Allergy season is upon us, and while we can’t control all of those allergens lingering outside, we can (somewhat) control the allergens in our own home. Today we’re taking a look at ways we can control indoor allergens to help everyone breathe a little better.
No-Shoe Policy
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The moment you walk into your house a ton of allergens are coming in with you via your shoes and wherever you go, they go. We recommend taking your shoes off as soon as you get home whether this is happening inside the front door or if you have a designated area such as a mudroom. Not only do we recommend leaving shoes at this location, but we recommend vacuuming or mopping this area frequently to eliminate allergen build-up.
Control the Dust to the Best of Your Ability
There are a number of ways you can simply reduce the dust around you. For instance, bare walls are best versus walls that are full of prints or decor where dust gathers; bare walls are also super easy to keep clean. If at all possible, avoid having wall-to-wall carpet. If you do require carpet, opt for rugs when you can and our favorite are Rugables. They’re easy to use, they don’t move around on you, and the best part is you can simply throw them in the washer and dryer. And of course, avoid heavy drapes, overstuffed furniture, and make sure to wash your bedding weekly.
Scrub Them Away
If you’ve been outside for an extended period of time, take a shower once you come in for good. If that seems a bit dramatic, at least take a quick minute to wash your face, you’d be surprised by how many allergens come in with you on your eyelashes.
Suck Them Up
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Vacuuming is one of the best things you can do to remove dust allergens from your home. You can even find asthma and allergy-friendly vacuums that will make sure allergens aren’t going back into the air as you vacuum.
Choose Your Houseplants Carefully
This isn’t often a problem as most houseplants don’t contain the type of pollen people typically react to, in fact, a number of plants actually clean the air, but there are some houseplants out there that can collect dust and promote mold growth. These are the ones you have to look out for.
Keep Windows and Doors Shut
This can be hard especially as we enter spring and all we want is to let the sunshine and fresh air in, but this can be a nightmare if you’re prone to allergies. So keep your home closed up rather than suffer through it. They make spring-scented candles and room sprays for a reason.
Invest in an Air Purifier
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Air purifiers are magic, prove us wrong. Make sure as you’re shopping for one that you’re reading all of the fine print to ensure that it can handle the size of the room you want it for. After just a few days you’ll notice less and less dust and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one.