From pollen to pet dander, there’s no shortage of allergens in your home. While the first step in fighting indoor allergens is prevention, the most critical action is cleaning your home!
Learn what to do and where to focus your efforts for the biggest impact at your home.
Does Cleaning Help with Allergies?
Yes, it does. Allergies are triggered by the presence of allergens, and regular cleaning can help remove them. Dust, pollen, pet dander, and more collect on the various surfaces of your home. Removing these irritants with vacuuming, dusting, and other common cleaning methods will not only give you a cleaner home but give you some relief this allergy season.
The Top 5 Places to Clean to Reduce Allergens in Your Home
Allergens can be found just about anywhere in your house, but did you know that five key areas are most prone to allergen buildup?
From the floors near your doorway to your bedding, we’ve put together this list of five target areas and how to clean them …
1. Floors (especially rugs and carpets)
When you walk into your home, probably the first thing you do is wipe off dirt and debris from your shoes onto a rug or mat. Your shoes are clean now, right? Not so much.
The gunk you just scraped from your shoes had to go somewhere! Those rugs, mats, or carpets near your doorways do a great job of trapping allergens and should be cleaned regularly. Even hardwood floors aren’t immune. Any cracks or gaps in the boards can catch pollen, dust, and other small particles that can cause big allergy problems. Carpets should be vacuumed weekly, but you might want to increase this frequency to twice weekly during allergy season.
Many small rugs can be thrown into your washing machine, which should be done often. Check your rug’s care tag before doing so. Deeper cleaning methods should include steam cleaning and carpet shampooing to fully remove any allergens hiding in the piling of your carpet.
2. Cabinets and shelves
Dust is the most common indoor allergen. Your sinuses will notice when dust gathers on shelves and cabinets, especially high ones that are hard to see. Regular dusting will help, but you should also take steps to prevent dust buildup in your home.
3. Furniture
Upholstered furniture acts like rugs and carpets, collecting allergens that are on your clothing while you sit or in the air. Select leather or vinyl upholstery, when possible, to help reduce allergen buildup in your furniture. These materials are less porous and much easier to clean.
If you own fabric couches or chairs, they can be vacuumed like carpets. Some can even be cleaned using an at-home upholstery cleaner. Be sure to check the tag on your piece before you get to cleaning or using any product.
4. Vent covers
Vent covers collect airborne irritants from two sides. Because they’re usually on the floor, they collect the dirt and allergens that your carpets, rugs, and mats don’t. On the other side, anything that gets into your home’s HVAC system will come through your vents, and some will be caught along the way.
During peak allergy season you may want to replace your air filter more frequently. Although you can regularly wipe off the exposed face, you should also remove all your home’s vent covers twice a year to clean the inside with soap and water to prevent any allergen buildup. To help avoid the worst of the buildup, make sure at least one of these vent cleanings is close to the start of allergy season. This will help you get allergy season started on the right foot.
5. Bedding
Your bedding, especially your pillows, are some of the worst offenders of allergens in your home. Bedsheets should be washed weekly. Your pillows should also be cleaned regularly, even if you use hypoallergenic cases. Even though hypoallergenic pillowcases can reduce exposure to dust mites and other allergens, they don’t entirely remove them. Regular cleaning will actively remove any dust mites or waste left behind. Always check the special care instructions tag on your pillow before putting it in the washing machine.
Turn to the Cleaning Professionals for Allergen Removal
Need help reducing the allergens in your home? A regularly scheduled professional cleaning can assist you in your battle against dust, dirt, pollen, and dander! Get the deep clean your home needs. Request a free estimate online or call (888) 658-0659 to get started!