Simple Tricks to Reduce The Risk Of Allergies
Guest blog post by Lucas Bergman. Lucas is a real estate agent and renewable energy consultant with many hobbies and passions, but above all, he enjoys the most spending time with his wife – Mara. He is a regular contributor at smoothdecorator.com
Allergies are one of the most common health issues that befall both adults and children. Most often, allergic reactions are caused by allergens in the air or food and the symptoms can range from mild unpleasantness to debilitating problems. Luckily, there are now numerous practical solutions for combating these difficulties. In order to help you prevent these symptoms from occurring, we have singled out simple tips and tricks that will help you reduce the risk of allergies.
Control the humidity in your home
If there is a constant uneven level of humidity indoors, you risk the occurrence of germs, mold and dust mites in your home. With this in mind, you should start visually gauging the levels of humidity inside each room. For example, windows that fog or gather condensation and visible black mold on the ceilings and around pipes are signs that there is a lot of moisture in that area. On the other hand, increased static electricity, dry and cracked wooden furniture reflect low humidity. Buying a hygrometer would be your best bet for measuring moisture levels. Once you’ve established the status of each room, you can opt for a portable humidifier that can spread a fine mist, absorb moisture and can be moved to any space with ease. However, if you truly want to eradicate any humidity issues, install a whole house humidifier system which you can operate via a humidistat.
Keep your clothes allergen-free
The majority of people with allergies are clueless as to why they have difficulties indoors even hours after coming home from work or school. The reason for this is that animal hairs, pollen and dust tend to stick to clothes and shoes. What’s even worse, these allergens accumulate on the furniture and cause allergic reactions to occur more often. This is why it is crucial to dust yourself from head to toe on a wet cloth in the mudroom or garage before entering your home. Additionally, make sure to regularly clean your washer on a monthly basis since it can re-contaminate your clothes if there is mold and mildew inside of it. As far as the dryer is concerned, remember to empty the lint trap in order to prevent any of the allergens sticking back to your washed clothes.
Don’t toss your carpets
Another common misconception is that people suffer from allergies shouldn’t own carpets and rugs since they collect dust quickly. The key to making it work is to avoid any carpets made from artificial and synthetic fibers. Instead, you should opt for organic jute rug designed from natural fabrics. These are not only extremely eco-friendly since they are made without VOCs, but successfully repel mold, pollen and dust mites. Furthermore, when choosing such rugs, feel free to pick the ones that have tightly woven strands because this prevents dangerous allergens from thriving inside. When it comes to carpet treatment, keep in mind to steam clean and use a deep-cleaning vacuum with HEPA filters for the best results.
Pet allergy control
Some homeowners choose to keep animals indoors even though they experience strong pet allergies. However, there are certain steps one can take to alleviate symptoms quickly and stress-free. Firstly, don’t allow your pet to get into your bedroom and onto the bed where it can shed its hairs. Try to declutter as often as possible since dead skin cells from animals can get attached to toys, boxes and other miscellaneous items around the house. If you have friends with animals, don’t forget to take your antihistamine medicine before you go to visit them and agree to meet at places where there are no pets. Lastly, wash your hands regularly after coming in contact with your cat or dog and exchange your regular sheets and pillows for hypoallergenic bedding.
Heating systems that can reduce allergy symptoms
Last but not least, in order to properly heat your home and reduce allergies, you should regularly inspect your heating system. Dust mites and pet dander tend to settle in the air ducts of your home and are harder to reach. In such situations, the best way to get rid of them is to install high-efficiency furnace filters that can effectively capture these allergens so you can dispose of them easily. Alternatively, you can switch to baseboard and radiant heating. These systems are amazing since they don’t disturb dust particles as the heat passes through them. Finally, if you rely on radiators to heat your home, you will have to keep the areas underneath and behind them dust-free since it settles in these spots quite fast.
As you can see, it doesn’t take much effort to reduce to risk of allergic attacks. All you need to do is regularly clean your home, wash your clothes and invest in proper heating systems. Good luck and stay safe.