Tips to Combat Allergy Attacks

To help combat allergy attacks and related symptoms this spring, here are expert cleaning tips from Chem-Dry to make your home a healthier (and happier) environment for you, your loved ones, and your guests.
 

• Use door mats or area rugs in entry ways and high-traffic areas. While it’s easy to forget them, door mats and area rugs do a great job of trapping dirt and dust before they enter the heart of your home. Part of the reason they aren’t as common in homes today is due to the misconception that hard surfaces are healthier than carpets or rugs, which is not the case. The fact is that carpets and rugs act as filters that capture and trap dirt and dust and prevent them from getting into the air and spreading throughout the home. On hard surfaces, these particles simply settle and then are stirred back into the air the next time there is traffic and activity in the area. Using door mats and area rugs is an effective and inexpensive way to prevent unwanted and unhealthy particles from getting deeper into your home or from remaining in the air where they can spread more easily to members of the family.

• Keep carpets and rugs clean. To improve the life and appearance of your carpet, vacuum your carpets and rugs weekly with a bag vacuum, preferably one that has either a HEPA filter or a microfiltration system. However, it is important to note that while vacuuming does pick up dirt and dust on the surface, there can be a lot of contaminants trapped deep down within the fibers of the carpet – including pet dander and urine and everyday dirt and dust. While these toxins may not be visible to homeowners, they can still be the source of unpleasant health issues and allergy symptoms. Vacuuming and routine cleaning are helpful in maintaining cleaner carpets, but they are not enough. For this reason, the EPA recommends getting carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year, and in homes with pets and/or children, it recommends bringing in a cleaning service two to three times per year. For homeowners with pets, it’s advisable to find a professional cleaning service that also has an effective urine detection and removal process, such as Chem-Dry. It's also a good idea to use a protectant, which puts a protective coating on the carpet fibers and makes it easier to keep carpets cleaner for a longer period of time on your own. Chem-Dry’s carbonated cleaning process offers a deeper clean that is effective at getting out dust and dirt, and it also has a patented Pet Urine Removal Treatment that can eliminate the odors that come from pet urine and protect the appearance, life and value of carpets and rugs.

• Don’t forget about your upholstered furniture. Most people think about vacuuming and cleaning their carpets and rugs but they forget about cleaning their upholstery, despite spending significant time every day on their couches and chairs. Similar to rugs and carpets, particles like dust and dirt settle on upholstered furniture as well. Vacuuming upholstered furniture is nearly as easy and just as important as carpets, particularly in high-traffic areas like family rooms. It’s recommended to vacuum the upholstery in your home once every other week and have it professionally cleaned once a year. Our carbonated process is also effective and ideally suited for cleaning upholstered furniture, getting rid of dust and other unhealthy particles – leaving it clean and healthy.

• Upgrade your vacuum. Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to trap airborne particles such as animal dander, dust and pollen. This type of filter also expels less dirt and fewer dust mites back into the room as you vacuum.

• Allergy-proof your bed. Cover pillows, mattresses, and box springs with dust-proof covers. Replace padded bedding such as bed skirts and padded headboards with allergen-resistant alternatives or bedding that can be washed on a regular basis.

• Regularly wipe down countertops. Countertops are not only where food is prepared, but it’s also where dirt, dust, and contaminants floating in the air often settle. If you have a countertop with granite or tile, it’s best to use a mild cleaner and preferably one that can refresh the sealer. Sealers can degrade over time and it’s important to keep that sealer fresh to prevent dirt from getting into the porous areas of the stone.

• Keep pets clean. Bathe pets regularly and keep them out of bedrooms to reduce the amount of dander spread around the home. For extra protection, keep bedroom doors closed. Even when pets are banned from the bedroom, their dander remains airborne for several hours and can float into any room of the house.

• Check and replace your heating and air conditioning filters. While furnaces are vital to keeping homes warm in the colder months, it’s important to change the furnace air filter at regular intervals to prevent dirt, dust and other unhealthy particles from being distributed around the house. Follow the recommended replacement timing for each filter that is indicated on the filter package. To remind yourself when it’s time to change the filter, write the date that you’re performing the replacement on the outer edge of the new filter that you’re installing to make it easy to know when your next one is due. Another way to stay on schedule with future filter replacements is to send yourself an invitation in your online calendar for the date of the next replacement or for replacements for the remainder of the year, based on the manufacturer’s recommended cycle.
   
• Control temperature and humidity levels. Set the household thermostat below 70°F and maintain a relative humidity below 50 percent. Dust mites thrive in warm, humid conditions and will be less likely to survive in these conditions.
   
• Shut windows. Keep windows closed and use an air conditioner with a HEPA filter rather than running fans, which blow dust throughout the home. Even if you don’t have plants and flowers in your home, pollen can still be carried in from outdoors through open windows.
   
• Replace Your Blinds. If you’re attached to your blinds, then develop a weekly habit of washing them. Or, consider replacing them altogether with window shades, which require less maintenance.