Are you an allergy sufferer? Apartment Therapy has some great cleaning tips to help reduce the reactions you have to
some allergens. A simple daily
cleaning of certain items in your home can help with relief and comfort. These tips will also help with
the discomfort of the cleaning itself.
What to Clean:
If you suffer from allergies, pay attention to these
areas of your home when you undertake a bigger spring clean.
1) Mold in bathrooms. While you may
not usually be affected by mold, the combination of spring pollen and dust in
addition to mold may overload your system, and you could find yourself reacting
to mold. In any case, you probably want to clean any mold or mildew in the
bathroom, where humid conditions often encourage their growth.
2) Curtains are giant allergen
collectors, and they should definitely be cleaned periodically. Make sure to
read care instructions. Some curtains you can throw in the wash. Others you
might be able to steam clean. If you have to take them to the dry cleaners, try
to air them out before you put them back in order to minimize exposure to the
dry cleaning chemicals, which could also induce an allergic reaction.
3) Ceiling fans. I try to clean mine every month, but sometimes I just don't get to
it. Like any flat surface, however, the blades accumulate dust — which gets
introduced into your breathing zone when the fan is turned on. Use a microfiber
duster, which will "grab" dust rather than just stirring it around.
Or try using a pillow case.
4) Upholstered furniture. While the
most allergen-resistant furniture is made from leather or other materials that
can't harbor allergens (like wood), most of us have at least some upholstered
pieces in our homes. Vacuuming or steam cleaning are great ways to drastically
reduce the amount of allergens in furniture.
5) Under things. If you're not the
type to move furniture and get thoroughly under, behind, and around every
crevice every time you vacuum, now's the time. Getting rid of hidden dust
bunnies will definitely help you breathe easier.
6) Blinds and shutters. While these
types of window treatments tend to be better than curtains when it comes to
harboring allergens, they still need to be dusted or wiped down.
How to Clean:
Many allergy sufferers would start sneezing just at
the thought of the cleaning mentioned above. Indeed, cleaning often kicks up
allergens that are present but not necessarily in our breathing zone. Following
are some cleaning principles to stick to in order to minimize allergy attacks
while cleaning.
1) Wear a dust mask.
2) Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
3) Clean "top to bottom" so that you make sure to clean any
stirred-up dust and other debris that settles on the floor.
4) Avoid harsh cleaning chemicals, which can exacerbate sensitive nasal
passages and airways.
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