“Every house in this development features the best insulation and weather stripping. The only way heated air gets out is through an open door or window. You’re going to save a bundle on utilities…”

Sold!

But did your real estate agent also mention that today’s energy-efficient homes might make your allergies worse? Some allergic triggers thrive indoors. Unless you take active steps to get them out (and keep them out) allergens and irritants stay locked inside modern, tightly sealed homes. The following tips will help you rid your breathing space of the four most common allergic triggers — dust mites, pollen, mold, and pet dander.

Dust mites

These microscopic bugs live, breed, and thrive in bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets, and drapes. You’ll find them in unbelievable numbers (we’re talking millions) in the rooms where you spend the most time. Their allergy-provoking wastes get stirred up every time you lie down in bed, turn your head on the pillow, or walk across the carpet. You can’t eliminate dust mites, but you can control them:

• Remove drapes, carpeting, decorative pillows, and throws, and replace them with machine washable alternatives. Launder weekly in very hot water (130° F or hotter).
• Use anti-allergen encasements for mattress and box springs. These seal dust mite wastes inside, away from your nose and mouth.
• Vacuum, sweep, dust, and mop weekly, wearing a particle mask while cleaning or having someone else do the cleaning.

Pollen

These tiny grains of reproductive material from grasses, weeds, and trees sneak into your home every time you open a door or window. They even hitchhike indoors on your clothing and skin, not to mention your pet’s fur. Here’s what you can do:

• Vacuum, sweep, dust surfaces, and mop weekly, and wear a particle mask while cleaning.
• Keep doors and windows closed during pollen season.
• When you come in from outside, remove shoes and wash your clothes and hair to remove pollen.
• Retrofit your central air conditioning system or forced-air furnace with filters that trap airborne pollen as the air circulates. These either replace the filters that came with your unit or they fit inside the wall or floor registers.

Mold and mildew

Millions of microscopic spores are produced by common molds and mildews. Molds live in potting soil, damp basements and closets, under wallpaper, in bathrooms, refrigerators, and air conditioners. The following can help you control this problem:

• Remove visible mold with a nontoxic cleanser if chemical fumes trigger your allergies.
• Reduce mold and mildew habitat by keeping problem areas dry. Fix leaky plumbing and run exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms to move wet air outside.
• Use a dehumidifier to dry out damp closets and basements.
• Air out the house on days when outdoor humidity is low.

Pet dander

As much as you love your pet, he or she could be wreaking havoc on your allergies. If finding a new home for your pet isn’t an option (and it usually isn’t) you can try the following to minimize your exposure:

• Keep your pet out of the bedroom and especially off the bed. If possible, limit your pet to rooms without carpeting.
• Bathe your pet once or twice weekly to remove most of the existing dander. Wear a particle mask while grooming and bathing your pet.
• Launder your pet’s bedding regularly in hot water.
• Vacuum and mop weekly to reduce dust-borne dander.
• Wash your hands after handling your pet.

When it comes to minimizing in-house allergens, a healthy home often translates into a clean home. Enlist the help of everyone in your household to limit allergy trouble spots. A little work goes a long way to feeling much better.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 19th, 2007 at 10:12 pm and is filed under Allergies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.