Seasonal allergies occur mainly during the warm months, when outdoor pollen from trees and flowering plants, as well as other airborne particles, increases. The hot weather also prompts homeowners to open their windows to cool their homes, unaware that they are letting in these allergens. However, even if they remained closed, allergens would still be carried indoors by pets and family members.
Indoor furnishings also play a big role in trapping and accumulating allergens. These include carpets and rugs, upholstery, bedding, curtains and carpets. To keep these harmful substances to a minimum, your home requires regular cleaning as well as professional cleaning.
In this article, we discuss some easy ways to reduce indoor allergens during seasonal allergy periods and keep your family healthy.
Control Pollen from Spreading Indoors
One can’t perfectly prevent allergens from entering one’s house, but can substantially control the quantities and types of foreign particles that get in. Create an external zone just before the main entrance where people can leave their shoes rather than carrying in all the dirt.
As for your pet, a little wiping of paws after a walk goes a long way in extracting outdoor allergens. Add a washable, dustproof doormat at the entry porch in case your guests aren’t comfortable being barefoot.
After working outdoors, taking walks or returning from a camping vacation, all your outdoor clothing needs to be set aside for immediate washing. Dont leave them stranded everywhere on furniture or beds. During the day and with no one at home, keep doors and windows closed to prevent high-level pollen from entering.
Clean Most Affected Surfaces Regularly
Most allergens, including pet dander, dust and pollen, are highly airborne and will disperse fast once disturbed. The best way to remove them is to use a damp mop or duster to keep them together, rather than blowing them into the air with a dry cloth or whisk. The most affected surfaces that demand frequent damp dusting are window sills, baseboards, shelves and ceiling fans. Wipe surfaces around HVAC vents and returns carefully. Pay attention to important rooms, such as bedrooms and living rooms, where family members spend most of their time.
Wash Fabrics and Upholstery Often
Fabrics have a high affinity for loose dirt, skin flakes and other allergens. Washing bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and washable mattress covers takes off alot of these before they can accumulate. Curtains and seat covers should also be well cleaned monthly as per the manufacturers’ instructions.
Vacuum clean upholstered furniture, especially living room sofas and bedroom chairs that are used frequently. If pets are allowed to sit on the furniture, pet dander may increase the frequency of vacuuming.
Deep Cleaning of Carpeted Floors
Floor carpets are the largest carriers of allergens due to their deep fibres, which make dust and pollen invisible even after routine vacuuming. Although they initially do a good job of capturing footwear and airborne particles rather than allowing them to disperse in the air, they later become the problem.
Carpets also easily capture pet dander, dust mite waste, and pollen, which disperses when they are tampered with. When dust accumulates and moisture builds up, it allows moulds, fungus, and bacteria to grow and spread in the house, assisted by the aircon system. Hence, carpets require a deep cleaning exercise more than once during the allergy season to ensure the full extraction of these particles at the fibre level.
Many homeowners in Texas experience improvement in indoor comfort after a thorough cleaning. If you want to know which deep cleaning methods to request based on your carpet type, you may find insights in this guide to professional carpet cleaning. Deep cleaning services also reach areas that ordinary vacuuming may miss and those that are hard to clean due to heavy dust, such as stairs and hallways.
Continuous Maintenance of Aircon Systems
Aircon systems do a alot of work to keep the indoor air fresh. First, ensure your HVAC system is professionally installed, regularly inspected, and working properly. It does the critical work of circulating indoor air and removing toxic air. In the process, it draws many airborne allergens into the filters. When highly clogged, it no longer serves its purpose but instead spreads the allergens across the room.
Thus, you should ask your service provider to replace or clean the HVAC filters regularly during this season. Most importantly, the vents should be positioned away from dust sources and obstructing objects. Ensure bathrooms and other moisture-prone areas have adequate ventilation, as high humidity encourages mould growth.
Conclusion
During the allergy months, most of the particles are brought indoors by humans and pets and just closing the windows may not necessarily prevent them. The most efficient ways are to limit what comes in and to do a thorough cleaning routine on highly affected surfaces. It is also advisable to hire a professional carpet cleaner this season for a cleaner job and a more comfortable environment.
