3 Steps to Take for an Allergen-Free Home

Allergens are all around you. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 80 percent of people in the US are exposed to dust mites, and 60 percent are exposed to pet dander. Poor indoor air quality is connected to allergies and asthma attacks. Whether you or a loved one suffers from allergies or asthma, there are things you can do to improve the air qualify in your home and to keep those allergens out.

Keep the Dust and Allergens Out

The first step to allergen-proofing your home is planning to keep dust and other allergens out. One common source of allergens in the home is your shoes. Make a "no shoes indoors" policy and keep a tray or shelf by the entrances to your home, so that people have a spot to put their shoes right when they arrive. It's also a good idea to have doormats both inside and outside, so people can wipe dirt and dust off the soles of their shoes before they step inside.

Rethink the Carpeting

Are the floors of your home covered in carpets? It might be time to pull them up and replace them with hardwood flooring or another type of non-textile flooring. Carpets act as the perfect hiding spot for a variety of allergens, from pet dander to dust and from pollen to mold. To make matters worse, every time someone walks across the carpet, those allergens get kicked back into the air.

If you can't pull up your carpeting because you're renting or for any other reason, your next best option is to clean the flooring regularly. A robotic vacuum makes cleaning your floors easy. You can program the vacuum to run at a set time every day. For the best cleaning and allergen reduction, choose a robotic vacuum with HEPA filters.

Filter and Purify the Air

An air purifier and filter will help catch any remaining allergens that regular vacuuming and cleaning won't get. Air filters range in quality from very effective to not at effective at all, so it pays to do some research before you invest in one. Usually, an air purifier with a HEPA filter will be more effective at reducing dust and allergens in the air than one without a HEPA filter.

This is a guest blog entry.