10 Tips on How to Make Your Home Allergy-Free - Escarosa

Your home should be a relaxing haven – but what if it’s making you sick? The truth is that even the cleanest homes can be hotbeds for allergies. If you’ve noticed symptoms like sneezing, a scratchy throat, or watery eyes, your indoor air quality may be to blame. Luckily, you can take a few simple steps to allergy-proof your home all year long.

Here’s what you need to know.

10 Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Ready to stop sneezing and suffering? Here are the tips to scrub your indoor air and reduce allergens in your space:

1. Have your carpets professionally cleaned

Carpets, drapes, and other textiles are ideal habitats for dust mites and allergens. Luckily, you can make your home a cleaner place by having these items professionally cleaned. Carpet is the largest filter in your home. Just like the air filter in your AC unit, carpet traps dust and dirt and holds onto it until you walk over the surface or move furniture.

Fortunately, cleaning your carpets at least once a year can cut down on the concentration of allergens in your carpet and make your home healthier. Carpet cleaning is an effective way to banish household allergens and kill irritants like dust mites, both now and in the future.

2. Remove your shoes

To avoid tracking in allergens, place doormats at each entrance to your home. These doormats provide a place for shoes to land and catch dirt, dust, and pollen. If you want your shoeless guests to stay comfortable, keep a basket of slippers at the door. While it may take a while to instate a no-shoes rule in your home, your carpet (and your allergies) will thank you.

3. Get a better vacuum cleaner

If your current vacuum cleaner doesn’t have a HEPA filter, purchase one that does. These unique filters will trap particles as small as 0.3 microns, which means they’ll banish most allergens in your home and help your family stay healthy. Luckily, vacuums equipped with HEPA filters are inexpensive and easy to find. Just remember to change the filter regularly, as recommended by the vacuum manufacturer.

4. Change your air filters

If your home has a central HVAC system, don’t forget to change and check the filters. Over time, HVAC air filters become clogged with dust, dander, and other debris. When filters are dirty,  they distribute polluted air throughout your home, worsening existing allergies or creating new ones. To keep your air filters clean, follow manufacturer instructions regarding the timing and frequency of professional service.

5. Put up blinds

Instead of covering your windows with textiles like drapes or curtains, invest in shades made from a hard material. This helps ensure you’re not inadvertently trapping allergens and distributing them every time you open the curtains.

6. Clean regularly

A little cleaning goes a long way when it comes to household allergens. To keep your space as healthy as possible, dust, mop, and sweep regularly. To make the area safe for your family, we recommend using biodegradable enzyme cleaners and other green technologies on hard surfaces.

7. Perform scheduled maintenance on your air conditioning system

Your HVAC system has a series of filters built-in. Over time, these filters trap allergens and can release them into your home. Cleaning and changing the filters is the best way to prevent this. Each year, perform this and other maintenance tasks for your HVAC system. We recommend cleaning the evaporator coil, checking for vent leaks, and more. Keep things convenient by hiring a professional team to do it for you.

8. Clean high-dust areas

Behind the refrigerator, around the air conditioning unit, and behind the dryer are all areas that trap dirt in your home. Give these spaces a good vacuum whenever possible to prevent allergen buildup.

9. Avoid synthetic fragrances

Did you know that most air fresheners are sources of pollutants? Instead of investing in chemical air fresheners that use artificial scents, scent your home naturally. Fresh flowers and natural candles are both great options.

10. Open a window

Weather-permitting, open a window to let fresh air into space. This helps keep your indoor air clean and prevents the buildup of indoor allergens, like dust and dander. If you’re conscious about allowing pollutants in, invest in a self-contained air purifier for your living spaces.

Call in the Pros to Calm Your Allergies

Here at Escarosa Cleaning and Restoration, we provide professional carpet cleaning and more to keep your home clean, healthy, and allergen-free. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you or book your carpet cleaning appointment today.