Whether it’s dust, pet hair or household toxins, we’re surrounded by potential irritants.
And as the warm spring sunshine means we’re throwing open the windows again – it’s not just fresh you could be letting in, but pollen from the plants outdoors.
So, if this is a concern, how can you improve the air quality and filter out allergens indoors?
How to reduce allergens in your home
1. Vacuum on a regular basis
Carpets, sofas and other soft furnishings can be magnet for debris and dust mites and a breeding ground for bacteria. Pet hair can get trapped between seating and cushions, not to mention what their paws bring in, all potentially increasing allergens in the home.
Some vacuum cleaners are especially designed to help with this. The award-winning Henry Allergy (£200, Argos ) is designed to improve air quality and reduce irritants. Or you could invest in a vacuum with a comprehensive filtration system, such as the new Miele Boost CX1 Cat & Dog Powerline Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner (£359, Marks Electrical), which is fitted with a HEPA Air Clean filter to help get rid of fine dust particles and allergens.
2. Keep your blinds clean and bright
It’s easy to forget about curtains and blinds once they’re in place – but they can harbour dust and pet hair too and anything that drifts in through the window. So it’s important to keep your blinds clean, and curtains should be cleaned at least every six months.
“Ideally, you should be looking to clean your blinds once a month to get rid of any dust or dirt,” says Helen O’Connor, product manager at 247 Blinds. “However, during these spring months, it’s especially important to remove any pollen that may be lingering on the surface. If you have roller blinds or roman blinds, start with a soft dusting and gentle vacuum, using the brush attachment.
“For venetian blinds or plantation shutters, you can be a little more thorough,” suggests O’Connor. “Wipe down each slat using a damp cloth and some washing up liquid, then finish up with a quick dusting to ensure they’re pollen-free.
“For a simple tip, if you have slatted blinds, turn these on a daily basis to reduce the likelihood of pollen settling and building up on the surface.”
3. Carefully consider your cleaning products
View this post on Instagram
While we’ve become extremely familiar with effective cleaning products since the pandemic, harsh disinfectant wipes and cleaning solutions can cause flare-ups and irritate skin, especially for people with allergies and sensitivities.
Award-winning brand TINCTURE has a range of cleaning and home products that are 100% non-toxic, natural, antiviral, antibacterial, sustainably sourced and biodegradable.
“The natural ingredients we use, for instance eucalyptus and frankincense, are naturally antiviral and antibacterial and, most importantly, non-toxic,” says founder Angelika Davenport. “For best results, remember a little goes a long way.”
The All Purpose TINCTURE (from £4.99 for 475ml) can be used to clean all your surfaces, including wood, stone, marble and granite, with the added bonus of a lovely springtime scent.
4. Purify the air
“Surprisingly, indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air,” says Alexander Provins, EMEA director, Blueair. “This is particularly noticeable as we enter hay fever season, as pollen and other allergens become trapped in the home after entering through windows and on our clothes when we go outside.”
He says to help tackle this, one of the most effective ways is to continuously run a high performing air purifier to trap indoor air pollutants during April to June.
“Our latest model, the Blueair DustMagnet (from £349), captures and removes airborne dust before it settles on floors and surfaces,” explains Provins. “In addition to dust, it effectively inactivates bacteria and viruses and removes 99.97% of allergens, pollen, mould, pet dander and microplastics as small as 0.1 microns from the air, thanks to Blueair’s HEPASilent technology.”
5. Create a clean sleeping environment
If sneezing, wheezing and itching’s disrupting your sleep, you may need to change your bedding. “House dust mites and fungal spores can trigger a variety of conditions and symptoms, such as asthma, eczema, itchy or runny eyes, sneezing, blocked or runny rose, tight chest and many more,” says Chris Tattersall, clean sleep environment expert and MD of Woolroom, whose wool bedding sets start from £142.18.
He says wool is naturally hypoallergenic, which can make it a helpful material choice for many people.
“What many people don’t realise, is the key to managing allergies within the bedroom is choosing a fibre that doesn’t trap or hold moisture whilst you sleep at night,” explains Tattersall. “Skin conditions such as eczema don’t like it when the skin starts to warm up and perspire, which causes irritation around those sensitive points of the skin.
“Wool works wonders absorbing excess moisture around the sleeper during the night, and then releasing naturally into the atmosphere during the day, maintaining a dry environment that deters house dust mites, dust mite allergens (called DERP1) and fungal spores.”
Best-selling hypoallergenic bedding
Sick of sneezing in your own home? Check out our list of best-selling hypoallergenic bedding on Amazon.
- Soft Bedding: the luxurious pure bamboo sheet is as soft as silk. The charcoal bed sheets double will make your nights wonderful.
- Hypoallergenic: the Hypoallergenic bedding makes for an ideal sleeping environment for those with sensitive skin. Unlike cotton, Bamboo sheets are extremely breathable making it impossible for dust...
- Temperature Control: the charcoal bed sheets double provide the best comfort for cosy nights. If you are looking for summer sheets for bed, the bamboo fitted sheet double is the solution.
- Premium Material Chosen: Elegant duvet cover king size set is made to look as best as it feels. The material of king size duvet cover microfiber is handled to make it resistant to shrinkage and fading...
- Extra Soft and Breathable Microfiber Duvet Cover King Size: The classic king size duvet cover set allows breathability and helps keep you cool. King duvet covers provide exceptional softness and a...
- Strong Button Closure: The strong button closure keeps the cool duvet king size bedding set fixed in place, quilt sets king size also gives you everlasting comfort all night. The Duvet king bedding...
- Double duvet set - Elevate your bedroom with these luxurious duvet cover sets.
- Double bedding set includes 1 duvet cover measuring 200x200 cm with double zippered closure, 2 pillowcase measures 50x75 cm; comforter sold separately.
- Bedding & linen are made with the softest, most luxurious brushed microfiber fabric, our duvet covers, pillowcases and fitted sheets provide unbeatable comfort and breathability. Not only are they...
- INCLUDES – Imperial Rooms printed bedding set includes 1 x Duvet Cover along 2 x matching Pillow Covers. Note: Single Duvet Cover comes with one pillowcase only.
- MICROFIBER QUILT COVER –100% Microfiber quilt cover provides exceptional softness and gentle feeling. High Quality material ensures long lasting durability and fades resistance. Turn your basic...
- PERFECT HOME DECORATION – Our Duvet Cover is a perfect choice for homeowners with classy and sophisticated tastes in decoration. Our soft, comfortable duvet and pillow set has attractive and...
- Single duvet cover set - Elevate your bedroom with these luxurious duvet cover sets.
- Single bedding sets includes 1 duvet cover measuring 135x200 cm with double zippered closure, 1 pillowcase measures 50x75 cm; comforter sold separately.
- Bedding & linen are made with the softest, most luxurious brushed microfiber fabric, our duvet covers, pillowcases and fitted sheets provide unbeatable comfort and breathability. Not only are they...
Last update on 2024-04-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You may be interested in…
This article may include affiliate links to products and services where we may receive a small fee to support the running of this site if you make a purchase or is a sponsored article from one of our select editorial partners providing valuable advice and information to our readers.