Combat Indoor Allergens By Making 5 Changes to Your Home

Indoor allergies can make you miserable without you even knowing about it. Indoor allergens can be attributed to fatigue, stuffy nose, and headaches that can linger for months. Improving your indoor air quality may help, but knowing where to start is another matter. The fact is that there are some simple steps you can and should take to protect your home’s air and find relief from the attacks made by allergens in your home.

Bring in Plants

Unless you’re allergic to houseplants, bringing in some passive help will give you long-term relief. Plants work to clean the air and make it easier to breathe. The best plants to improve indoor air quality are bamboo, Lady Palm, English ivy, and peace lilies.

You might even consider bringing in low pollen or hypoallergenic house plants to help clean your indoor air. Try to have a few plants in the main living areas to help clean the air and give you relief.

Run the Air

It feels great to open the windows when weather is nice, but that brings in pollutants that make it harder to breathe. A better bet is to keep the windows closed and run the air conditioner. Modern AC units remove water from the air and, because most pollens are water-soluble, help clean your air. If you really want the fresh air, then open the windows for a few hours during the day and close them again at night.

Change the Filter

A downside of running the air conditioner is that you constantly recycle allergens that are already in the house. Changing the filter every 3 months will help capture the allergens and get them out of the house. Set a reminder on your smart phone to remind you when it’s time for a new filter as this is an easy and inexpensive fix that every home owner should do.

Clean the Vents

In addition to general cleaning and dusting, you should also clean the ducts and vents in your home to capture dirt, pollen, dander and other household allergens. Some allergens and germs fall into the vents when the air turns off, and they’re stirred up when it comes back on. This can result in indoor allergens constantly circling through the house and be a nightmare for your immune system. Contacting professionals to clean your vents is the best option you have for combating indoor allergens.

Cleaning Surfaces Regularly

While allergens and germs that can potentially lead to illnesses are always present anywhere. These allergens and germs are impossible to spot with your naked eye, but cleaning surfaces regularly will help you keep the home healthy.

Regularly wipe all objects around the home, especially those you don’t often touch because these are the ones that accumulate a lot of dust. You should also wipe tables and shelves regularly, even underneath all objects you have.

The floor is another surface that should be cleaned regularly, if not every day. Allergens and germs from the outdoors can be brought indoors through the soles of your footwear.

Windows are often overlooked when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. A lot of allergens, germs, and pollutants can cling to windows and circulate the home through the air. Keep your windows clean regularly by having proper cleaning products and equipment.  

Choose the Right Materials

Fabric upholstery of almost any kind provides dander and dust with a place to hide and rest. This includes carpeting and the cotton fabric on your couch. You can make the home cleaner by switching to hardwood floors and going with leather furniture.

Make these changes around your house to keep it clean and enjoy relief from indoor allergies. You’ll have cleaner air that makes it easier to breathe. You’ll also enjoy a cleaner home that smells fresh and inviting. Take the indoor air quality to an even higher level by vacuuming the house several times a week.