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This week is Allergy Awareness Week and I’ve been asked by Time4Sleep to share my top tips for reducing allergens in the home.
I’m pretty asthmatic – my asthma is described as “brittle” which means it often isn’t clear what is causing my attacks and it can be quite unpredictable. That said there are definitely things which I know make it worse. I have a few allergies but the main one is dust – I’m something ridiculous like 1000x more allergic to dust than your average person. I suffer from hayfever and am also mildly allergic to my dog though this is more of a contact issue so I just can’t really stroke the poor pup. This is all managed by prescribed antihistamines which I just take as and when I feel the need. Of course managing the level of allergens in my house is also a massive contributing factor to keeping my symptoms under control.
1. Wet dust wherever possible
Using a dry duster just means you risk whizzing lots of dust back up into the air again – wet dusting means that the dust will cling to your damp cloth and can be washed away. This also includes mopping rather than sweeping if you can – I know my Mum used to sweep then mop but I find that sweeping just pushes the dust back into the air so I use my JML Super Mop and rinse it constantly under running water.
2. Vacuum regularly We have laminate flooring throughout the downstairs which is great as it means the dust and dog hair can’t accumulate in carpet but it does mean it tends to collect in corners and needs cleaning up regularly. A daily vacuum through downstairs does the job nicely. As Thomas isn’t allowed upstairs I tend to do the upstairs every few days. It’s also worthwhile vacuuming your mattress regularly (you don’t even want me to go into how grim your mattress can be – just vacuum it.)
3. Wash bedding and soft toys regularly and at a high temperature I know we’re all trying to be economical and wash at lower temperatures these days but for me, particularly when it comes to soft toys and bedding, it’s important to wash regularly and at the highest temperature the item allows. My asthma is worse at night so it makes sense to be particularly careful about my bedding and so forth.
A photo posted by Colette B (@goingonanadventureblog) on Apr 9, 2015 at 4:15am PDT
4. Keep windows and doors shut when the pollen count is high!
I must admit that this is something which particularly pains me. The sun is out and I want my windows open to keep the house cool and get some fresh air through – but if the pollen count is high the best thing you can do is keep those windows shut and the pollen out!
5. Don’t hang your washing out on days when the pollen count is high! This is something I’ve fallen foul of so many times – especially when I’ve taken adventage of a lovely sunny day to get the bedding washed. Hanging my sheets out on a day when pollen is rife just means that when I get into bed and snuggle down to enjoy those nice clean sheets I actually end up suffering a whole raft of hayfever symptoms instead. Epic fail.
I’d love to know how you deal with allergens in your house?
*Disclaimer – I am being sent a box of goodies as a thank you for writing this post*
Colette Burgess is an experienced primary school teacher and has lived in Manchester for most of her adult life. She is married to Dave and they have three children aged 12, 15, and 17.
Colette has been writing about days out and adventures in Manchester and beyond including day trips and short breaks in the UK and holidays abroad since 2012.
Colette and her family love festivals, camping and generally being outside.
Great tips! My husband is asthmatic and does suffer when there's too much dust around, so really useful to read this. I'll be 'wet dusting' from now on! x #TheList
Gosh, I really need to hover and change the bedding more – It definitely has a positive impact on R's eczema, and now we've got the kittens it's only going to get worse!! xx
and rinse it constantly under running water.
That photo of the washing line is the cutest! x
I love seeing their special cuddlies all pegged out and smelling fresh 😉 I'm lucky that they don't mind them being washed!!
Great tips! My husband is asthmatic and does suffer when there's too much dust around, so really useful to read this. I'll be 'wet dusting' from now on! x #TheList
Gosh, I really need to hover and change the bedding more – It definitely has a positive impact on R's eczema, and now we've got the kittens it's only going to get worse!! xx