If there is any asthma or allergies in your family, then you might want to take a good look at the cleaners and the detergents that you use in and around your home. The same goes for personal care products. Many of these products contain chemicals, perfumes and dyes that can bring on indoor allergies and dangerous asthma symptoms.
While you can focus on buying natural products, these can be expensive and some may still cause allergy irritation. Here are some general guidelines about reducing the allergens in your home from cleaners and detergents.
Avoid dryer fabric softener sheets. These release a lot of particles into the air when being used. They can also cause allergic reactions when you wear clothing that was dried with these sheets.
While we are in the laundry room, the type of detergent you use can cause itching and sneezing. Most detergents contain a group of chemicals called petroleum distillates, chemicals that have been shown to contain irritants for allergy sufferers. Read labels and choose detergents that are free of petroleum distillates, perfumes and dyes. Two products are Purex and All Free and Clear.
Use pump dispensers for your products instead of any aerosol-type sprays. Sprays can fill the air with tiny irritating particles.
Use cotton handkerchiefs instead of disposable tissues. Have you ever noticed that on a sunny day you can see the millions of lint particles that fly into the air when you grab a paper tissue?
While furniture polish can give your furniture a nice shine, many of these products can be the cause of allergies in two ways. The perfumes and the spray combine for irritation, and the reality is that furniture polish can actually attract dust and dust mites.
Limit the stuffed animals in your home. They are huge dust collectors and can’t easily be cleaned. You can always remove these stuffed animals one by one to see how many can be tolerated. You can also choose stuffed animals that can tolerate the washing machine. Purchase two of the same if it is a favorite and rotate them through the wash without your child being any wiser.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
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