Health

5 Most Common Allergies In Your Home & How To Combat Them

Day 286, Project 365 - 8.6.10

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Every person struggles with allergies to an extent. Sometimes there are things that you just can’t cope with, but a lot of the issues can stem from one simple place: your home. There could be various allergies in the air, but there are many ways in which to combat them also. So, here they are.

Dust Mites

A leading cause of asthma, dust mites are one of the big causes of allergies in general in the home. The big problem with dust mites is that they don’t take long to build up, but you can keep on top of cleaning by changing your air filter or cleaning it on a regular basis, to make sure that it doesn’t spew out allergens into the air. By keeping on top of a regular cleaning routine, this is the best defense in the fight against dust mites. The big problem with dust mites is that they lurk in your carpet, or anywhere where there is fabric. So, it’s best to get in a routine of deep carpet cleaning. If you can’t afford a carpet cleaning company to do it for you, steam cleaning is one of the best ways to kill dust mites.

Mold

If you’ve got a damp home, the chances are that mold is going to thrive there. If you’ve got a basement, this is the best place to start changing your home to make it mold-free. You should consider putting tiles down as basement flooring instead of carpet. If carpets are exposed to wetness, and they get moldy regularly, this will spread throughout your house. The best way to get rid of mold is to use water and detergent, but make sure that the space gets a proper airing, such as by using a dehumidifier.

Pets

The dander caused by pet hair, in combination with a thoroughly carpeted home can mean those prone to allergies will suffer continuously. The best way around this is to choose pets that are as close to hypoallergenic as possible, and while there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic pet, short-haired animals are your best option.

Pollen

People don’t think about pollen being a potential allergy indoors, but during the summer months, anybody can bring pollen into the home, either pets with their dander or you can bring it in on your clothes. To help with these problems, use an air purifier in the home, preferably one with a HEPA filter, but also wipe your pets down as soon as they come in through the doors.

Food Allergies

Not thought of in the same way as common allergies, but it’s as important nonetheless. When it comes to food allergies, they are far more commonplace now. Gluten, milk, shellfish, and so forth, can cause major issues. So, if you suspect someone in your family has an allergy to a certain type of food, check to see if they display any symptoms of allergies after they’ve eaten this type of food. And the best approach is to then look at taking the suspect food out of their diet for at least 30 days, before reintroducing it slowly.

 

For more helpful allergy information, check out what Summit Shah of Premier Allergy has to say. Allergies are incredibly annoying, but at least in the home, you can minimize them.

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