Avoiding Airborne Allergens
 One allergy often
leads to another. Taking some general precautions may therefore
keep you or your family from developing further allergies—or
at least may provide some relief from allergic symptoms.
Using an air conditioner and an air cleaner and vacuuming
with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter can reduce
the ill effects of several airborne allergens. Try, too, to avoid
fresh paint, tar fumes, air pollution, insect sprays and tobacco
smoke. All aggravate allergic symptoms. Tobacco smoke can also
cause allergic symptoms. Finally, research suggests that reducing
children's exposure to dust, animal hair and tobacco smoke can
help prevent childhood asthma.
If your child regularly experiences allergic symptoms at school,
investigate the classroom. There you may discover some avoidable
allergy triggers such as classroom pets, storage spaces with
old papers or dusty play areas. If your child has hay fever,
ask the teacher to consider when scheduling outdoor field trips
to avoid exposure when pollen counts are high.
The following tips may help you avoid specific allergens:
Seasonal pollen allergy (hay fever)
- Stay inside in the early morning, especially during dry,
warm and windy weather.
- When the pollen count is high, keep the windows closed and
the air conditioner running.
- Dry newly washed clothes and bedding inside, instead of hanging
them outside.
- To keep allergens out of your bed, bathe and wash your hair
at night.
Mold allergy
Molds multiply in damp basements, so use a dehumidifier.
Other problem spots at home include closets, shower stalls, refrigerator
drip pans, house plants, air conditioners, humidifiers, garbage
cans, mattresses, foam pillows and upholstered furniture.
Outside, avoid mowing the lawn, raking leaves and walking
through tall grass or weeds.
Dust allergy
- In the bedroom, remove wall-to-wall carpeting and replace
blinds with shades.
- Remove down blankets, feather pillows, fans and pets.
- Thin out overfull closets.
- Encase mattresses and pillows in zippered, plastic, airtight
and dust-proof covers.
- Wash bed linens in water hotter than 130 degrees.
- Throughout the house, replace wall-to-wall carpeting with
throw rugs, and remove dust-catchers like books and magazines.
- Wipe surfaces frequently with a damp cloth.
Animal allergy
- House your pet outside or in less-used rooms that get vacuumed
daily. Young animals cause fewer allergies than old ones, and
females cause fewer allergies than non-neutered males. More people
are allergic to cats than to other pets.
- Keep the pet out of the allergic person's bedroom.
- A person without allergies should give the pet a weekly outdoor
bath and brushing.
- Anti-allergic solutions for pets can reduce the number of
skin scales your animal releases into the air.
- Allergy sprays can kill some animal allergens in rugs and
furniture.
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