Breathe Easier by Allergyproofing Your Home

Bill Fry Construction - Wm. H. Fry Const. Co. Great ideas Vannessa, you've inspired me to brush my cat - right now!

Another idea if you're considering a major remodel or new custom home: radiant heat is a great option for allergy sufferers and provides a level of comfort that you just can't get with forced air. Even in the balmy San Francisco Bay Area, about half of Bill's clients are installing radiant heat.

:) Rhoda
http://billfryconstruction.com/

mrsben Excellent tips, however there has been medical studies which suggest that one can build up a resistance to many allergies if subjected to them in small dosages which raises the question 'is living in a bubble-wrapped environment really all that healthy?' Just saying :)

k_sera My allergies, especially dust, have been really bad this spring. I've discovered I need to change my furnace filter by February, and will be talking to my furnace guy about better filtration. My allergist said get an air purifier. I should have done that years ago, and I'm sleeping better than ever. The dog is molting right now, about time for a trip to the groomer to get it all out at once, and I'd put a vinyl slipcover on her if I could (I don't think she'd like that). And I have wood flooring for my bedroom on order. Finally, I'm trying terrariums, so I can have house plants without mold.

Vanessa Brunner @mrsben You're totally right! As a long time allergy sufferer, I know there's no way to completely protect yourself, and that often exposing yourself to certain allergens can build up resistance. But for me, I need a safe haven and a good allergy-free night's sleep after a day of running around with watery eyes and a runny nose :)

fredericklc I've always had allerygy problems but had an exacerbation 6 months ago that nearly did me in. I developed a cough that just wouldn't go away, cough meds and sinus/allergy pills made it worse (as they dried me up so much). My MD put me on a long regime of antibiotics but nothing helped. I honestly thought I was doomed to cough until I died. Then my husband and I decided to allergy proof our home. Following steps similiar to the ones listed here I have improved at least 80% and actually have some days that I don't cough at all. I'm so thankful.

nellesworth FYI: Bleach is also a harsh irritant and completely unnecessary for cleaning! A solution of vinegar and water is enough to clean almost any surface in your home without the harsh side effects of bleach. If you don't trust vinegar and water, I like Method (available at Target and Lowe's here); they have a sustainable line of antibacterial cleaners for the kitchen and bathroom that work and aren't as toxic as bleach. If you MUST bleach, use peroxide (OxyClean) bleach rather than chlorine!

njcook53 Hydrogen peroxide is cheap and a great "green" cleaner. I use it on my countertops, refrigerator, and drawers.

woofwoof Lesson learned: We recently moved into our newly renovated house....all engineered pre-finished hardwood floors, and otherwise blank slate. Went with mostly linen window coverings so no dusty blinds in this house. But where I stumbled is getting new furniture and bedding. The cheapo IKEA couch for the office had such an overpowering smell of pine and lord knows what, I had to avoid the office for two weeks. Next came the new bed, from a trusted vendor - made to order. But the bed hadn't been aired out at the factory before it got delivered, so it had to air out in my bedroom for 2 weeks before we could move in and the smell of the glues and foam got into everything, including my new curtains. (slept in the guest room for 2 weeks on our old bed!) Lastly, our expensive upholstered couch from a national brand came in a month ago, and I still can't get past the smell in the fabric, cushions, etc., and don't know if I'll even keep it. -- Next time, I'd go with a stupidly expensive eco-friendly couch and bed. No more new furniture or fabrics coming into this house for a while!

Sandra Try having a shower in the evening before you go to bed. That way any allergens that have accumulated on you over the day, are washed away and not taken into bed with you. Many years ago when I started nursing, we used methylated spirits to clean things - including people actually, when they had bed sores...meths is an excellent cleaner, doesn't leave a residue and even though its not a very nice smell when you are using it, it leaves smear free glass (used with the newspaper) and is cheap!! Surfaces such as stainless steel, just gleam afterwards.
Oh and by the way, natural gas heaters in a house is the worse thing for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. I only discovered this after installing them and then had to have them all removed. An enclosed fire place is just fine. Who lets smoke escape into their homes these days anyway?

tapd0g Definitely agree with the above comment re: gas heaters. Unflued gas heaters are particularly bad with asthma and I believe are not permitted in many places. Gas heating also raises the relative humidity which may not be great if your home has mold problems. I've ditched my unflued gas heater for just that reason.

One thing I have found indispensible for picking off cat fluff from furniture are these sticky rollers. I run them over the furniture, even the bed and the cat bed in between vacuums and washes. They're brilliant!