Summertime means allergies. And if you’re an allergy sufferer, you understand how miserable this time of year can be.
Severe allergy symptoms can make life rather unpleasant. The goods news is that you can learn how to reduce allergens. It’s a simple matter of using a few important tips to minimize the numbers of allergens in the air in your home.
In this article, we take a look at 10 tips for battling indoor allergies that can help make your life much more pleasant. So keep reading to learn everything you need to know to make breathing easier regardless of the time of year.
1. Find Out Exactly What You’re Allergic to
This first step to dealing with allergens is to do a little research. We recommend visiting an allergist. This is an expert who can help you understand exactly the types of things that make breathing so difficult.
The typical offenders are things like mold, pollens, pet dander, and dust mites. Anyone who is allergic to these particular allergens can tell you the impact they can have on everyday life.
Once you understand what you’re allergic to, you can then take steps to improve your living environment at home.
2. Reduce the Amount of Carpet in Your Home
Many people love having wall-to-wall carpet in their homes, but this might not be the best idea for allergy sufferers. After all, carpet tends to be the perfect hiding place for common allergens. And then when you walk across the room, all of that junk gets stirred up and released into the air.
We recommend replacing carpet with hardwood flooring or some other material that is impervious to allergens. This is especially true in the bedroom.
3. Pay Special Attention to Your Bedroom
Speaking of the bedroom, these are the rooms in your home that require a special amount of attention when it comes to problems like how to get rid of cat allergies.
Keep in mind that your bed is a magnet for the types of annoyances that you’re trying to avoid.
The key is to focus on your mattress and pillows. After all, you spend many hours there each night, exposed to whatever you’ve tracked in on your clothes. The best defense against allergies in the bedroom is to use zip-on dust mite covers for your mattress and all pillows.
Taking care of your bed in this way is one of the most proactive measures you can take in the battle to reduce exposure to irritants.
4. Double-Up on Doormats
The key to keeping allergens out of your home is to keep them outside. This might seem obvious, but most people simply don’t do enough to prevent irritants from passing through the door and making themselves right at home in your living space.
Here’s a great tip for reducing the amount of allergens tracked into your home: Place doormats both inside and outside. You might already have a doormat on the outside of your door, yet by also placing one on the inside, you’re adding an extra layer of defense against allergens that collect on the bottoms of your shoes.
This is an easy and inexpensive way to make a significant impact on your quality of life.
5. Focus on Air Filters
Another important and inexpensive tip for reducing allergens inside your home is to replace your air filters on a regular basis. We suggest replacing them no less than every two months.
The good news is that air filters are relatively cheap, and you can buy them in bundles, then store the extras nearby so that they can be easily replaced when needed.
6.Upgrade Your Vacuum Cleaner
It might be time to replace your old vacuum cleaner. Believe it or not, a good vacuum can make a huge difference in the quality of the air you breathe. Not only does your vacuum keep your carpet clean, but it also helps lift allergens out of the carpet fibers.
An old vacuum is more likely to agitate the dirt and dust in your carpet, and the seals will begin to fail, allowing allergens to leak out into the air. The key is to have a quality vacuum cleaner that will properly suck up the dust and hold it in the filter, where it can be disposed of.
To better understand the difference a good vacuum can make, take a look at these benefits.
7. Get Rid of Your Window Drapes
Another great tip is to say goodbye to your window drapes. They might look great, but this is a convenient hiding place for allergens.
Drapes are made of fabric and have folds where dust mites and pollen often collect. You can vacuum your drapes with a brush attachment, but it’s hard to get everything.
On the other hand, blinds collect far fewer allergens and are easier to clean.
8. Buy a Hygrometer
If you’ve never heard of a hygrometer, it’s time to invest in one. This is an inexpensive device that monitors the moisture level inside your home. Pick one up at your local hardware store, and if you get readings above 60% in any room of your home, it would probably be a good idea to invest in a dehumidifier.
9. Buy a Room Air Filter
Placing a room air filter in any room in the house is a great way to reduce allergens even more. Just be sure to buy one that doesn’t produce ozone, which is a gas that can be highly irritating to your allergies.
10. Minimize Mold
The final tip on our list is to keep the mold in your home to a minimum. Believe it or not, there are more than 100,000 species of mold, and they love to live in bathrooms.
The key is to keep your bathrooms clean, to dry every surface, eliminate any standing water, and keep the space well ventilated.
Important Tips for How to Reduce Allergens in Your Home
Learning how to reduce allergens can help make life more pleasant. The key is to be proactive and follow the advice contained in this article.
Be sure to check out our website for more information on dealing with common allergens.
