It’s nothing to sneeze at, allergy-proof your home this spring
Getting rid of the allergens in your house for you and your pets is easier than you think and it is entirely green! You don’t need to bring new chemicals into your home to reduce the allergen presence, but you do need to change some unhealthy habits and change some of the things that are activating your allergies. Here are the essential 10 things you can do to keep allergens away from your home:
Declutter Your House
This is one of the central guidelines of living an allergen-free life. In a house that is jam-packed with furniture and dozens of decoration objects on top of that, it is always going to be impossible to dust properly. Getting rid of allergens begins with simple things that have a massive impact.
Throw out all the things you don’t actually use. You can use the Swedish method or your very own personalised one, but this has to be your starting point. After you remove the clutter from your home, you will be able to clean it better and to keep that level of cleanliness for a much longer period of time.
Change Your Bedding – All of Your Bedding
This might sound like an exaggeration, but we assure you that it is not and that there is a good reason behind it. Your bed is the place in your home where you spend the most time, so it is crucial that you remove as many allergens as possible from it. You can start with your mattress, which should be chemical-free and allergen-free.
While this requires a larger investment, there are other changes that are simpler and cheaper to implement, such as changing the linens and pillows. This is the part of your bed that you are in direct contact with, so avoid fabrics that have allergens. Anti-allergic pillows and bed linens are easy to find and using them will spark a big change in your life.
Change the Way You Clean as Well
Where you wash your linens and clothes has a massive impact on the presence of allergens in your home. An anti-allergic washing machine can reduce this dramatically and this is a change that has very visible effects.
Another important part of this is getting a strong vacuum cleaner that can help you clear out the dust from your house. Needless to say, you have to set up a tight vacuuming schedule and stick to it religiously.
Get Rid of Your Carpets and Drapes
Carpets and drapes hold an enormous amount of allergens because they are very difficult to clean thoroughly. So, the best thing you can do is to get rid of them. Taking out the source will solve your problem for good. You may not be able to remove them entirely from your house, but even reducing the number of carpets and drapes will have a very powerful effect, so it is certainly worth trying out.
Make Your Garden Allergy-Free Too
If you want an allergen-free house, then you need to expand to your garden as well. The plants you have in your garden can generate a massive amount of allergens. Pollen should be avoided at all costs, and there are some excellent alternatives to traditional plants that can help you steer clear of it.
You can plant hypoallergenic varieties and you will get a blooming colourful garden that is allergen-free. As an extra precaution, you should make sure to plant everything at a reasonable distance from your doors and windows. A little bit of space will ensure that fewer allergens get into your home. Another aspect you should keep in mind is avoiding chemical insecticides and other pest-control substances you need for a healthy garden.
Use Anti-Allergy Covers in Your Home
Anti-allergy covers can create a solid barrier between the place where you sleep and the rest of the room. They are made from special fabrics that act as allergen repellents and they keep your bed linens and your pillows safe. In fact, the best covers are those that are sealed with zippers. You should store your covers safely during the night and put them back on the bed in the morning.
Work on Mold Prevention
Using cleaning products that are active against molds is not enough. You have to prevent the formation of molds if you want to have an allergen-free home. Pay special attention to low-ventilation areas. For instance, if you have a bathroom that doesn’t have any windows, then you need to install a fanning system. You also need a heated towel rack, which can help you keep your towels dry after you use them.
Get Rid of Laundry Detergents with Chemicals
A great many allergies are caused and kept active by the chemicals in laundry detergents. These make the clothes you wear and the linens you sleep in become toxic for you. The chemicals will cause damage to your skin and make it prone to developing allergies.
They are also powerful enough to spark allergies all on their own. The prolonged contact, which you get when you wear your clothes and sleep in your bed, makes them a big threat, so switch to a natural or a hypoallergenic alternative to traditional laundry detergent. So, make sure you use ‘sensitive’ options, and natural washing powders produced by ethical companies made without unnecessary plastic bottles.
Use the Right Kind of Paint
This is yet another overlooked aspect when it comes to allergens. There are many types of paint that have toxic compounds that you are breathing in on a daily basis. Opt for non-toxic paint that is fast-drying and low odour. There are plenty of eco-friendly paint options and they come with a generous colour palette as well.
Pest Control
Insects can carry a lot of pathogens, but they also bring some powerful allergens into your home along with their excretions. It is absolutely crucial that you have a good pest control strategy. You can use plug-in deterents instead of hard chemical pesticides. Remember to plant pest deterring plants in your garden, and door guards if necessary to make sure the insects don’t come in from outside.
Doors & Windows
Keep doors shut when possible and use windows with security stays for ventilation. Ideally consider a home filtration system to control temperature and air particulates as much as possible if you’re very allergy prone!
As you can see, getting rid of the allergens in your house and garden requires you to make quite a few changes in your lifestyle. However, these can increase your quality of life tremendously. As soon as you see how good it can be to live in an allergen-free house, you will have the right incentive to apply these healthy habits in your own home.