If you are unlucky enough to suffer from environmental allergies, you may dread even opening a window, let alone cleaning your home and stirring up dust, dander, pollen, or mold. As you surely won't benefit from allowing allergies to accumulate in your house either, eliminating many allergy triggers from your home on a regular basis will help reduce sneezing and itching and make your house your sanctuary.
So knowing certain cleaning tricks can be very helpful.
Clean your house regularly
Most people nowadays have busy lives and don’t have time for cleaning. General cleaning is very important for you and your family as flu and other illnesses are brought on by an unhealthy, dusty environment. For those who have allergies, cleaning should be done every day of the week which may seem overwhelming.
In that case, it is easier to do a small amount of maintenance each day. However, before you begin a basic cleaning, declutter your home first. The more stuff you have, the more allergies will get worse as allergens are attracted to every surface in your home.
Put an end to allergies at the entry door
Numerous allergens are brought inside from outdoors into our homes. We bring them inside on our shoes, clothing, and so on. Therefore, maintain your entryways clean and take off your shoes before entering the house to keep your home free of allergens.
Additionally, wear overalls if you need to perform any outside work, such as gardening. You can thus leave allergens at the entrance and take them off before entering the house.
Do the dusting frequently
Cleaning window sills, mantles, window blinds or drapes, ceiling fans and light fittings, or any other horizontal surface is essential as they are natural dust collectors in your home. You should dust as often as you can with a damp microfiber cloth.
Other dusters similar to brooms simply spread allergens around the house whereas microfiber will catch microscopic dust particles and remove dust more effectively so get used to cleaning them more regularly.
Do the vacuuming
To clean for allergies, make sure to vacuum rather than sweep because brooms create more dust than they remove. It's recommended to use a vacuum cleaner at least twice a week to clean all the furniture and floors in your home. Whether you opt for a canister vacuum cleaner, a robotic vacuum cleaner, or one of the many quality stick vacuum cleaners that are on the market, make sure to get under every piece of furniture you can and not miss a spot.
Don’t forget the bookshelves, corners, and other surfaces that collect dust. It may be helpful to wear a mask to protect yourself from breathing in any dust or allergens while you’re vacuuming.
Wash bed linen more often
The number of allergens in your bedroom may be higher than you realize. Bed sheets, pillowcases, and blankets should be washed once a week in hot water with a mild, fragrance-free detergent as these contain dust mites, human and pet hair, dander, and pollen from your clothes.
Pillows need to be cleaned frequently too or consider investing in hypoallergenic alternatives. One more thing – anyone who has allergies shouldn't air dry their laundry or bedding outside as it will be covered in irritating pollen. Pets should not be allowed on beds or in bedrooms either.
Stay away from irritants in cleaning products
Numerous allergens and irritants are present in the majority of cleaning products that you may buy in stores. Carefully read product labels before selecting any items, and only select those which you are not allergic to. You should get yourself familiar with the most common allergens and avoid them, including anything that smells strong as these will cause hypersensitivity even though they smell nice.
Use substitute cleaning products that don’t contain ammonia or bleach. There are a variety of natural alternatives to household chemicals such as vinegar and salt, baking soda, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Control humidity
When cleaning for allergies, humidity must be kept under control. Keep bathroom dampness to a minimum by leaving the door open to let the space air out. If necessary, use a dehumidifier to prevent mold. Additionally, remember to clean the area below the toilet once a week to remove any hair or dust that has accumulated there.
Don't ignore hidden areas in your kitchen either since it might also be a good site for mold to flourish. Keep the space dry while taking care of any plumbing issues.
Conclusion
Finally, get rid of your rugs and assign some household duties to a different family member. This isn’t cleaning advice, but they'll make cleaning simpler and could reduce allergy reactions. Once you make some serious life changes, you will make peace with your allergies.
By Mike Johnston
