It's important to vacuum your home regularly if you suffer from allergies

For a tree pollen allergy sufferer like me, spring is torture. Flowering trees are my kryptonite, and during peak bloom it feels like pollen stokes a six-week permasneeze from which there’s no reprieve until the end of June. And since 2018’s Fourth National Climate Assessment suggests that increasing carbon dioxide means an earlier, longer pollen season and higher levels of airborne allergens, it might last even longer in the future.

I’m far from alone in my sneezing. According to a 2017 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19.9 million Americans reported being diagnosed with hay fever in the preceding 12 months. The World Allergy Organization says 400 million people worldwide get allergic rhinitis, which includes illnesses caused by indoor and outdoor airborne allergens.

What to do if you’re suffering? Immunotherapy — getting shots that can help desensitise your immune system to an allergen — can help over time, but if you’re not ready for needle treatment, you can take a few other steps to minimise allergens’ effects inside the house. We talked to allergists to get their best tips for minimising the effects of the most common outdoor and indoor allergens when you’re at home, from pet dander to dust mites.

Clear the air

For people who suffer from outdoor allergies to ragweed or grass, the best solution is to stay indoors, especially in the morning when pollen counts are highest, and to seal the clean air in. “Central air conditioning is best because they can keep windows closed and that prevents some of the pollen from coming in,” said Paul V Williams, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington. “Monitor pollen counts and avoid extensive outdoor activity when the pollen counts are high.”

Making sure your furnace or HVAC system’s filter is clean, and replacing it regularly, can help too. 

A standalone air purifier can help with airborne allergens such as mold and dander, according to Purvi Parikh, allergist and immunologist and spokeswoman for the Allergy and Asthma Network. Williams also suggests using a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter in the bedroom. 

In damp regions, a dehumidifier can help reduce the moisture below 50 per cent — what Williams called a “second-line measure” against the kind of humidity that mold and dust mites prefer (as one 2001 study found).

Clean your bedroom

In a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of dust collected from the bedrooms of 7,000 households in 2005 and 2006, 74 per cent had three to six out of the eight allergens the researchers tested for. It pays to be vigilant about cleaning the room you sleep in: “Think of the bedroom as the place you want to do the most aggressive environmental control because you’re in that room a third of your life,” Gershman said.

Mattress protectors for both your mattress and box spring, as well as pillow protectors, are woven tightly enough to keep dust mites from taking up residence in your bedding. 

Whether you suffer from year-round indoor allergies or seasonal outdoor allergies, it’s important to vacuum regularly.

If you have pet allergies

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat or dog, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and shorthaired pets are no less likely to cause a reaction than longhaired pets. The first piece of advice Gershman gives to a family with pet allergies is to remove the pet from the house, but many people don’t heed it. “People would rather get rid of their allergist than their animal,” he said. If you can’t bear to live without your pet, the allergists we spoke to suggested keeping the pet out of the bedroom at minimum. 

If you are taking over-the-counter medications and your allergies get worse or if you have any breathing difficulties, Parikh recommends seeing a physician. “People can get asthma from allergies and that can be very dangerous if it’s left untreated,” she said.

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