Allergen Eliminators

Taking appropriate steps to reduce and eliminate allergens in your home will greatly increase the comfort of day-to-day living for most allergy sufferers. While there is nothing you can do to eliminate the environmental allergens you come into contact with outside your home, you can take steps to reduce the amount of pollen or mold that sticks to you, thereby helping to reduce your symptoms. Since many of the preventative measures for allergen reduction involve cleaning, which can actually kick allergens back into the air briefly, you may wish to have someone who does not suffer from allergies clean for you.

Air Filtration

• Install a HEPA filter or small-particle air filter in your home's circulation system. Allergen-reducing filters cost only slightly more than regular filters and can greatly reduce the amount of allergens your heating or cooling system sends through your house. Change them regularly to maintain efficacy.

Flooring

• Carpets can harbor up to 90-percent more allergens than hardwood or linoleum flooring, so if you suffer badly from allergies, stick to washable area rugs for padded flooring. If you have carpet you like or unfinished subflooring, invest in a high-quality vacuum with a HEPA filter, and vacuum at least once a week. Shampoo the carpet regularly on a day when you can be out of the house while the carpet dries.

Bedding and Curtains

• Wash your sheets, pillows, duvet covers, blankets and curtains weekly in hot water. Dust mites love to live in bedding, and, since you spend a third of your life sleeping, it would behoove you to keep your bed as allergen-free as possible. Put allergen/dust-mite protective covers on your pillows, mattresses and box springs. While these covers used to be noisy plastic, they are now made of a much softer, breathable material that is more comfortable to sleep on.

Pets

• Pets can be one of the most difficult factors for allergy sufferers as many people who are allergic to pets decide to own them despite their allergies or don't find out they are allergic until after bringing the pet home. If you have a pet, create a pet-free zone in your home, ideally in your bedroom. Bathe your pet twice a week to keep dander and shedding around the house to a minimum. Use a shedding management brush for your dog to help remove excess hair, and ask your vet about dander-prevention wipes. Wash your pet's bedding weekly.

Mold

• Install a dehumidifier in your home to keep the air dry and inhibit the growth of mold. Do not keep indoor plants as the potting soil is a haven for mold. Do not keep cut flowers inside. Wash your dishes daily, and ensure there is never standing water or old food inside your refrigerator that could mold. Install an exhaust fan in the bathroom to help keep moisture down while taking baths and showers, and towel dry the shower and tub after use to prevent mildew.

Clothing

• Invest in clothing made of natural fibers and ditch synthetics. Man-made materials create more static electricity, which can cause allergen particles to stick to you with the static-cling. Always machine dry your clothes after washing as drying on a line could allow mold and mildew to grow, and drying outside can also allow pollen and mold spores from outside to get on your clothes before you even wear them. Use dryer sheets to help eliminate static cling during machine drying.