Maintaining an Allergy Proof Home

This is difficult and may not be possible to avoid totally. However, you should make an effort to make your home allergy proof that will ensure minimum exposure of children to allergens. This in turn will reduce the extent of allergy producing substances entering the child’s body thereby reducing frequency and severity of attacks of allergy.

Reduced allergic attack of the child will reduce the extent of medication given. The more the medications the more will be the negative side-effects.

Tips for Making an Allergy Proof Home

It is a pity that none of us can make our homes 100% allergy-proof; however, it is possible to reduce largely the levels of allergens in the home environment by taking certain preventive actions.  Some suggestions which would reduce the allergens at home are given in the following paragraphs.

Allergy proofing the home can be done in two parts; one part is to remodel and redecorate the house taking into consideration the allergy proofing needs. The other part is to clean and maintain the house thoroughly. Some of the important things you could do for allergy-proofing your homes are listed below.

	The heavy drapes and curtains have a tendency to collect and retain dust and mites and needs to be replaced by lighter ones
	Carpets at home trap dust, allergens and mites which are allergens. Avoid carpeting at home and replace with hard flooring. It is advisable to use throw rugs on hard flooring than having wall to wall carpeting which can not be cleaned completely. Remove the carpets totally from the child’s bed room.
	Wet carpets and under padding cannot be dried completely and these are breeding grounds for the growth of mold; Replace them instead of drying and reusing them.
	Mattresses and pillows need to be covered by dust covers.
	Use down-filled bedding only; remove others
	Venetian-style/slatted blinds catch allergens and dust and hence replace them with solid blinds
	Use only low-allergen bedding products
	Mold growth can be prevented only if the house is not having moisture; hence run dehumidifiers periodically in areas where moisture is likely e.g. basements and kitchens.
	Air cleaners help in the air purification and it is advisable to install a central whole-home air cleaner or purifier or one or more portable units; one portable unit must be in the child’s bedroom.
	Reduce the number of stuffed animals and plush toys given to the child
	Animals should not have access to children's bedrooms; rugs and upholstered furniture should also be avoided in the child’s bedroom.
	Air conditioning and ventilation systems and heating systems including duct-work should have annual maintenance.
	Dust accumulates on the floor and carpet and requires daily vacuum cleaning using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
	Weekly cleaning of hard surfaces
	Weekly sanitizing of sinks, tubs, and showers to avoid mold growth
	Avoid dry dusting; Dust frequently with a dusting spray or cleaner
	Any visible mold growth requires urgent cleaning with a bleaching solution containing 1 part bleach to 9 parts water
	In order to kill dust mites steam clean bedding/mattresses, carpets, and upholstery at regular intervals
	In case the children are allergic to animals, bathe animals weekly; the pets are likely to bring inside home dust and allergens
	The fans are likely to blow allergens around the house and hence limit its use
	Similarly window and attic fans will draw pollen and allergens inside the home and hence limit its use
	Dust, pollen and allergens from fan blades need to be removed
	The pollen counts on certain days tend to be high; Keep windows closed on these days
	Air conditioners are clean alternatives compared to fans and open windows; however, the units and filters require regular maintenance to prevent internal allergen growth
	In order to kill dust mites and allergens, bedding is to be washed every week in hot water
	The curtains need to be cleaned regularly
	Whole house cleaning needs to be carried out at least once a year; however it is preferable to perform this every quarter matching with the change of seasons. Late summer/ fall cleaning will eliminate allergens built-up during warm months; similarly, spring cleaning will remove dust and allergens built-up during the period when home is closed
	Smoking should not be allowed inside the house

It takes a lot of one’s time and committed effort in maintaining an allergy-free residence. However, when you consider the problems caused to the child because of allergy, it is well worth the effort taken to maintain an allergy-proof home.

Allergies to children affect their normal academic and social activity and at times become life-threatening. By making necessary changes at home and also maintaining the house by following a regular cleaning regimen the children allergy can be well managed thereby bringing up healthy medicine free children.