Woman sitting next to dog on a sofa sneezing into a handkerchief
Air quality

5 tips for an allergy-friendly home

During the pollen season, many allergy sufferers only find relief indoors. So that you can breathe more easily within your own four walls, you should transform them into an allergy-friendly home. We reveal 5 simple tips on how to turn your home into a feel-good oasis for allergy sufferers and minimize symptoms.

Author:

Undine Jaehne

Date:

7.3.2024

The pollen season starts with the first heralds of spring. For allergy sufferers, this means a life with symptoms such as sneezing, itching or breathing difficulties. Fortunately, there are various simple measures that everyone can take to make their home allergy-friendly. This will improve your quality of life and minimize the annoying symptoms of your allergy.

1. regular cleaning & dust removal are the basis for an allergy-friendly home

Dust is a common trigger for allergies. In particular, because allergens can adhere to the dust particles and enter the body through breathing. There they can trigger or aggravate allergies. It is therefore important to clean your home regularly. When vacuuming, use a HEPA filter, which traps the smallest particles and prevents them from getting back into the air.

Also wipe surfaces with a damp cloth. This will pick up the dust instead of just stirring it up. Wash bed linen and curtains regularly to remove allergens.

In a practical trial, we tested whether the HYLA water vacuum cleaner can clean the air and increase humidity. You can read how and whether this works in our article "HYLA water vacuum cleaner: The test in the air-Q Lab".

Choose allergy-friendly materials to reduce allergy triggers

When choosing your furniture, carpets and bedding, look for hypoallergenic materials that are easy to clean. On the other hand, avoid carpets, especially high-pile ones, as they collect dust and dirt. Instead, opt for hard floor coverings such as wood, tiles or laminate, which are much easier to clean.

Allergy-friendly bedding such as special mattress, comforter and pillow covers support healthy, restful sleep despite allergies. They create a barrier against the tiny, allergy-causing or allergy-aggravating organisms. To do this, the bedding, which is made from special materials, is woven tightly enough to prevent the penetration of allergens such as dust mites, pollen, animal hair and mold spores. This minimizes your exposure to allergens while you sleep, which can lead to a reduction in allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itching and skin rashes. In addition, bed linen for allergy sufferers is often hypoallergenic, i.e. free from substances that frequently trigger allergies.

Improve air quality & reduce allergy symptoms

Good air quality is crucial for allergy sufferers. For symptom-free breathing, you can improve the quality of indoor air by using air purifiers with HEPA filters. The air purifiers remove allergens from the air and clean it. Also keep the humidity in your home between 30 and 50 percent. On the one hand, this prevents the growth of mold and, on the other, sufficient humidity in the air you breathe reduces irritation of the mucous membranes, which promote allergic reactions.

Regular ventilation keeps the air in your home fresh and clean. To avoid bringing more pollen or other allergens into the room unnecessarily, you should ventilate as needed. This means that you only ventilate when the air quality in the room requires an air exchange. With an air measuring device such as the air-Q, you can monitor the composition of your air, detect pollutants and recognize when you should ventilate.

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Air-Q air measuring device with illuminated LED strip
The air-Q air measuring device shows you when you should ventilate

4. minimize animal allergens

Do you have pets that can cause allergies? Then you should take the following measures. Keep pets out of bedrooms and other living areas where you spend a lot of time. Furniture and textiles on which pet hair accumulates are particularly critical. Brush your pets regularly in the fresh air to remove loose hair. Wash your beds and blankets frequently. Special air filters can also help to reduce animal allergens.

5. use natural cleaning agents

Many conventional cleaning products contain strong chemicals that can cause irritation in allergy sufferers. Instead, use natural cleaning agents such as vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice, which are just as effective but cause fewer allergic reactions. Also avoid fragrances in cleaning products. These can also trigger allergic reactions.

By following these simple tips, you can achieve an allergy-friendly home. Creating an allergy-friendly environment may take some effort at first, but the long-term benefits to your health and well-being are definitely worth it.

5 tips for an allergy-friendly home
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air-Q Air Quality Meter

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