Keeping your household clean can greatly help reduce the chances of allergy and asthma attacks occurring in your home. There are plenty of things you can clean in your house, but your carpet and upholstery are one of the biggest obstacles. Many people with allergies tend to stay indoors when the outside environment is full of spores and pollen. But, animal dander and dust mites can just as easily trigger allergic reactions.


Allergens are substances that cause allergic reactions and trigger asthma- like symptoms in certain individuals. Allergen particles can come in many different sizes, but the larger the size, the faster it will settle out of the air. Allergen particles flow through the air, but are commonly land on floor surfaces and furniture. Dust mites, pollen, and cockroach debris are larger and will settle out of the air more rapidly than animal or mold allergens.

There are several steps you can follow in order to greatly reduce the amount of allergens in your home.

  1. Vacuum frequently! Make sure you invest money in a good and efficient vacuum cleaner. There are plenty of vacuum cleaners on the market that are inferior products. Keep in mind that vacuuming releases dust into the air, so it’s best to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, or one with specialty double-filter bags. If you have allergies, wear a dust mask while performing housework.
  2.       Eliminate animal dander. Doctors recommend it is best to not keep animals with fur or feathers in your household, if someone is allergic to animal dander. If you decide to keep a pet, make sure to only allow it in certain rooms, this will reduce the amount of cleaning you will spend. A good idea is to cover air vents with a dense fabric (like cheesecloth). Animal allergens tend to be very sticky, so remove any furniture or upholstery items your pet is constantly on. For flooring choices, replacing carpet with some sort of hardwood floor, or tile is the best bet. But, if you have to have carpet then at least choose a low pile carpet.
  3.      Control dust mites. Keep surfaces in your house clean and uncluttered. The tidier and less cluttered your home is makes this task a lot easier. The best advice is to place plastic covers or zippered allergen impermeable covers on all mattresses, pillows, and box springs. Every week you need to wash your bedding, uncovered pillows, and children’s stuffed toys in hot water (about 130˚F) to kill dust mites.
  4.     Avoid mold spores & pollen. To prevent the possibility of pollen entering your home, keep the windows and doors closed. Also, it is best to change the air filter routinely. To reduce the chances of mold growing in your home, reduce moisture in the kitchen, bathroom, or other water areas of your home. Fix all leaks immediately, as well as other causes of damp areas.
  5.     Control the pests! Nobody likes cockroaches, so do not leave garbage or food uncovered. Use boric acid, poison baits, and traps over chemical agents, which tend to irritate rhinitis and asthma.