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The Home Allergy Risk Triple Threat |
 The whole idea of being at home is that it is the one place in this world where you should feel safe. Parents work hard to make the home a safe place for their children. When a new baby is brought home, great effort is made to "baby proof" the house so the little one cannot be hurt by common items around the house. Any good parent would make any necessary changes so their children can be comfortable and safe at home and so the parents can relax and enjoy family life without worrying about risks that could come into the home and disturb the tranquility of the family time together.
But there is a risk that doesn't know it is supposed to stop at the front door of the home and not come in. Allergy risks can come up anywhere. Since the only "cure" for allergies other than long and difficult allergy treatments is avoidance, the key to fighting allergy risks at home is to push the causes of allergy symptoms out of the home entirely so episodes of allergy problems cannot happen at home.
To be able to get rid of all potential allergy risks in the home, you have to know what they are and how to go after them. But some causes of allergy symptoms are clever and they either come into the home invisibly in the air or they hide in the home causing misery but eluding capture. To develop a strategy for getting rid of possible allergy risks in the home, we must go after the triple thread of allergy risks. That triple threat is dust mites, mold and pet dander.
Dust Mites
The very idea of developing a dust mite allergy upsets many people simply because we have to admit that these tiny living things are thriving in our homes. Dust mites are invisible to the eye but they love living in cushions, rugs, blankets or in the dust that settles on the furniture in your home. It is easy to overlook this allergy risk simply because dust mites can sneak into the cleanest of homes.
If you or a family member suffers with the allergy risk of dust mite allergy symptoms, the best course of action is to set out on a campaign of cleanliness that deprives these little creatures of their potential homes. That campaign might include eliminating carpets, old pillows or even stuffed animals that could be virtual dust mite hotels. You should also maintain a strict schedule of dusting and replace air filters in the home to remove the presence of dust mites in the home environment. An increased awareness of the allergy risk of dust mites will make a lifestyle that includes a high priority for cleanliness pay off.
Mold
A mold allergy is not just reacting to the mold that might grow on food. You can keep the most sanitary kitchen possible and still have to face the allergy risk of a mold allergy. Mold that can set off allergic symptoms can grow anywhere in the home such as in shoes, in the soil of houseplants or in the attic or damp basement where you may never see it developing.
One great way to reduce the potential of an allergy risk to mold is to keep the humidity down in the house to discourage the growth of mold. A good dehumidifier can help a great deal in your war against this allergy risk. But if the symptoms of a mold allergy persist, don’t hesitate to have your home evaluated for hidden mold, which may call for professional help to clean vents or under the home to eliminate mold at its source.
Pet Dander
Dander is the dead skin that comes off of humans and pets. Because pets are usually hairy, that dander builds up and gets into the environment in the form of dust. A pet allergy is almost always a reaction to pet dander or urine, which can get into the fir of your beloved animal and then infect anywhere the pet lays including the carpets, beds or furniture.
To cut down on the allergy risk to pet dander, the most extreme reaction is to get rid of your pets. But family members with pet allergies may be able to live with that pooch or kitty cat if you keep the animal clean and restrict where the animal can lay. By keeping you family pet off of the furniture and beds and by maintaining a rigorous discipline of dusting as we discussed earlier, you can cut down on how much pet danger is in the air and so cut the chances that this allergy risk can make you or your allergic family member miserable.
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