About 25% of adults and 19% of children in the United States have a seasonal allergy, and the numbers seem to be growing every year. If you or your child is suffering from allergies, there are steps you can take to make your home a more clean and comfortable place to live. Today we’ll share 5 tips to allergy-proof your home so you can all relax and sleep better.
1. Control dust mites, cockroaches, and other pests
Insect and mouse residue can trigger allergies. Many adults and children are allergic to dust mites, which live in house dust and feed on flakes of dead skin, or dander, shed by humans and pets. Cockroaches are also a common source of allergens. Exposure to allergens can increase children’s risk of developing asthma and sleep disorders, so it’s important to take steps to minimize pests.
- Dust your child’s toys often with a damp rag.
- Clean your house regularly (especially the kitchen).
- Keep food in well-sealed containers so as not to attract cockroaches.
- Avoid eating in areas of the house outside of the kitchen and dining room.
- Make sure to seal any potential entry points for pests around your home.
Dust mites are impossible to remove completely, but you can minimize them by washing bedding at least once a week, washing your child’s stuffed animals often, and vacuuming frequently. Consider removing rugs or replacing carpet with hardwood or tile floors.
2. Update your home insulation
Old or inadequate insulation can be a source of dust and dirt that affects the air quality of your house. Old insulation is also a potential home for pests, especially rodents, who love to make their nests in fiberglass insulation. Rodents are also a common source of rhinitis- and asthma -triggering allergens.
Cellulose insulation, a type of loose fill insulation, makes poor nests for rodents because it collapses when they try to tunnel. Not only that, but it is treated with borate which naturally deters cockroaches, fleas, ants, and termites.
Some companies offer a free home insulation inspection to assess the efficiency and condition of your current insulation. They will determine if your old insulation needs to be removed before installing new insulation. If you or someone in your family suffers from indoor allergies, be sure to mention this during the inspection. If your insulation is old, the odds are high that you’ll want to remove it. The same company that installs your new cellulose insulation can also remove the old insulation during the same visit.
Removing old insulation and installing new, clean, pest-resistant insulation is a quick and affordable upgrade that will help your whole family breathe easier.
3. Control temperature and humidity
Temperature and humidity levels are important to consider when you’re trying to allergy-proof your home. That’s because pests and mold, another common allergen, thrive in warm, humid conditions. The ideal temperature in your home should be between 68-72 degrees fahrenheit.
You should also keep the relative humidity level at around 40-50%. To measure that inside your home, you can purchase a hygrometer for less than $30 at your local hardware store. In most homes, focusing on high-humidity areas like the bathroom is effective for reducing overall humidity. Taking shorter, cooler showers, using a dehumidifier, and improving ventilation will all help reduce humidity and reduce the risk of mold and pests.
4. Clear clutter
As we’ve mentioned several times already, dust is an important source of potential allergens. Keeping your house as dust free as possible is ideal, and eliminating clutter can help immensely. Store toys and other items in boxes with lids to keep the dust out. You can also help make your home allergy-proof by avoiding clutter on the floor, in corners, collecting dust on shelves and countertops.
Not only that, but the fewer things you have laying around, the easier it will be to clean your house more efficiently and frequently. Keeping your house as dust-free as possible makes a big difference for allergy sufferers. At least once a week, dust all the surfaces in your home. Make sure you’re using a damp rag, because dusting with a dry rag or a feather duster only disturbs the dust and puts it back into the air, which is much worse for those with allergies.
If you have children, you can minimize toy clutter by keeping their toys in boxes with lids. If dust mite allergies are severe, consider storing their books in boxes with lids as well, or at least wiping them down frequently with a damp rag.
5. Leave your shoes at the door
Another easy way to minimize allergens in your home is to have everyone leave their shoes at the door when they enter. This is a common practice in many countries, and for good reason! Mold and pollen get stuck to our footwear and if you wear your shoes around the house, especially in the bedroom, you’re contaminating your living spaces.
Samples taken from the bottom of shoes usually show some kind of fecal matter, so leaving shoes at the door can prevent you and your visitors from tramping that all over the house. Wearing shoes inside can also increase the wear and tear on your floors, whether carpet or hardwood, so an added bonus of going shoe-free is you’ll preserve your floors for longer.
Conclusion
Taking steps to minimize allergens in your home can be time-consuming, but the payoff is worth it. Following these tips to allergy-proof your home will not only help the allergy sufferers, but make your whole house cleaner and healthier for the entire family.
At Home Insulation ATX, we’re passionate about making your home as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your loved ones. Check out our insulation price estimate tool or contact us today to see if you qualify for a free home insulation inspection
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220126.htm
https://aafa.org/allergies/prevent-allergies/control-indoor-allergens/
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/allergens/dustmites
