The air inside your home is something you shouldn’t take for granted. Very easily, the air can be filled with a number of pollutants that make it less than safe to breathe. Mainly, these pollutants include allergens such as dust and mold spores. However, other pollutants can also get inside: pollen can be dragged into your home on the soles of your shoes and on the paws of the family pet. If you suffer from allergies, these pollutants can make living inside your home intolerable. Here are five effective allergy relief tips to help you breathe easier at home.
- Make sure there is plenty of ventilation. You may think that ventilation will make your allergies worse, but it can actually significantly decrease symptoms. If all your windows and doors are closed, there is nowhere for the pollutants to go. Plus, things like mold spores proliferate in unventilated rooms. When it comes down to it, opening windows won’t only allow fresh air inside – it will also allow sunshine, which can destroy a lot of indoor air pollutants.
- Clean your HVAC’s ductwork. Getting your ductwork cleaned is critical. Your ductwork is basically a long channel of ducts that form a passageway through the walls of your home – it is responsible for carrying warm and cool air from your HVAC system to regulate the temperature inside your home. However, if your ductwork is covered in dust or hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, it could be blowing unwanted pollutants into the air of your home. Ideally, you want to have your ductwork professionally cleaned on an annual basis.
- Get rid of clutter and other unwanted items inside your home. The summertime is the perfect time to clean your home and get rid of old, unwanted items. For instance, if you have boxes piling up, they could be attracting things like dust mites and other pollutants that can activate and irritate your allergies. Also, you may want to remove old furniture, especially if it is upholstered with cloth fabric and has a thick layer of dust on it – if you sit down on a couch covered in dust, it is almost guaranteed that your allergy symptoms will flare up.
- Use a vacuum cleaner that is hypoallergenic. Most importantly, when you clean your home, you want to use a vacuum cleaner that is designed specifically for allergy sufferers. For instance, theMiele vacuum cleaner is renowned for its ability to prevent allergy attacks. It will also clean your home of dust, dander and other pollutants on the floors and in all the nooks-and-crannies.
- Give your pets a bath. It may also be important to give your pets a bath, especially if your pets have a lot of fur and dander. You can wash your own pet, but it is often more effective to take your pet to a professional groomer. At the end of the day, reducing the amount of dander on your pet can allow you to breathe much easier at home.