How to Clean a Room to Be Allergy Free

Allergy-proofing your house can help significantly reduce asthma and respiratory allergy symptoms. Vacuuming frequently, using allergy-proof covers for pillows and mattresses, eliminating pet dander and preventing mold growth are all ways to clean rooms to make them more friendly to people with allergies to dust mites, mold spores and other indoor allergens. More extreme measures include replacing all carpet with hard floors and area rugs.

Things You'll Need

• Allergy-proof pillow and mattress covers
• Washing machine and hypo-allergenic laundry soap
• Pet shampoo (if you have pets)
• Mold and mildew cleaners
• Disinfectant
• Aquarium gravel (if you have houseplants)
• Vacuum with a small-particle (HEPA) filter
• Carpet cleaner

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Instructions

• 1

  Use anti-dust-mite covers on pillows and mattresses. To further prevent the spread of dust mites, which feed on flakes of dead skin and thrive in warm areas such as bedding, frequently wash bedding in hot water. Extreme cold will also kill dust mites; freezing stuffed animals overnight will kill the mites and prevent the mold and mildew growth that might have occurred if the stuffed animals were washed but not dried thoroughly.

• 2

  Bathe your pets twice a week. Pets shed large amounts of dander (dead skin flakes). Cats are worse than dogs; their dander may linger in houses for two years even with regular cleaning. Ban pets from your bedroom, where you spend at least a third of your day.

• 3

  Scrub the shower, toilet and sink regularly and use a ventilation fan to reduce moisture in the bathroom to prevent mold. Discard moldy food immediately, and disinfect the refrigerator where it was kept. Use a dehumidifier to prevent mold growth in damp basements. Don't keep houseplants; their moist soil is the perfect home for mold. Spread aquarium gravel on top of the soil to help stop mold from growing.

• 4

  Remove all wall-to-wall carpeting, and replace it with hard floors. Dust these floors and wash area rugs frequently. If this is not possible, vacuum at least once a week, and shampoo the rug on a regular basis.

• 5

  Keep the windows closed during pollen season. Use air conditioning to keep seasonal allergens such as pollen and mold spores out of your house. A small-particle (HEPA) air filter can help remove allergens such as dust from inside air.