3 Methods To Reduce The Dust In Your Home

Many people think of allergies as being an affliction which only affects people when they are outdoors during the early summer months. While pollen can make people sniffly and itchy when they are outside, many unseen allergens can actually be found in the beds and carpeting inside our homes all the time. It seems that each allergy season is worst than the last one and whether you are allergic to dust or pollen, it's not fun being miserable all the time. Here are some things you can do around your house to help reduce the dust and pollen around you:

Change air filters in your home: Your house probably has lots of air filters that you don't always remember to replace. Most homes with central air will have a whole house or furnace filter that needs to be replaced every three to four months. You can easily learn how to replace a home filter in just a few minutes. A old air filter can clock air flow and actually begin to blow out dust and other allergens if it is not replaced regularly. Most air filters are inexpensive and easy to change out if you remember to do so. Using a plug-in air purifier is useful only if you change the filter regularly. A quick filter change can actually pay for itself by lowering your utility bill.

Install hardwood floors: If you suffer from allergies, then you might want to remove your rugs. Most allergy doctors recommend flooring that is easy to clean and doesn't trap pollen, animal dander and other allergens. Smooth floors like hardwood, laminate, tile or even vinyl are all better options for people who suffer from allergies. Full room carpeting is the most harmful kind of flooring you can have in a home you have allergies because it attracts so many dust particles. If you already have good hardwood floors under your rugs you can probably pull them up yourself, though you'll need to learn how to remove carpet tack strips.

Vacuum often: The easiest way to keep your home dust-free is to vacuum the floors on a regular schedule. A good house cleaning once every month can make a big difference in the air quality in your home. If you use a vacuum you'll also want to replace the filters in it regularly as well. Many people with severe allergies actually use a house cleaning service in addition to their own cleaning.

You don't have to be sniffly in your own home during the long allergy season. With a little effort your home can be an oasis from the yellow pollen of the outdoors and the sneeze-inducing dust of indoors. Dedicating just ten minutes a day to cleaning your house may make such a difference that you might even be able to do without those allergy medications you've come to rely on!

Need to learn even more about keeping your house allergen free? You can read a first-person account of a duct cleaning service and decide if it is actually worth it for your home.