How to Make Your Home Allergy Free

Allergies occur when a person's immune system is exposed to substances that are normally harmless for other people, and begins to produce antibodies and sensitised white blood cells. The body then releases histamine and various other chemicals and these are responsible for the allergic reaction.

An allergic reaction can be anything from narrowing of the airways (such as in asthma), sneezing, itchy skin, itchy eyes, a runny nose and vomiting. The most common allergies such as asthma, hay fever and eczema are caused by this over reaction to substances in the air, or substances the sufferer is in contact with such as pollen, house dust and animal hair. Less common allergens include latex, nuts and fruit.

How to Make Your Home Allergy Free ~

When purchasing items aimed to make your home environment an allergy-free one, you are likely to have two shopping lists. One will be for one-off items aimed at helping to alleviate allergic symptoms. This list may include drapes or blinds instead of curtains that tend to collect dust. If finance allows, have all soft carpets which are home to dust mites changed to wood, vinyl, linoleum or tile flooring. For the bedroom, mattresses, sheets, blankets and pillows should be allergen-free. Avoid down feathers as organic materials like cotton are more friendly to the allergy sufferer. Ionisers, Dehumidifiers and Air Purifies will help keep the air allergy-free while a good vacuum cleaner with a special filter is also a must.

Your next list will be a one containing everyday items that will be purchased regularly. Experiment with products as you could find that creams and detergents for instance that are known to be less likely to cause allergies in some people, may still have an affect on you or a member of your household. Once you find products that help alleviate your allergies, stick with them.

Many cleaning products and fabric softeners contain toxic ingredients that aggravate allergies such as exzema and asthma. All cleaning products such as detergents and washing powders should be chemical free. Avoid biological washing powders. Go for Allergen free laundry detergent, cleaning sprays, washing-up liquids, toilet-bowl cleansers and window cleaners. There are also air cleansers on the market that help control allergens in the air and relieve the allergic symptoms caused by mould, pet hair, dust mites and pollen.

Add hypo allergenic shampoos on your list. These should be non-alkaline and protein free. Many soaps will aggravate eczema so these need to be chosen with care. For any cosmetics, health, hair or skin product, avoid anything that is heavily perfumed. Remember that a product that is mild and helps to alleviate allergies in one person can cause a severe rash in others. It is a case of trial and error and therefore to find those products less likely to aggravate your allergies will take time and patience.