Tag Archives: allergens

Dealing with Dust Mites

Dust mites are popular… as far as allergens go. These tiny critters are to blame for allergies in a lot of people (myself included). So how do you keep the dust mites out of your upholstery and bedding? Here are some tips. Wash your pillows quarterly. Mark your calendar if you have to, but make sure you send your pillows through the washer four times per year. Wash your curtains quarterly, too. Wash your sheets and blankets at your washing machine’s highest setting. A study from South Korea found that temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit killed one hundred percent of … Continue reading →

Cleaning Pillows

Do you know how to clean pillows? Did you even know that they should be cleaned? Think of all of the billions of dust mites, skin flakes and other nasties that could be living in them right now. But don’t worry, here is a guide to help you take care of your pillow the right way. Pillows should be fluffed on a daily basis to restore their shape. This helps redistribute down or the poly fill to keep them in good shape and last long. Pillows can collect a lot of dust. Don’t believe me? Give a pillow a good … Continue reading →

Clear Pollutants Out of Your Home

These tips from the American Lung Association can help keep the air in your home cleaner — which can reduce problems with allergies and asthma and prevent other health problems. Never paint in an unventilated room! The fumes can leave you with permanent damage to your sense of smell and your brain. Don’t forget to clean your dryer’s exhaust pipe. Cleaning the lint trap only removes half the lint from your system! Use a round brush with a long, flexible neck to pull lint from the exhaust pipe. Always vent your dryer to an open outside area. If you vent … Continue reading →

Allergy Attack — What Am I Doing Wrong?

In the last week or so, my allergies have kicked into overdrive. My days have been full of sneezing fits. The garbage cans are filling up with used tissues. My throat is tickling, and my eyes are watering. All the signs point to an allergy flare up! I’ve always had trouble with allergies. It all started when I was a little kid. My brother was three and I was five when we started with scratch tests and allergy shots and all that fun stuff. I’m no stranger to what an allergy attack feels like. But I have been fortunate — … Continue reading →

Allergies and Asthma

Allergies can trigger an asthma attack. Otherwise harmless substances (known as allergens) can sometimes cause a reaction in the immune system — allergies are your immune system’s reaction to an allergen like pollen, mold, or dust. Certain allergies can cause extra problems for people with asthma. Inhaled allergens are probably the worst for people with asthma — inhaled allergens directly affect the nasal passages and lungs and can lead to an asthma attack. People with asthma should attempt to identify inhaled allergens that they are sensitive to. You may have problems with animal dander, dust mites, mold, and pollen. Food … Continue reading →

Not Making Your Bed May Be Healthier

If your mom is anything like mine, or millions of other moms, she probably always told you to make your bed. You probably tell your kids the same thing. Making the bed tends to make the entire bedroom look and feel neater, since it is generally the largest piece in the room, if not the focal point. It makes sense, because the neater our homes are the cleaner they feel. However, an interesting study in London has determined that leaving beds unmade may actually be the healthier alternative. Because dust mites thrive in warm, damp conditions, leaving the bed unmade … Continue reading →

Pet Allergies

It’s a heartbreak common to many families: someone develops an allergy to the family dog or cat, and it’s up to Fido or Fluffy to hit the road. When I was five and my brother was three, we were both found to have some severe allergies. Not just to pets — though we were both highly allergic to dogs and especially cats — but to pollen, mold, dust, air, water, pretty much everything. (Okay, we weren’t REALLY allergic to air and water, but it felt like it!) We had to give up our family dog Sparky; lucky for us, he … Continue reading →