If you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, creating an allergen-free living space is essential. With the help of your Pittsburgh Allergy and Asthma Doctors at Allergy & Clinical Immunology Associates, you can make your home a safer, healthier environment for everyone.
What are the Main Sources of Allergens in the Home?
The most common sources of allergens in the home are dust mites, pet dander, mold, and pollen. These can collect on furniture, floors, walls, bedding, carpets, curtains, and other surfaces throughout your home.
Tips for Minimizing Allergens in the Home
Remove clutter: Dust mites, pet dander, and other allergens tend to collect in piles of clothes, bookshelves filled with dust-collecting books, and stacks of papers that have been discarded. Reduce clutter as much as possible to reduce places for allergens to accumulate.
Use mattress covers: Keep dust mites away by investing in mattress and pillow covers. Wash them regularly and use a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to reduce dust mites in your mattress.
Clean carpets and rugs: Vacuum frequently to remove pet dander, dust, and other airborne allergens that may be trapped in carpets. Make sure you have a good quality vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to trap the smallest particles. Consider installing hardwood or tile floors where possible instead of carpeting for easier cleaning.
Regularly wash bedding: Dust mites love warm, moist environments like those found in beds and pillows. To keep these allergens away, launder all bedding weekly using hot water (at least 130°F) to kill dust mites.
Change furnace filters: Make sure the filter in your heating and air conditioning unit is changed or cleaned regularly. A clogged or dirty filter can allow allergens to recirculate throughout the home, exacerbating allergy symptoms.
Clear the air: Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter to capture airborne allergens like smoke, pet dander, pollen, and mold spores. Run it whenever you’re indoors, especially when vacuuming and during times of high allergen exposure (such as during peak pollen season).
Seeking Allergy Treatment? Contact Us Today!
Following these simple tips will help create a healthier living environment for those with allergies and asthma. If you’re still having difficulty managing your symptoms, contact your Pittsburgh Allergy and Asthma Doctors for additional advice. With the proper steps, it is possible to reduce allergens in your home and improve the quality of life for everyone living there. If you want to learn more about managing allergies in the home or need allergy treatment, contact us today!