If you are like most Portlanders, you have been suffering from allergies most of your life. This means you have also been taking over-the-counter as well as prescription medications to control your symptoms. What if I could tell you that there is a way to treat your symptoms without any medication? It is called avoidance
Allergen Avoidance
Avoidance is just what is sounds like: it involves making sure you no longer come into contact with the allergens that cause your symptoms. For those of you suffering from hay fever (allergies to pollen, pet dander and mold), the below tips can help you reduce or eliminate allergens from your home.
Protect Your Home from Allergens
- Encase your mattress and pillows in dust mite-proof cases. Wash all your bedding in hot water at least once a week.
- Remove carpeting from your home and replace with easy to clean material such as hardwood or linoleum. If the wall-to-wall carpeting cannot be removed, vacuum and shampoo the carpet regularly.
- Use only washable window coverings, such as cotton or synthetic curtains.
- During pollen season, keep your windows closed.
- Get rid of clutter; this means removing any knickknacks that sit on tables collecting dust.
- Invest in a HEPA air filtration system to remove small allergen particles from the air.
- Keep potted plants out of the house—either plant them outside or give them away.
- Avoid using a wood-burning fireplace or stove; the smoke will worsen respiratory allergies.
- Wash the sink regularly and don’t let dishes pile up; this can create a breeding ground for mold.
- Wash or replace moldy shower curtains and bathmats.
- Keep your house at 68 F to 72 F. Dust mites and mold breed best in hot, humid conditions.
- Don’t allow smoking inside your home
- Find a new home for your pet. If you can’t do that, make sure to bathe them once a week and keep them out of your bedroom and off the furniture.
Simpler than you thought, right? For more tips and tricks to live a better life free from allergies, contact your Portland physician today.
