Allergens along the Front Range are increasing at a fever pitch — and you and your family may be feeling the effects.
Colorado has a unique history when it comes to air quality. Our state once attracted people with serious respiratory issues. Pioneers moved to Colorado to escape or recover from tuberculosis, or to flee the pollution of American cities in the early 1900s.
But today, allergies across the state have become a serious problem.
Thanks to increased heat and other environmental factors, reports show that overall allergic sensitivity is rising, and allergic reactions are increasing worldwide.
As the residential population grows in Boulder County, so do the amount of plants that make up the landscaping for new homes, schools and office buildings.
This means Coloradans are being exposed to a wide variety of both local and imported allergens that can make your eyes water and tickle your throat.
Plus, increased water usage needed to support the growing agriculture and residential development has encouraged the growth of molds, which are another serious allergen for Coloradoans.
Whether regional, seasonal, or environmental, allergies can make you feel like your body is turning against you. And with increased allergies you can also suffer increased associated health risks, including asthma and upper respiratory disease.
Though you don’t have control over the weather, you do have control over your home environment. And improving the air quality in your home can make a big difference in reducing allergen triggers for you and your family.
Here’s a quick-hitting list about how to make your home allergy free so you and your family can breathe easier this spring.
Allergens in Your Home
Keeping allergens out of your home is no easy feat. You can keep your windows closed all season, but pollen finds a way to creep in.
Dust mites crawl around your carpets and feed off your dander, triggering coughing and sneezing. And molds that can irritate your lungs grow in damp bathrooms, kitchens, and even in the soil outside.
There are certain places in your home where allergens love to set up shop. The areas of your house where allergens can flourish include the following:
Bathroom
- Mold can grow in your sink, shower, and on other fixtures
- Before you buy cleaning products for your bathroom, see if the ingredients in the product can act as an allergen, too
Bedroom
- Bedrooms can be the most difficult places to keep allergy-free, as dust mites flourish in carpeting, bedding, clothing, and more
- Mold can grow behind large pieces of furniture like your bed or dresser
- Perfumes, cosmetic and hygienic products can trigger allergies
- Dander from pets who love to snuggle up at night can trigger allergies
Kitchen
- Molds and bacteria grow on damp surfaces like your sink or counter tops, take up residence in refrigerators, and cling to your cooking implements
Living room
- Pollens can float in through windows and open doors, are tracked in on your family’s shoes, and grow on dander and skin flakes in carpets, couches and curtains.
Air conditioners and humidifiers/dehumidifiers
- Your air conditioner and humidifier offer a damp environment that can foster molds and fungus
Carpets
- Carpets are the favorite lair of allergens
- Carpets need to be deep cleaned regularly to keep your family breathing easy
How to Keep Your Home Allergen-Free
Cleaning is the best defense against allergies in your home. Here are a few tips to attack the places that house allergens in your home to give your family better breathing today:
Use HEPA filters
- HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters help trap very small particles that vacuum cleaner and other devices would simply recirculate back into the air
- Use these filters for your vacuum, ventilation and heating filters and air conditioner
Reduce allergen collectors
- Heavy linens in your home (like carpets, rugs, drapes and blankets) collect dust and shelter mites
- Opt for hard-wood floors, blinds, and leather couches to help remove allergen-boosting surfaces in your home
Give mold the boot
- Use anti-fungal cleaners to remove mold spores and stop allergens in their tracks
- Mold loves moist areas, especially in kitchens and bathrooms
- Mold can also fester under large pieces of furniture or appliances and in poorly-ventilated rooms or closets
Wash linens and fabric regularly
- Store seasonal clothing, sheets, blankets away from dust sources, in sealed, dry containers or vacuum packs to protect them from mites and other allergens.
Manage pets and pests
- Pet dander, human dander and skin cells, and pest droppings can provide nutrients for dust mites, bacteria, molds and fungi• Be sure to vacuum, sweep, mop and sanitize surfaces often to reduce pet and pest allergens
Got Allergies? Hire a Professional
Keeping mold spores, pollen, mites, animal dander, and other allergens out of your home necessitates regular cleanings with effective anti-allergen cleaning solutions and devices.
But when you’ve got bad allergies, you’re the last one who should be trying to fight off allergens in your home.
Pollen, mites, dander, mold spores get stirred up whenever you dust or vacuum. Cleaning puts you in direct contact with the allergens you’re trying to eliminate.
If you struggle with allergies, the best way to avoid an allergy attack and keep your home allergen free is to hire a professional to handle the cleaning.
By hiring a professional house cleaning service, you can protect your home from allergen triggers that cause your family to cough, sneeze and wheeze.
General Services Corporation has been putting Boulder County residents in touch with top-notch cleaning professionals for over 30 years. Our cleaning services work with your schedule, budget, and allergen needs to provide you with a fresh, allergen-free home where your family can breathe easier.
Ready to take your family’s breathing into your own hands this spring? Schedule a professional cleaning today >
