When the Alberta winter hits, most of us spend a lot more time indoors. You may think that we’re safe from allergens in our houses, but this isn’t the case; in fact, your house can be the source for dust, debris, pet hair, smoke, bacteria, mold and mildew (to name a few) that can cause coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes, runny noses and more. Here are 10 easy things to do to reduce allergens in your home this winter.
- If you haven’t had your furnace cleaned in over a year, it could be harbouring all of the allergens mentioned above, and not working to its full potential. Furnace cleaning removes allergens from ducts, vents and your furnace so you can breathe easer in your own home.
- Keep your relative humidity lower than 50% in your home. If you reduce the moisture in the air you can reduce the chance of mold thriving in your home.
- Wash your curtains regularly. This is something that most people forget about but it’s important. Curtains can hold pet hair, dust and smoke.
- Get rid of the carpet in your bedrooms. Carpets can hold bacteria, pet hair, dander, dust and more. Installing linoleum, hardwood or laminate in the bedrooms can cut down on allergens immensely. Or, install a low-pile carpet that has a HEPA filter and have it cleaned regularly.
- Keep pets out of the bedrooms. We know this is a hard one because we all love snuggling with our furry friends, but keeping them out of your bedroom at night will definitely help for those with allergens.
- Replace upholstered furniture with leather, wood, metal or faux leather, or have your upholstered furniture cleaned regularly.
- Try to keep your house knickknack free, or only display the very special ones. Knickknacks collect dust quickly.
- Wash your bedding at least once per week and use dust mite proof covers on your pillows.
- Avoid wood burning fireplaces, especially if you have asthma.
- Vacuum twice weekly to pick up any loose pet hair, dust, etc.