How I'm Reducing Home Allergens

I've battled adult-onset allergies for several years now, and only in the past 2-3 have I really taken it seriously. This involves trying a lot of medicines, allergy shots and alternative medicine, trying different ways to clean the air, and keeping my home cleaner in a variety of ways. These suggestions are are how I'm reducing home allergens and I'll describe how they've been working.

Everyone's body will be different and will respond to things in its own annoying, unique way. These are just ideas for you to springboard from and try. If you want to be really scientific about it, try one at a time to isolate what works and what doesn't.

It helps if you know for sure what you're allergic to. Unfortunately, getting allergy tested can be expensive. I got tested one year when I had already met my high deductible midway through the year. Now I know without a doubt what all is plaguing me, and to what degree. None of my allergies are food-borne, they are all from particles in the air and my body's refusal to deal with them like a normal person.

Some of these measures involve a change to your habits, some involve some significant expenditure. Try the free or less expensive ways to reduce allergens first and work your way up as needed. Luckily many of these are free or involve minimal cost! The biggest investment is your time and energy to determine what works and what more you can do. There are many more than I have listed here but it's a good start of everything I've done.

Free Ways to Reduce Allergens

1. Track the allergens in the air using pollen.com. I check pollen.com every day first thing in the morning. Once you pay attention you begin to see how your body reacts to what is in the air. Don't open your windows when the pollen count is more than medium, depending on your tolerance. I take Allegra daily when the pollen counts are high, from late winter through late fall. That's pretty much most of the year except December and January in South Carolina.
2. Track the air pressure falls using online data. I noticed I had sinus pain when rain was impending. This is due to the air pressure drops (low fronts) that precede rain usually. If you track the time of the pressure drops, you'll notice it may coincide with your pain. I take ibuprofin to reduce swelling in these instances. I use the RC Winds website but it's Richland County, SC specific.
3. Check the humidity. Especially in the winter in drier areas, the lack of humidity can affect your sinuses negatively.
4. Brush dogs and cats outside only. They definitely need to be brushed, but don't let the extra dander and hair fly around the house. Brush them outside where the wind can carry away the extra allergens. Wash them on a regular schedule, and more during the spring. I get a special deshedding treatment done for my double-coated dog once or twice a year.
5. Avoid smoke. That means grill smoke, bonfire smoke, cigarette smoke, etc. If you smoke cigarettes, stop it. Don't be in enclosed spaces with someone who smokes, or places where people do.
6. When you dust the house, wear a mask. If you're allergic to dust, or you think you'll kick up a lot of it, wear a mask! That shouldn't be hard to do these days.
7. When you do yard work, wear a mask and full cover eye protection. I did some leaf blowing in the fall and wore two masks but still had itchy eyes. So I got full eye protection and added it to my arsenal. It worked. I also have wetting eyedrops to rinse my eyes out with afterward, just in case.
8. Remove all air vent covers and soak them in a bleach solution. Last spring I was pandemic bored cleaning and noticed spots of mold growing around an air vent in the bedroom. To fix this, fill the bathtub up with a water and bleach solution and let them soak for a few hours. Rinse them off and let them completely dry before replacing. Depending on your HVAC system, you'll have to see how often this may need to be done, but more than twice a year and you may have worse problems on your hands.
9. Keep a sinus journal. Pay close attention to your body and how it interacts with outside stimulus like weather patterns, pollen, how you live your life — and the new changes you're making. If you do anything related to an allergen, make note of it, and how your body feels in the hours following. You can even do this in the Notes app on your phone.

Small Investments to Reduce Allergens

1. Switch up your OTC allergy meds. I was a big Zyrtec taker for a while, and switched to Allegra one day when the Zyrtec was out. Turns out my body was more receptive to Allegra, but who knows, it might change back! Stay in tune with your body to see what works best.
2. Change your HVAC filters frequently. Use HEPA rated filters. You can even have your filter text you when it needs to be changed now!
3. Use HEPA filters on vacuums. In fact, use a robotic vacuum for your daily vacuuming if you can. Clean the filters and bins outside.
4. Wash your sheets and comforter every week. Use these new Bounce Pet Fresh dryer sheets that get extra animal hair and lint off. You won't believe how much extra hair they get off. In fact, you might be disgusted at how much was clinging on after a washing.
5. Bring in allergy filtering plants. If you're going to have houseplants anyway, why not have plants that filter the air? I have a lot of new snake plants in my house this year.
6. Use microfiber cloths for dusting. They trap dust and allergens in the fibers instead of releasing them into the air to float into your nostrils. If you don't dust frequently, you're going to want to pencil this into your weekly schedule and do it.

Large Investments to Reduce Allergens

1. Use air purifiers for your house. Get sizes that correctly relate to your room size. I like air purifiers that tell you the air quality in real time. That exact one is in my bedroom/office, running 24/7. This is a larger version for bigger spaces.
2. Have a UV light installed on your HVAC system. Read more about how UV lights can help your indoor air quality, and may even kill coronavirus particles! We had Airwaves install one on ours just last month.
3. Try acupuncture. I started acupuncture for my allergies in early February, and could tell a difference as soon as the next day. I go to The Acupuncture Clinic in Columbia, SC. I'm not sure how long the effects will last, but my acupuncturist assures me if I ever need a "tune up" that it'll be no problem. So far, I have noticed a marked improvement in sinus drainage issues.
4. Remove carpeting and rugs. We removed the carpet in the only room that had it a few years ago and it's made a huge difference. We also don't have any rugs except in the bathroom, and one under my desk for the rolling chair. They are washable and get washed every few weeks.

Yes, getting your allergies under control feels like a full-time job, but feeling sick all of the time is just as draining. The motivation to feel better more often has kept me pushing forward in this goal, and I feel better than ever after trying everything on this list. I still have days where I succumb to the allergens, but that's life. I hope this list will help you too on your journey to breathe better air for a better body.

If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments or by email!