The bedroom is where we spend most of our time at home.
So it makes sense that this room should be the most relaxing and enjoyable space in your home.
If you suffer from allergies, making this room safe by reducing the irritants that cause flare ups is well worth the effort.
Here are 5 things you can do to make your bedroom a safe haven.
Damp wipe walls and ceiling lights.
When most of us think about cleaning we think of floors and surfaces.
And they are certainly a good place to start.
But when is the last time you cleaned the walls? Many allergens can and do stick to the walls and ceilings and are constantly being dislodged with air currents that are generated with daily activities.
So using a damp cloth to wipe away particles that have accumulated on the walls is a good idea.
Ceiling lights that have a plate under the bulb are a catch-all for dust, bugs, and other particles to collect.
Clearing away particles from these types of lights as well as chandeliers is also a great way to minimize the particulates available to go airborne and be inhaled.
Wash linens regularly.
One of the most potent allergens known is the dust mite.
And it is the protein found in their feces that triggers symptoms that can range from annoying to debilitating.
Constant exposure to them has been shown to be one of the major causes of asthma in children.
Wash your linen at least once each week in water that is 140 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter as the mites cannot survive these temperatures.
Leave the bed open rather than making it up immediately.
Mites need darkness, moisture, and feed on dead skin flakes (dander).
They are killed by sunlight, so letting the sun shine in also reduces moisture, and is a natural way to reduce their numbers.
Encase bedding.
Another way to prevent mites and bed bugs from making a home in your bed is to encase the mattress and pillows with a zippered microfiber protector.
Get one that is waterproof and can also prevent these critters from being able to nest in the bed.
Using these barriers has been shown to decrease allergy symptoms and allow you to get a better night's sleep.
And anything you can do to rest well enables your body to deal more effectively with life's challenges, both physical and emotional.
Use a HEPA vacuum.
In a perfect world there would be no carpet in bedrooms-maybe.
But the fact is that it feels good under the feet.
So if you don't have a bare floor with area rugs that is the usual recommendation for folks with allergies, using a high-efficiency particle arresting vacuum is probably the next best thing.
This type of cleaner has a filter that keeps the very particles you are trying to eliminate from escaping back into the air.
Be definition a HEPA filter can eliminate particles as small as.
3 microns in size.
Filter the air.
The air is probably one of the last things most of us think of when we're cleaning, but the number of allergens in the air is direct proportion to the symptoms that are triggered.
Filtering the air 24 hours a day is recommended by doctors as a crucial part of any allergy management plan.
Being able to remove airborne particles and gaseous triggers can greatly reduce flare-ups and increase your ability to relax and rejuvenate in your bedroom.
An air purifier with both a HEPA and carbon filter will be able to multi-task and eliminate both solid and gaseous irritants from your air.