Combatting and Controlling Indoor Allergens
Summer is synonymous with sunny days, outdoor adventures, and relaxation. Unfortunately, it also brings with it the dreaded allergy season here in the Hampton Roads. Dust, pollen, and pet dander can wreak havoc in your Virginia Beach home and affect your overall health. It’s time to control indoor allergens.
At Lavender Maid, our passion is helping and equipping our clients with the right strategies to combat these allergens so that you can maintain a clean house all summer long, and your home can remain your stress-free sanctuary.
Understanding Summer Allergens and Controlling Indoor Allergens
Before diving into combat tactics, it’s essential to understand the culprits behind your seasonal allergies. Dust, pollen, and pet dander are the primary triggers during the summer months in the Hampton Roads.
Dust: Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments, making your home their ideal habitat. Their microscopic fecal matter and body fragments become airborne, triggering allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.
Pollen: As plants bloom and flourish in the summer, pollen levels skyrocket. This fine powder can travel for miles, infiltrating your home through open windows, doors, and even hitching rides on your clothes and pets.
Pet Dander: Our beloved furry companions shed dander—a mix of dead skin cells and fur—that can linger in the air and settle on surfaces. Even if you’re not allergic to your pets, their dander can exacerbate other allergies.
Combat Tactics
By maintaining a clean and organized space, our homes can act as a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation, instead of heightening our stress levels. Not only is it about cleaning your space, but we at Lavender Maid know it’s also about creating a comfortable atmosphere in your home.
Maintain Cleanliness: Regular cleaning is your first line of defense against allergens. But we understand that this is easier said than done with demanding and busy summer schedules. By hiring Lavender Maid to regularly tackle your home’s cleaning, we can stay on top of these pesky allergens! Vacuuming carpets, rugs, and upholstery frequently using a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter can trap even the smallest particles. And we can also dust surfaces with a damp cloth to prevent stirring up more dust into the air.
Invest in Air Purifiers: High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers can significantly reduce airborne allergens by capturing particles. Place them strategically in your home, especially in bedrooms and living areas, for maximum benefit.
Control Humidity: Dust mites thrive in humid environments, so keeping indoor humidity levels below 50% can help mitigate their growth. Use dehumidifiers in damp areas like basements and bathrooms and ensure proper ventilation throughout your home.
Seal Your Home: Prevent outdoor allergens from infiltrating your living space by sealing windows and doors with weather stripping and using air filters in your HVAC system. Consider installing screens on windows to allow fresh air in while keeping pollen out.
Create Pet-Free Zones: Designate certain areas of your home, particularly bedrooms, as off-limits to pets to minimize their dander’s spread. Wash pet bedding regularly and groom your pets outdoors to reduce shedding indoors.
Monitor Pollen Counts: Stay informed about local pollen forecasts and try to limit outdoor activities on high pollen days. Shower and change clothes after spending time outdoors to remove pollen clinging to your body and clothes
Self-Care through Cleaning
Don’t let summer allergies put a damper on your sunny days. By implementing these strategies to combat dust, pollen, and pet dander in your home, Lavender Maid can create a haven of relief where you can breathe easy and enjoy the season to its fullest. Remember, consistency is key, so let us make these practices a part of your routine to keep allergens at bay all summer long. Give us a call at +17573241881 to learn more about our available services.
