Seasonal Allergies Part Three: 8 tips to allergy-proof your home.

Whether it’s seasonal sneezing or a year-round runny nose, it’s possible that your home could be making allergies worse!

Here are 8 tips to reduce allergens in your home and keep your living space healthy and clean:

1️⃣ Wash bedding.

Wash your bedding every week in hot water to keep dead skin cells and dust mites at bay. As an added precaution, you can get dust-mite proof covers for pillows and mattresses.

2️⃣ Vacuum regularly.

If rugs and carpets can’t be replaced with other flooring, vacuum weekly with a HEPA filter to reduce dust.

3️⃣ Close windows.

Closing the windows and relying on air conditioning during pollen season or when there is bad air quality can keep your inside air fresh.

4️⃣ Filter air.

Regularly replace the filters in your heating and air conditioning units and consider portable HEPA filter units around the house. Put a reminder on your calendar and make a marking on the filter indicating which day it was replaced.

5️⃣ Wash pets.

Keep your pets clean or out of areas like the bedroom to minimize exposure to allergens in pet dander.

6️⃣ Check ventilation.

Use a vented exhaust fan above the stove to clear cooking fumes. Use a fan in the bathroom when showering to minimize moisture accumulation.

7️⃣ Check humidity.

Mold can grow anywhere that humidity exceeds 50%. Keeping homes cool and dry minimizes the risk of mold growth and exposure.

8️⃣ Avoid smoke.

Don’t allow people to smoke in your home, avoid wood-burning fireplaces, and close the windows when there is wildfire smoke! All types of smoke can be respiratory irritants.

When it comes to improving our health, it’s easy to forget about the importance of our surroundings. Even if nobody in your family struggles with allergies, taking these steps can improve your odds of staying allergy-free!

As a Functional Medicine physician, I treat chronic conditions like allergies by looking for root causes and recommending treatments that go beyond the prescription bottle. Are you ready to start your journey? Contact us to get started!