Top Ways to Eliminate Allergens from Your Home

Allergies afflict 40 million Americans each year. Though for most people, allergies are simply a seasonal inconvenience, others find that they suffer horribly with allergies for much of the year. Watching my son struggle for the past few months with what finally have been diagnosed simply as chronic allergies is tough. Our most recent doctor's visit led us to conclude that the only answer was to undergo massive changes that would enable him to get better.

The key is to get at the root of the allergen, but the problem with toddlers and preschoolers is that it can be even tougher than for adults because they cannot communicate their health issues to you. We have no idea when our 2-year-old's head hurts; we have to use non-verbal clues, which aren't always accurate. Instead we looked at the biggest culprits and made changes.

The first thing to go was the carpet. The fibers in carpeting collect most of the dust, pollen, and pet dander that comes into contact with it. Vacuuming frequently, even with a HEPA filter, won't stop carpets from stirring up the allergies. The only solutions are getting tightly woven fabrics or getting hardwood. The benefits of hardwood floors are immense. They add more value to your property in addition to being easier to clean and reducing allergens.

Second on the allergy-ending phase is getting rid of stuffed animals. These little friends are great for becoming the homes of dust mites, which are likely to trigger allergies. You should toss or donate all of them. If your child is attached to a couple, then you can keep them and wash them in very hot water weekly or let them sit overnight in the freezer once a month. If you put them in the freezer, they should be in sealed bags. These methods will kill the dust mites, but they are cumbersome to do for very many animals.