Your allergies may introduce some complexities when it comes to keeping your home clean, and in some cases, could warrant you to avoid cleaning due to the affect it has on you. For most of us, it’s a nuisance and requires some regular maintenance and precautions to keep your home clean. There are some simple steps to help you keep your environment safe and comfortable for you.
First things first, understanding what triggers your allergies is really important. Keeping an eye on those items and managing them so they don’t get to a point that it’s aggravating you is key. Dust, pollen, mold, pet dander are my key triggers so I do my best to manage them. Here are the steps I take when cleaning my home.
1. Dusting and Laundering
Dust is everywhere, and just a part of our environment, but the more we can do to minimize it the better. Dust and dust mites are a culmination of many particles but also includes dead skin cells. Keeping the dust off our furniture by regular dusting goes a long way. Weekly dusting with a damp microfiber cloth or a Swiffer cloth (my favorite), will minimize the amount of dust you breath.
Regular laundering of clothes, towels and bedding will also keep your pillows and mattresses in better shape for the long run. The recommended frequency of washing your bedding is on a weekly cycle and your towels after a few uses. I prefer washing my towels and linens in hot water, but at a minimum, water should remove the dust and allergens.
2. Cleaning Mold
Mold can be found anywhere and grow on any surface with moisture. It’s important to address mold when first noticed as the spores are circulated in the air. For the usual bathroom areas, try to keep the air ventilated when showering and dry the area by using a squeegee in the wet areas. Cleaning the areas that show any signs of discoloration with bleach will also help. I like to scrub the areas with a bleach product and let it sit there for several hours before rinsing off. The smell can be a bit much so I open my windows, run the fan and wear a mask. I do this at least once a month with lighter cleaning in between.
3. Vacuuming
I am a big fan of Dyson products, in particular the Dyson Ball Animal 2. That’s the model I have and let me tell you, it’s a suction powerhouse. After steam cleaning my carpets, a few days later I ran my vacuum through the house and it had a lot of fine particles that it picked up along with the usual suspects. Every time I vacuum, I’m amazed at what’s sitting on my floors. As a general rule, it’s best to ensure the vacuum you’re using has a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA). The last thing you want your vacuum doing is blowing the dirt back into the air.
4. Clean Air
There are 3 primary rules I like to follow. The first one is minimizing the amount of time I leave my windows open. This helps limit the amount of outdoor pollen getting into the home. The second is regular air filter replacements. Because I use my HVAC unit more often, I ensure my vent covers are wiped down and filters are replaced every 3 months. The last and most helpful rule is that I run an air purifier in the rooms I’m in the most. This has been the most helpful appliance I have purchased in a while, it keep the air circulating while capturing dust particles and minimizes my sneezing.
5. Minimize Cross Contamination
Last but not least, with all of the tips shared above, you don’t want to undo this by bringing in dust and pollen into the space you spend the most time and sleep. Dust and pollen stick to your clothes, shoes, skin and hair. Leave your shoes at the door, wash your hands, change into your comfy home clothes and probably worth showering at night before you to bed.
Hopefully you’ll find some of these tips useful and help you manage your allergies.
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