The number of people who suffer from allergies of all types increases year over year. Apart from the food allergies that are prevalent, the biggest problem in the developed world, and especially the US, are dust allergies and similar respiratory problems.
There are many things you can do to mitigate these problems, and one of the most important ones is keeping your home clean and as allergen-free as possible. To that end, we reached out to cleaning pros at Dirt Detectives to share their cleaning tips that are best for combating dust and other allergens in the indoor air.
Get Vacuuming
No matter how you feel about vacuuming, there’s no way around it – vacuuming is the best way to manage dust buildup in your home. Dust largely comes from dead skin cells, hairs and other small debris flying around your house, so we really cannot prevent it from appearing. But what we can do is manage it and get rid of it as often as possible.
Ideally, you would vacuum your home at least once a week – this way the dust won’t have enough time to build up enough to become a problem. If there are some heavily trafficked areas in your home that get dirty much sooner, perhaps twice a week. Typically, it’s the rooms that are heavily used, like your entry hallway, or your living room.
Upgrade Your Filter Game
Speaking of vacuuming, you should have realistic expectations of your vacuum cleaner. Chances are that you have a standard, commercially available vacuum cleaner like most people. And while these devices are great at picking up dust and debris, they do have their limit.
Dust particles of smaller diameter will likely not be picked up by a standard vacuum cleaner. If you still experience dust-related allergies even though you vacuum regularly, you may need a better filter on your vacuum cleaner. HEPA filters are specifically designed to capture really small particles.
Do You Hoard Things You Don’t Need?
Another very common source of allergens and dust is just junk that’s lying around unused for long periods of time. Most of us have at least a few things like that in our homes – whether it is a hobby you abandoned, things you tried collecting, clothes everywhere, or anything else.
If you do have such problems, there is a simple solution – put away or put out. Take a good look at these items and make a decision: do you want to keep them or are you getting rid of them. If you end up keeping these items, make sure to put them away so that they are not a dust magnet.
Keeping Your Sheets Clean
Another big source of dust and airborne allergens are your bedsheets. Most of us don’t really like to think about it, but our beds are home to millions and millions of dust mites. These dust mites are generally not a problem, and have no impact on our lives – except if you are allergic to them.
Fortunately, getting rid of them is fairly easy – just replace the sheets every week or so, and they shouldn’t be an issue. Speaking of your sheets, consider buying hypoallergenic sheets which are naturally resistant to dust mite infestation. Even though it will not prevent them from appearing, it will certainly slow them down, giving you more peace of mind.
Managing allergies can feel like a chore, but when you think about it – the alternative is much more of a hassle. Thankfully, with just a few modifications to your life, you can avoid the worst of the allergy symptoms at least in your home.
