Allergies: How to Control Allergens in Your Home

Allergens are things that can trigger an allergic reaction. Allergens can cause a rash, a stuffy nose, or asthma symptoms such as wheezing or coughing. People with asthma often have allergies.

Common indoor allergens include dust mites, animal dander, and mold.

If you are allergic to indoor allergens, you can take some simple steps to get them out of your house. As a result, you may have fewer symptoms or less severe symptoms.

How to control allergens

To reduce allergens inside your home:

  • Prevent allergens from entering or building up.
  • Clean regularly to get rid of allergens.

Prevention tips

  • Use an air conditioner. Avoid window or attic fans, which can bring dust, pollen, or mold spores into your house.
  • Keep your house aired out and dry. Keep the moisture level below 50%. Use a dehumidifier during humid weather.
  • Avoid carpet, upholstered furniture, and heavy drapes that collect dust. Replace drapes with roll-down shades or washable curtains.
  • Contact a pest control service, if needed, to get rid of cockroaches. Cockroaches and other insects may cause allergies if you have allergic asthma.
  • Fix water-damaged areas from leaking roofs or basements. These areas can be prime mold-growing areas.
  • Avoid tobacco smoke, smoke from wood-burning stoves, and fumes from kerosene heaters. These can irritate your nose and lungs and make it more likely that you will have symptoms.

It may be hard to control allergens in your whole house. If so, focus on your bedroom. Adults spend one-third of their time and children spend half of their time in their bedrooms.

  • Remove items that collect dust, such as stuffed toys, pictures, books, knickknacks, and artificial flowers.
  • Do not use wool blankets or foam rubber because they may attract dust mites.
  • Wash bedding, including pillowcases and mattress covers, in hot water every week.
  • Cover your mattress and box springs with dust-proof cases, and wipe them clean once a week.
  • Keep plants and fish tanks out of the bedroom. They increase humidity. Dust mites thrive where humidity is greater than 50%.
  • Keep the air register closed if there is a pet in the house. This will reduce the amount of animal dander in the bedroom.
  • Keep pets out of the house or at least out of your bedroom. Confine your pet to areas of the home that have hard floors, which are easier to clean than carpeted floors. Do not allow pets on beds or upholstered furniture.

Cleaning tips

  • Dust and vacuum 1 to 2 times a week.
    • Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, which collects dust-mite particles and pollen. Standard paper filters may allow allergens to escape back into the room.
    • Vacuuming stirs up dust, making the air more irritating until the dust settles. Wear a mask if you do the cleaning yourself.
  • Damp mop the floors once a day. Vacuum walls, ceilings, closets, and backs of furniture once a week to get rid of dust.
  • Use baking soda, mineral oil, club soda, or vinegar to clean. Harsher cleansers can cause allergic reactions.

Do you have any questions or concerns after reading this information? It's a good idea to write them down and take them to your next doctor visit.