- Allergy-friendly house - location
- Allergy-friendly house - how to arrange it?
- Allergy-friendly house - 10 cleaning rules
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The life of an allergy sufferer can be really hard. And not only in spring, when everything outside is blooming. Fall and winter also give no respite, although we spend most of our time indoors. Fungi, molds, dust mites - all of this is lurking in the nooks and crannies of the house. And the most difficult moments for allergy sufferers are when you have to start cleaning. However, you can make your home an allergy-friendly place.
Contents:
- Allergy-friendly house - location
- Allergy-friendly house - how to arrange it?
- Allergy-friendly house - 10 cleaning rules
Allergy-friendly house- is it possible? Virtually anything can cause an allergy. Plant pollen, animal feathers and hair, fungi, molds and food. Allergy sufferers know best that a life of avoiding contact with various allergens at the same time is a torment. Often it is simply impossible and then medicine comes to our aid. However, there are areas in which it is possible to win over allergy. For example, in your own home. How to arrange an apartment to be allergy friendly? There are several proven ways to do this.
Allergy-friendly house - location
Deciding where to build or buy a home is a key choice for pollen allergy sufferers. What should the optimal place of residence look like? First of all, pay attention to your surroundings.
If trees, shrubs or grasses that cause allergies grow in the area of our dreams, it is better to give it up. This is especially true of rural areas, close to farmlands or suburban areas, as they automatically grow many more trees, which increases the risk of pollen rising during the pollen season of these plants.
A much safer option to live in an allergic person is to live or build a house in an area where there is little or no allergic vegetation.
- Tree pollen allergy. Symptoms of tree pollen allergy
- Grass pollen allergy - symptoms. Which grasses sensitize?
Allergy-friendly house - how to arrange it?
- Dampproof insulation
A house where an allergic person is to live should not be a habitat for mold and fungi. About this issue should bethink when laying foundations and walls. It is worth investing in a damp insulation that will protect the foundations against moisture. This will reduce the chances of moisture in your home or basement, thus reducing the risk of fungus and mold growth.
- Heating
There are two types of heating: heating by convection and heating by radiation. Convection is nothing else than the movement of air, i.e. in the case of heating, the rising of warm air and the descent of cold air.
Such movements can cause dust to rise, which is bad for people with allergies. So it will be safer to install heating systems based on radiation, which relies on the dissipation of heat to objects or the floor, thus preventing undesirable air movement.
- Ventilation
In the home of an allergy sufferer, good ventilation is very important, it will protect against excessive moisture or too dry air and will fill the supply of fresh air to the rooms. If the house is located away from potential allergens (allergic to pollen of trees or grasses), traditional ventilation can be installed.
However, when the house is close to a pollen hazard or an allergy sufferer still wants to prevent possible ingress of pollen inside, it is worth installing mechanical ventilation. It is equipped with special filters that clean the air before it enters the house.
- Air conditioning
When deciding on air conditioning, it is worth bearing in mind that it can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Regularly cleaned and fumigated, it will not have a negative impact on the well-being of an allergy sufferer, however, even if slightly neglected, it can exacerbate allergy symptoms. When deciding on air conditioning, it is worth using modern devices equipped with air ionizers. They provide a microclimate suitable for allergy sufferers.
- Wall covering
In case of allergy sufferers, it is recommended to cover the walls with plaster. It should be laid smoothly, as all structures can become a hotbed of dust and mites. In addition, plaster absorbs too much moisture in the air.
After finishing the finishing works, the walls should be painted with special paints for allergy sufferers, which do not contain substances that irritate the respiratory tract and do not cause allergies. However, it is better to give up wallpaper, as dust may start to settle on them. The exception is wallpapers with a smooth and quite slippery surface, which can be regularly cleaned.
- Floor covering
Floors in an allergy sufferer's home should create a smooth surface that is easy to clean. A good solution is panels, wood or ceramic tiles. Rugs or carpets will work badly, as it is much more difficult to keep them clean. In addition, even if frequently vacuumed, they are a perfect place for dust to settle.
