If you or your children suffer from indoor allergies, then you are probably already aware of the many allergens to avoid, such as dust mites, pet dander, mold, etc. What you might not be aware of, is that many of the household cleaners you might be using to rid the room of these particles can have chemicals and allergens that are just as harmful.
These days, children are particularly susceptible to allergies. Asthma is on the rise and allergens can have an effect on many different skin disorders, ranging from mild to terrible. Fortunately, there are now more non-toxic and allergen-free alternatives for cleaning materials and products.
START WITH THE LAUNDRY
Your choice of laundry soap can have a major impact on your or your child’s allergy levels, especially in your bed linens. We all spend so much time in bed, that our sheets have more contact with our skin than most of our clothes. Choosing a “Free and Clear” alternative laundry detergent, made without the use of harsh chemicals, toxins, fragrances or dyes can help alleviate skin disorders like allergic rashes and eczema. Recently, many of the major brands of laundry detergent you already use offer “Free and Clear” versions.
CLEANING YOUR FURNITURE
It makes sense that you would want to keep your furniture dust-free to avoid allergens and dust mites that come with it, but your choice of furniture cleaner may be counterproductive. Many household furniture polishes you might use on your headboards, desks, dressers, etc. might contain harsh waxes and chemicals that can react to your or your child’s allergies. Fortunately, as with laundry soap, there are now allergen-free furniture cleaning products available.
AND THE CARPET
To avoid creating a lovely home for dust mites and other tiny allergy causing bugs, you want to vacuum and vacuum often. However, if you’re not using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, you are probably just blowing much of that dust and microscopic inhabitants right into the air. These days, almost all vacuums come with HEPA filters over their exhaust vents and bags. If you don’t have one, it would be a worthwhile investment.
