Are You Allergic to Your House?

Dallas Maids - Are You Allergic to Your House?

Living with allergies can be miserable. Itchy, watery eyes. Runny nose. Constant sneezing. The answer to outdoor allergies may be to stay inside as much as possible but what about the allergens inside your home?

In this video, we will give you some easy ways to reduce indoor allergens and hopefully put an end to those sniffles. Indoor allergens include dust, mold and pet dander. Let’s look at them one by one.


Reduce Allergens By Neutralizing Dust


Reducing and controlling dust in your home is a matter of common sense and elbow grease. Keep your doors and windows closed as much as possible.

You will need to vacuum often, change the vacuum bag often and also dust furniture and surfaces on a regular basis. Consider having your carpet steam cleaned at least twice a year.

Carpet harbors allergens much easier and in much higher quantities than hard surface floors like wood and tile. You still need to sweep and mop your hard surface floors on a regular basis. Wash area rugs, bath mats and all of your curtains on a regular basis.

You should wash all bedding and pillows often as well, use hot water. Avoid hanging laundered clothes or other items outside to dry, it’s better to use your clothes dryer and avoid bringing outdoor allergens into the house.


Reduce Allergens By Treating Mold


Mold is a terrible allergen and in extreme cases mold can cause serious respiratory problems even for people without allergies. You should treat any visible mold with a diluted bleach solution or alternatively you can try vinegar, especially if you are worried about discoloration from bleach.

If you have a plumbing leak anywhere in your home, get it fixed quickly! Then keep an eye on the area around the source of the leak for any sign of mold. You can use a dehumidifier if necessary to deter the appearance of mold in humid areas like basements.

Mold can grow inside walls and under floors so if you suspect you have hidden mold it’s time to call in a professional cleaning service.


Pet Dander


It’s a common misconception that pet allergies are caused by pet hair alone. In fact, they are caused mainly by pet dander. These are tiny flakes of dead skin that fall naturally off of your pet. Pet allergies can be heartbreaking if they are extreme because sometimes the only solution is to remove the pet from the home. Before you think about that, there are a few things you can try.

Keep your pet off of the furniture and out of bedrooms at all times. If possible you should restrict them to areas with hard surface flooring like tile or wood. Giving the pet frequent baths may help, but ideally it shouldn’t be the allergic person doing the bathing.

Wash pet beds and bedding often.  Wash your hands after handling your pet and if contact sparks your allergies you may need to take a more hands off approach.

That’s it for this edition of Clean Freaks! We’re sure you will be able to reduce allergens and, as always: if it sounds like too much work just call Dallas Maids!