Allergy-friendly house - 10 cleaning rules
1. Remove as many items of equipment as possible that you do not need and that collect dust. In the dust they live invisible to the naked eye, but mites that are dangerous for allergy sufferers. So everything should disappear from your home: carpets and rugs, curtains and curtains, flowers that are difficult to wash, blankets and pillows spread over the furniture.
Simple furniture, preferably non-upholstered and easy to clean, are ideal for allergy sufferers. Lock the books in display cases and put these as far away from the bedroom as possible. Remove all souvenirs, knick-knacks and small figurines from the shelves - these types of items are the so-called "dust pickers", it's hard to avoid it. Regularly wash your plush toys in the washing machine.
2. Love cleaning, preferably with the window open (except when pollen is flying outside). Use a wet cloth to keep dust from rising. The floor, e.g. in the bathroom, always wipe dry after cleaning, because dust mites and bacteria immediately start to multiply in damp nooks and crannies.
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3. Pay attention to cleaning detergents. Many of them can increase allergic reactions. To protect the respiratory tract from chemicals, wear a special mask (available at a pharmacy). Allergy sufferers should use mild cleaning agents. It's best to make them yourself - you can compose them with vinegar, water, lemon and baking soda. 4. Change the vacuum cleaner. The regular one, with a paper bag, draws in debris on the one hand, and blows dust and mites into the air on the other. The vacuum cleaner should at least be equipped with a HEPA filter, as it can retain impurities and allergens as large as 1 micron, which is 15 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.
It's worth buying a vacuum cleaner with a water filter. It draws all impurities into the water tank and nothing escapes. After each vacuuming, you have to disassemble and wash it, which may be a downside, but the contents of the tank pour out into the toilet - this in turn is a plus of this device, because you do not keep a bag full of dirt at home. 5. Replace the radiators with ones that are easy to clean. Convector or plate heaters have a lot of nooks and crannieswe are unable to reach you in any way. A whole lot of dust collects there, so beloved by mites. The moment the radiators start to heat up, all these pollutants rise up into the air.
Ladder radiators, which are usually installed in bathrooms, and old, good, cast-iron ribbed radiators, will work best in the home of an allergy sufferer. We have access to all sides to wash them thoroughly. If you can't afford to replace the radiators, at least cover them with a wet towel to keep dust from escaping.
In addition, you will moisturize the air in this way, which is also important for people suffering from allergies. However, remember to wash these towels systematically. 6. Invest in an air purifier - this is an option for people with extremely troublesome symptoms of allergies. There are devices on the market equipped with active carbon and HEPA filters, which are designed to eliminate pollen, dust, fungi, bacteria, toxic fumes and unpleasant odors from the air.
They can also moisturize the air. Some purifiers have an ionization function, which gives us the effect of fresh air, like after a storm. Others are equipped with a UV-C lamp that kills bacteria and mites.
Depending on all these parameters, as well as the range, i.e. the space they are able to clean, the noise level and many additional amenities, such as a timer, full filter indicator, power supply (electrically or even from a USB port) etc., their price varies from 200 to several thousand zlotys, so everyone can find something for themselves.
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Dangerous for allergy sufferers are substances that irritate the skin and respiratory system, e.g. turpentine, chlorine, ammonia, benzene, organic solvents, strong aromas. It is worth painting the walls with antiallergic paint, which can be wiped with a damp cloth. The best ones are recommended by the Polish Society of Allergology.
What does this mean? You can be sure that the paints marked with a special logo meet the stringent requirements for protection against allergies. They do not contain any allergenic substances, solvents, ammonia and can be used for painting walls in nurseries, kindergartens, hospitals, i.e. in rooms that, due to their intended use, should be under special supervision.
About the author
Marta Uler A journalist specializing in he alth, beauty and psychology. Of Educationalso a diet therapist. Her interests are medicine, herbal medicine, yoga, vegetarian cuisine and cats. I am a mother of two boys - a 10-year-old and a 6-month-old.
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