Spring cleaning tips that dispel hay fever allergens
It’s the season for itchy eyes and runny noses, as we begin to see the sun more, and pollen and hay fever start to affect sufferers. Both pollen outside, and dust inside buildings that we live and work in will be a troubling issue for many.
But there are a number of steps we can take to reduce the gathering of allergens inside the home!
It’s important to keep our homes as dust-free as possible, but removing it efficiently isn’t always an easy task, especially when it comes to some particularly hard to reach places.
Tips from a home cleaning expert to prevent the dust build-up in your home include the following actions;
Vacuum often, as on carpeted flooring, it’s easy for dust to gather between the fabrics.
By replacing carpet with hard flooring, it’s possible to slow this process down.
If this isn’t an option, vacuum weekly or more with a vacuum cleaner that has a small-particle or high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, to dislodge dust from your carpets and reduce build-up.
Remember to shampoo carpets regularly.
On laminate, tile, wooden or general hard flooring, mopping regularly is a must to combat dust.
Warm water with a splash of vinegar will work wonderfully on floors.
Filtering the air in your home is another great trick.
As they are specifically designed to remove dust and airborne particles, air filters will make living indoors much more manageable for hay fever sufferers.
Use non-toxic cleaning products always in the home, as toxic products encourage formation of harmful airborne particles.
Always check the labels when purchasing any cleaning items to ensure that they are non-toxic.
There’s an increasing choice of environmentally friendly products that are available in shops to everyone now.
Reduce the amount of clutter in your home. The
more items there are in a room or a house, the more likely dust will build-up on them.
Remove or store nonessential items that collect dust, such as tabletop ornaments, books and knickknacks. It’s an idea to donate anything you don’t need to charities, so that it can be recycled.
Clean bedding regularly as bed linen is a prime nesting place for dust and dust mites. Cleaning sheets at least once a week, ideally in water heated to at least 54c, will remove unwanted critters and dust.
In the springtime it’s also worth investing in dustmite-proof covers as well as replacing wool or feather bedding with synthetics.
Dust your home correctly and regularly. It’s better to use a damp sponge or cloth to stop dispersing particles into the air.
A vacuum attachment can be used on hard-to-reach areas such as skirting boards and window frames.
Finally, other surprising culprits of hay fever flare ups are plants and animals – they are living things prone to dander and by-products.
Finding a new home for potted plants, reducing the contact your pets have around the house, and bathing pets once a week will help with this.
Ivan Ivanov, spokesperson from End of Tenancy Cleaning London, who provided the allergy avoidance tips said: “Hay fever season is well under way and can be difficult for those who suffer from allergies.
“While you may think you’re safer indoors from the pesky pollen, studies have shown that over half of the dust in our homes is actually due to dust outside that is brought inside with us”.