Why Are Your Allergies Worse Indoors?
Below is a list of some of the most common indoor allergens. We're guessing your home has a few of these.
Pollens are the main cause of seasonal allergies. However, if your stuffy nose, watery eyes, and constant postnasal drip bother you year-round, then you most likely have nonseasonal hay fever,sometimes referred to as perennial allergic rhinitis. This condition is typically caused by indoor allergens.
Indoor Allergens Include:
House Dust
House dust is a mixture of substances including dried food particles, mold spores, pollen, fabric fibers, animal dander, and insect parts, especially those of dust mites and cockroaches. Particles from dust mites are the major source of allergens in dust. These particles contain proteins that are small enough to become airborne and inhaled.
- Tip - Weekly mop and/or vacuum flooring. Use a Vacuum Cleaner with a HEPA Filter.
- Tip - Use a dry Dusting Cloth to clean other surfaces. Wear a Dust Mask while cleaning.
- Tip - Replace Furnace and Air Conditioner Filters.
- Tip - Choose an Air Purifier with a HEPA Filter, especially in bedrooms to help you breathe easier while you sleep.
Mold Spores
Symptoms of hay fever and asthma can be caused by the inhalation of the spores of molds. Indoor molds can multiply in bathrooms (especially in the shower stalls), damp cellars, drains, potted plants, closets, attics, house foundations, crawl spaces, and sealed-off rooms. You can often smell a musty odor from these areas.
- Tip - Scrub mold from bathrooms, window frames and sills, and other damp areas using a Mold & Mildew Stain Remover.
- Tip - Treat cleaned areas with a Protective Mold & Mildew Barrier.
- Tip - Close doors and windows during warm weather and use air conditioning and Dehumidifiers.
Dust Mites
Dust mites thrive in warm, humid places. The mite's tiny fecal pellets disintegrate to form a very fine powder that can easily float into the air when disturbed, like vacuuming, making the bed, turning in bed while sleeping, or walking on the carpet. When an allergic person inhales these particles, asthma or allergy symptoms may occur.
- Tip - Encase pillows, mattresses and box springs in Dust-Mite-Proof Covers.
- Tip - Wash sheets, pillowcases and blankets at least once a week in water heated to at least 130F (54 C). Also try an All-Natural Laundry Detergent for dust mites.
- Tip - Weekly vacuum floors using a HEPA Vacuum.
Pet Dander
The "dander", or skin shedding, of an animal is more potent in causing allergic reactions than the animal's fur or hair. About 33% of allergic individuals are sensitive to dog dander as compared with almost 50% of allergic individuals who are cat-allergic.
- Tip - Bathing pets at least once a week with an Anti-Allergy Pet Shampoo may reduce the amount of allergen in the dander they shed.
- Tip - Weekly vacuum floors using a HEPA Vacuum.
- Tip - Try to keep pets out of the bedroom. Use an Air Purifier with a HEPA Filter, especially in bedrooms to help you breathe easier while you sleep.
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