When you have a family member with severe allergies, you want to do everything that you can to help keep them as healthy and happy as possible. The problem is that when a person is just as allergic to things inside the home as outside the home, it can be difficult to know what to do to help them manage their allergies.
Get to know some of the important facts about managing indoor allergies. Then, you can be sure that you are doing everything you can for your loved one with indoor allergies.
One of the first things you will want to do for your loved one with indoor allergies is to change the type of air filters you use in your home. HEPA air filters are specifically designed to filter out the majority of irritants and allergens out of the air that circulates throughout the home.
Making this change to HEPA air filters can make a major difference in your loved one's breathing and comfort in the home. Just be sure that you change the air filters every three to four months for optimum performance.
One of the areas of your home that you may not think is a problem for allergies is your furniture. Couches, chairs, and even beds can be havens for dust and dust mites as well as other trapped allergens.
To help prevent your furniture from unknowingly making your loved one miserable, you will want to have your couches and other furniture deep-cleaned on a regular basis. This will help to remove allergens from the fabrics.
A person's bed is often their sanctuary against the rest of the world. It is also the single piece of furniture on which you usually spend the most consecutive hours. As such, keeping it as free of allergens as possible is vitally important.
Get an allergy-protection mattress cover for your loved one's bed. This will keep dust mites and other allergens from getting down into your loved one's mattress. Then, all you need to worry about is regularly changing their bedding to avoid dust, dirt, and other irritants from accumulating in the sheets and blankets.
While you cannot or will not necessarily get rid of pets in the household because of allergies, you will want to try to limit the impact that they have on your loved one with allergies. One of the ways that you can do so is to keep pets off of your furniture as much as possible.
Discourage dogs from getting on couches and beds. Set up separate pet beds for them so they can still be comfortable and able to feel a part of the family. And most importantly, keep pets out of the bedroom of the family member with allergies. The dander and fur will get into everything in the room, worsening allergy symptoms.
When it comes to the flooring in your home, there are some options that are better for allergies than others. Carpets are the flooring choice that can be the worst for allergies. The tiny fibers in the carpet trap dust, dirt, dander, hair, and more. This will happen even with regular vacuuming and carpet cleaning.
The best way to limit the allergens in your home via your floors is to remove carpets and replace them with wood, tile, or other options. These floors are easier to clean and maintain so that your loved one's allergy symptoms are minimized.
Now that you know some of the ways that you can help your loved one manage their indoor allergies, you can start making adjustments in your home as soon as possible. And remember to have them get
treatment for their allergies to further improve their symptoms. For treatment options and more information, contact us at Allergic Diagnostic & Treatment Clinic.