your best buddy when you kick up dust or your kids decide to walk into the house with their shoes on. You have the best chance of containing and reducing allergens with a vacuum with a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter is a high-efficiency particulate air filter that traps tiny particles and really helps uncover those allergens that are hiding in carpets and rugs.
4. Keep your home clean by dusting and deep cleaning it on a regular basis.
To help capture the dust particles and keep them from flying up into the air, use a wet rag. Dust mites are the most prevalent cause of seasonal allergies, and they flourish in our houses' dust. Dusting on a regular basis will help keep dust mites at bay and minimize allergic reactions to dust.
5. To reduce indoor allergens, invest in a robust air-purifying system.
You've taken off your shoes, cleared out the clutter, and begun a regular dusting and vacuuming regimen. To catch those pesky no-see-um particles, the next step is to install a high-quality air-purifying system with a HEPA filter.
6. Lower the temperature to 22 degrees or less.
Insects and mold have been known to thrive in warm, humid conditions. Many common allergens are reduced when the temperature is kept between 20° C and 22° C)and the relative humidity is kept below 50%, according to the Mayo Clinic.
7. Get rid of any additional textiles and replace your old carpet.
If your allergy issues persist, it may be time to change your carpet and pull down the drapes. Replace old carpets with new carpets or hardwood, tile, or vinyl, and wash any area rugs on a regular basis to reduce allergen habitats in your home.
8. Stock each room with air-purifying houseplants.
Certain houseplants can aid in the removal of pet dander from the air and the regulation of humidity levels. Plants can be both attractive and useful. According to a NASA study, the following houseplants are the healthiest. And they are actually very pretty too, so will enhance your Waterloo Region home decor at the same time.
Areca Palm – Humidifies naturally
Lady Palm – Filters ammonia
Bamboo Palm – Grows tall in low light
Golden Pothos – Requires little maintenance
Philodendron – Removes formaldehyde
Gerber Daisy – Reduces benzene levels
Dracaena – Absorbs and holds allergens
9. Clean your air vents, including your central air conditioning (AC) filter, on a regular basis.
If you don't like plants but want to keep your interior ventilation clean, the next best thing is to get your air vents cleaned and your furnace and AC filters replaced on a regular basis. To lessen your interior allergens, use external dehumidifiers and air purifiers with HEPA filters.
We spend a third of our lives sleeping, according to the Sleep Foundation. That works out to about 7 to 8 hours per day spent in our bedrooms. Is it any surprise that our bedrooms are one of our homes' major dust factories?
10. Keep dust mites at bay by using bed protectors.
Dust mites are all over the place. Put a dust-mite protection cover over your box spring, mattress, and pillow in your bedroom to restrict or eliminate them — under your regular bedding, of course. Once a week, wash sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and comforters in water that is at least 54 degrees Celsius. Replacing any wool or feather bedding with synthetic materials is also a good idea.
11. To prevent animal dander issues, keep cats, dogs, and other pets out of your bed.
Did you know that 3 out of 10 individuals are allergic to their pets? We all adore our pets, but if you or someone in your household suffers from indoor allergies, you should keep them out of the bedroom. Bathing pets once a week might also help to lessen the quantity of dander they shed. Consider getting them their own bed to keep them out of yours throughout the transition.
12. Clean your shower head to get rid of mold spores.
Shower heads should be soaked once a month and cleaned once a week. This will help to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Because of the hot, humid climate in the shower, mold and other microorganisms thrive in the shower head, which are subsequently blasted over your hair and body. This problem will be alleviated if you clean the shower head on a regular basis.
Millions of people suffer from allergies. You can eliminate many common allergens and better control your indoor allergies by taking a few simple precautions to secure the interior of your home. We hope these tips get you off to a good start!
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