Wondering how to reduce allergens in your home or apartment? Dust up on our simple and effective allergen-eliminating tips and start breathing easier.
If you deal with seasonal or allergies regularly, then you know how miserable they can make you. All of a sudden, a sneeze overtakes you, followed by several more! Not only that, but you have a sniffly nose and irritated sinuses to contend with.
Allergies are no joke.
But luckily, there are ways to feel better when you’re in your apartment. Because, after all, who wants to spend their day sneezing?
Check out these smart ways to allergy-proof your home and keep those allergens at bay.
1. Get Washable Curtains
There’s a ton of dust that can attach itself to your curtains. Unfortunately, it’s easy for allergens and dust mites to get trapped in the layers.
It’s tedious having to vacuum your curtains; plus, it’s not always a good idea. When you vacuum, you’re also stirring up dust, which can make matters worse!
That’s why it’s vital to get washable curtains. Curtains made out of synthetic fiber or cotton are easy to wash and keep clean.
Make a habit of throwing your curtains in the washer every three to six months to keep the dust from piling up. Otherwise, you’ll have gross dust mites to contend with, which is awful!
2. Keep Shoes at the Door
If you don’t yet have a no-shoe rule in your apartment, put in place one immediately!
A lot of allergens and dust come in with your shoes. Taking off your shoes right away will help keep some of these allergens off the floor and in your apartment.
Trap Dirt in a Rug
Of course, having a mat outside and a rug inside can help trap the dirt and dust. But it’s better to wipe your shoes off outdoors and then take them off when you come indoors.
If you end up wiping your feet on the indoor rug, be sure to shake it out every week. And get a rug you can wash as well. You’ll be surprised how much dirt and dust you can accumulate in a carpet, especially one that you wipe your shoes on!
Have a Shoe Cubby by the Door
Another thing to do is place a shoe rack or organizer where you can stash your shoes by the door. Being able to grab your boots and not have them in other parts of the apartment can keep the dirt in one area. And when the mud from your shoes is in one spot, it’s easier to clean!
3. Make Sure There’s Enough Ventilation in Your Bathroom
Mold loves to form where there’s a lot of moisture.
To keep mold out of your bathroom, make sure the fan stays on until you’re done bathing. If you’d like to keep it on for a while longer after you shower, that’s helpful as well.
Besides keeping the fan on, if there’s a window, make sure it’s cracked while showering. Giving the moisture somewhere to escape is vital to drying things out and keeping the mold away!
Having enough ventilation is indeed key to preventing mold. But there’s another thing you can do: scrub your shower (especially in the corners) at least once a week. It’ll prevent mildew from forming.
4. Keep Your Sofa and Chairs Clean
Choose a leather sofa instead of a fabric one, if your budget allows. Leather chairs harbor fewer allergens and keep dust away.
But if you have to stick with fabric chairs, clean them often with a HEPA vacuum.
Prioritize cleaning your chairs. Otherwise, it’ll be a pain having to deal with sneezing day in and day out.
Keep in mind that sitting on chairs all the time creates more dust, which means you should vacuum more often. And if there are pillows and blankets on your sofa and chairs, vacuum the pillows and wash the blankets.
I know, there’s a lot to keep up with!
But the cleaner you keep your sofa and accessories, the easier it’ll be to breathe!
5. Dust More Often
It’s easy to let dusting slide and do other types of cleaning instead. Dusting takes a lot of time, and depending on how many decorations you have; it can take even longer.
Not only is dusting necessary, but you should dust smarter to keep it from taking over! For starters, break up this chore. Don’t dust everything in a single day. Not only will it take forever, but it’ll move around too many of these harmful particles.
A dusting wand or microfiber cloth can pick up the dust and, in the process, reduce your allergies. While getting rid of dust, wear a mask. It’ll help prevent you from sucking in the allergens while getting rid of them. Oh, the irony!
6. Replace Old Mattresses
If you’re sleeping on an old mattress (over seven years old), it’s time to get a new one. It turns out that an old mattress can harbor up to 10 million dust mites. Yuck!
If your mattress is not yet that old, make sure you’re rotating it every six months or so. It’ll not only preserve your bed but prevent dirt from accumulating on one side.
Another good idea is to get a hypoallergenic mattress cover. Having one will prevent allergies and keep your mattress in good condition. Washing your sheets every week or so, of course, helps too.
7. Store the Clutter
The more clutter you have in your apartment, the more dust there will be. That’s why you must box up the mess and keep things as tidy as possible.
Is the amount of stuff in your apartment overwhelming you? If so, make it your goal to have a minimalist decor style in the future. It’ll take time, but owning fewer things will prevent less dust from taking over.
Imagine not having to clean nearly as much decor. It’ll be easier on your allergies, and you’ll feel a sense of calm when looking at your clutter-free apartment, as well!
Conclusion
Allergies, for some, are a fact of life. But they’re not something that should make you miserable. Keeping your home clean is the best and most fundamental way to keep allergies away.
There’s no better time to start organizing and cleaning than today. If all goes well, your allergies will improve, and you’ll have a cleaner apartment to boot!
Author bio:
Caitlin Sinclair is the Property Manager at Azure (CA) and has five years of experience in property management and many years in Customer Service. She shares her passion for her community in all that she does and thrives at making Azure the place to call home for current and future residents.
