If you have asthma, your doctor has probably recommended that you avoid the allergens and triggers that may lead to an episode. But what if you’re allergic to — work?

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If you’re allergic to pollen, you probably try to stay indoors in the morning when pollen counts are highest. But exactly how allergen-free is your home? Thanks to poor ventilation, dust-catching window shades or bedding, and certain household chemicals and cleaners, many indoor areas can be just as allergy-provoking as a morning walk at the height of hay fever season. Here’s a list of the most common indoor allergens, and what you can do to eliminate them from your home.

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For people living with asthma, avoiding triggers at work can be a real challenge. You don’t have much control over building construction, central air, or the chemicals used in office supplies — all of which can have a big impact on indoor air quality. But you can influence some office policies that affect your work environment.

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Watery eyes, sinus congestion, wheezing, and general misery — just from breathing outside air. Depending on the climate and season, your outdoor environment can be an ever-changing soup of allergy and asthma triggers, including tree and grass pollens, ragweed, secondhand smoke, car exhaust, and dust. You can’t always control your environment, but you can take steps to avoid airborne triggers.

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If you’re like most people, you spend about a third of your day in the bedroom. And if you have allergies and asthma, your bedroom is the best place to start eliminating dust mites and other common indoor allergens.

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You wash your bedding in 130° F or hotter water once a week. You’ve switched from your mother’s brand of tile cleaner to a more lung-friendly alternative. You’ve made a deal with your dog: no more sleeping in the bedroom, in exchange for a little extra playtime after baths and brushings. But be honest. In the midst of your weekly (and monthly, and bimonthly) scrubbings, your mind has wandered: are the benefits of environmental control really worth the effort?

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It’s Friday morning at the office, and you’ve got a headache. In fact, you’ve had a headache at work every day this month, from the moment you set foot in the office to the time you leave for the day. It could be stress-related, or the product of a flu that’s been going around. But if your mysterious headaches seem to follow the same work schedule as you, the problem may be the office itself. You’re not sick. The building is.

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Gardens have always been considered places of peace and beauty. And gardening is a pastime with thousands of years of history. If you’re one of the millions of people who have pollen allergies, however, an afternoon tending to lawns or pruning shrubs can seem anything but peaceful. Instead of an invigorating breath of fresh air, you’re opening yourself to symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, and upper respiratory congestion.

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What do paint thinner, antifreeze, pesticide, bleach, and disinfectant have in common? All of these common household items contain chemicals that can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. If you have asthma or respiratory allergies, breathing the fumes and strong odors produced by these household products can trigger or worsen symptoms.

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Is your home a sanctuary? Or is it a place where asthma and allergies might worsen? Even the most mundane daily activities, like cooking, cleaning, or running the air conditioner, can spread indoor pollutants throughout the house, especially in modern tightly built homes. Here’s how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends you handle some of the major sources of indoor air pollutants.

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