Breathe Easier this Spring: 4 Ways to Allergy-Proof Your Home

If you or someone in your household has allergies, you know how rough the first weeks of spring can be as plants begin to bloom, animals begin to change out of their winter coats, and pollen and dander are everywhere.

At SLENT, with locations in Mandeville, Slidell, and Hammond, Louisiana, our otolaryngology specialists are here for you, whether you're fighting springtime allergies or struggling with an onslaught of allergy-triggered asthma attacks. Here’s what they have to say.

Indoor and outdoor allergens

There are plenty of common allergens to be found both inside and outside of your home. Outdoors are pollen and pollution, while indoors your biggest enemies are dust mites, pet dander, and mold spores. 

Understanding how to allergy-proof your home can help significantly reduce symptoms and lessen the chances of cross-sensitization (when exposure to one allergen makes your sensitivity to other allergens worse).

Allergy-proofing tips

Not sure how to escape allergens? Don't give up. There’s no need to be sneezing and dealing with runny eyes even in the confines of your own home.

1. Dust mites

The best way to defend against dust mites is to be vigilant about washing your bedding and keeping up with dusting and vacuuming. Dust mites live in house dust and on your sheets and pillowcases, feeding off of your discarded skin cells. 

Frequently wash your bed linen using very hot water and machine drying it. Also, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter that catches particulates as small as dust mites will help. You won't completely get rid of dust mites, but you can reduce their numbers enough to significantly improve your health.

2. Pet dander

If any kind of pet lives in or visits your home, or you often visit the homes of others with pets, there’s probably pet dander in your home. Pets that create dander include not just dogs and cats, but mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and birds. 

You don’t have to get rid of your pet! Just make sure they stay clean, vacuum using a HEPA filter, and invest in an indoor air cleaner to eliminate dander from the air. Also change and wash clothes after being exposed to pets elsewhere to cut down on allergic reactions like itchy eyes or sneezing.

3. Mold

Mold spores can live almost anywhere, but they love dark, damp places the best, especially when there's a heat source. Look for and eradicate mold in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements: anywhere there’s hot-water plumbing. Clean your air ducts and replace your home air filters at least every three months.

Common symptoms of mold allergies include upper respiratory issues like streaming and itchy eyes, congestion, and a rasping cough. If you think you've been exposed to mold, book an appointment with your doctor, as some molds are toxic and could cause serious damage to your lungs.

4. Outdoor allergens

Avoid bringing allergens from out of doors into your home. A whole-house air filtration system will help keep indoor air quality high. On high pollen count or poor outdoor air quality days, change your clothes when you come indoors, and put contaminated clothing in the wash. 

A laundry room or mud room is a great place to leave shoes and outerwear. This helps confine what you bring in from the outdoors, and you can clean this area regularly to cut down on stray specks of pollen or pollution particulates that may have hitched a ride inside.

 Still struggling with spring allergies? Schedule a consultation with the team at SLENT by calling the location closest to you or visiting our contact page for more options.