How to Combat Seasonal Allergies at Home

(NC) Dust mites. Cats and dogs. Household cleaning products. The air inside your home can be a big source of allergens. If you or a family member suffer from allergies, or just like the idea of cleaner, fresher air in your home, here are some easy things you can do:

■ Keep outside allergens out.

Take off your shoes when you enter your home to avoid bringing in dirt containing pollen and pesticides. In the spring and fall, keep windows and doors shut when outdoor allergens, such as pollen, are high. Don’t let dirt from the outdoors accumulate inside.

■ Reduce pet dander.

Pet dander, which is skin cells routinely shed by animals, is a serious allergen for many people. To reduce pet allergens like this in your home, bathe your pets regularly, vacuum area rugs and carpets often and use air purifiers where your pets spend the most time. During high pollen season, wipe them down when they come indoors to keep outdoor allergens outside.

■ Consider hard surface flooring.

Carpets and area rugs can hold and store allergens such as dust, pet dander, pollen and mould. These can become airborne when you, or your pets, walk on them. Hard surface flooring is a good choice for reducing the allergens in your home. Wash and vacuum your floors on a regular basis.

■ Use an air purifier.

Even though vacuuming is a valuable way to reduce allergens at home, many allergens are microscopic – so small that they remain airborne. The size of pet dander, for example, is five microns. And one micron is just 1/25,000 of an inch.

This is where good-quality air purifiers can be especially helpful. True HEPA allergen-remover purifiers, like Honeywell’s options, capture up to 99.97 per cent of microscopic particles that pass through their filters, keeping your air at home fresher and cleaner.

Find information on which air purifiers are right for your home at honeywellpluggedin.ca (Source: News Canada)