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With spring in full swing, you are probably already reaching for the antihistamines. Yet as the weather gets warmer, allergies will flare up from natural pollen, humidity, and people cutting the grass more. So, here are some easy ways you can keep an allergy-free home this summer.

Pay Attention to Your Carpets

Carpets are home to many, many microscopic creatures that can cause allergies. The droppings from dust mites, pet hairs, and even mold can build up in your carpets. So when the weather gets warmer, any of these will make your allergies even worse. Therefore it becomes necessary to give your carpets a good clean with specialist equipment. For example, you could hire a deep-clean carpet machine. Or you can buy a shampoo carpet cleaner and use it once a month.

Keep an Allergy-Free Home with Steam

Keeping your carpets clean is easy when you have the right tools. And it can help keep allergies at bay or at least reduce the effects. But sometimes, simply shampooing won’t be enough, and you need to eliminate and kill lingering bacteria. And what better way to do this than with good old steam? Steam cleaners are pretty cheap these days. Yet they do an amazing job of killing up to 99% of known common household bacteria, including the CoV-SARS-2 (Covid) virus.

Buy Some New Bedding

Like your carpets, dust mites, other bugs, and your own skin and hair will build up in your bed. Washing your bedding often and changing it once per week will help. But sometimes, it may not be enough. Buying new bedding is necessary to be sure there is nothing in your sheets. However, you might also have to deep clean your mattress or buy a new one if you are suffering. Luckily, you can get hypoallergenic bedding that actively provides allergy relief.

Clean Nooks and Crannies

Any home has nooks and crannies where harmful bacteria and allergy-causing microbes can build up. The corners of your ceilings, behind cupboards and units, and under the couch are good examples. Even if you clean your home every day, these are the places people often neglect or simply forget about. But cleaning these areas will provide some extra allergy relief because you are removing a little bit more that can cause flare-ups and some breathing issues.

Dust Around for Extra Relief

Dusting is essential for keeping allergies at bay. This is because common household dust is one of the worst culprits for causing allergy-related symptoms next to pollen. Yet it can be hard to know how to dust properly, and some people don’t do it all. So, here are some pro dusting tips:

  • Buy good quality dusting equipment such as rods with replaceable dusting attachments.
  • Be careful when dusting around items, and remove things from shelves to be sure.
  • Start at the top of the room and work your way down to avoid just moving dust around.
  • Think of areas where dust can settle, such as door frames, picture frames, and books.
  • Don’t forget to dust behind large room objects such as your TV, radiators, and couches.
  • Establish a routine for dusting, such as every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
  • Replace equipment such as attachments as soon as they appear to become dirty.

Dusting can seem like a chore. But the longer you leave it, the more work it involves. This is why a routine is essential. Also, you don’t need to replace dusters or rags as often if your home is cleaner, saving you some money. Finally, dusting becomes fun when you see and feel results.

Vacuum Everywhere

It’s always a good idea to dust around your home as it helps remove fine particles that will make allergies and breathing conditions worse. However, even if you are a prolific duster, it will only get you so far. What you really need is a good quality vacuum cleaner. A cordless, bagless one with attachments is always recommended because you can reach everywhere. Additionally, bagless vacuums are more powerful and will suck up even more dust than an old Henry.

Pay Attention to Plants

Bugs love plants and will nest in them freely. And they don’t even have to be real. Spiders and other bugs will make plastic plants their home, too, because there are many tiny spaces for them to hide. Also, plants typically have leaves with a large surface area that allows dust to settle. So, when dusting around, be sure to pay attention to your houseplants too. Remove any webs that are there, and gently use any dusting tools to clean leaves and the surface of the soil.

Use Filters for an Allergy-Free Home

For all your efforts to remove dust and allergens from your home, it can still not be enough. Some homes are more dusty than others. And you might even live in a high-pollution area. Fortunately, HEPA air filters can provide some extra relief. These are great machines for the bedroom if you suffer from allergies. They work by sucking up all the air in a room, catching microbes and dust in a filter. Then they put out and circulate cleaner air around your room. 

Limit Contact with Pets

In the United States alone, almost 70% of homes have a pet of some kind. And many of these are furry mammals like cats, dogs, and rodents. Yet anything with hair will contribute to dust in your home and allergy flare-ups. You may even be allergic to a specific pet. So although pets are a great thing to have, you should limit contact with your furry friends to reduce your symptoms. Depending on your severity, you may only need to do this in spring and summer.

Summary

You can have an allergy-free home or something as close to it as you can. It can be hard to catch all things that make your flare-ups worse. But some things you can try are keeping your carpets as clean as possible, dusting your home often, and staying away from pets for a while.