Spring Cleaning Do's and Don'ts

Many people world-wide suffer from allergies and any procedure that can help in reducing their plight is a boon.

A lot of people uphold the tradition of spring cleaning in many countries around the world. This can be an excellent opportunity to help reduce allergy agents. They cannot be completely removed, but can be reduced to manageable levels.

Following are some dos and don'ts of cleaning, especially for those suffering from indoor allergies. Following the tips will not do the non-sufferer any harm either.

Do: Thoroughly clean all the equipment used during the spring clean war.

Do: Open all windows in the house to ensure that any dust in the air can be blown out of the house.

Do: Do your cleaning in winter before the plants start sending out their pollen.

Do: Wear a form of protective breathing mask over your face. You can use a mask made of micro fiber or even a full scale breathing mask.

Do: Use dust-cloths made from micro fiber.

Do: Use special filters on your vacuum cleaners to trap the microscopic irritants like mite fecal matter and pollen.

Don't: Use ordinary dusters as they will only make your situation worse by lifting up the dust into the air, where it will be an irritant and later fall back onto the surfaces.

Dust mites are one of the most common sources of allergens. Unfortunately, they can be quite numerous in the house as they feed on dead skin, both yours and your pets'. Mites can be found in mattresses, carpets and the bed. Do you know: most of the dust you see in the house is skin flakes! Your skin loses several layers each day.

To help reduce their population and effects, use a vacuum cleaner on the bed targeting the grooves formed by buttons and stitching. You can also turn the mattress over regularly. For a more effective method, use a pad which you can wash frequently with hot water.

Mites on upholstery can also be controlled by vacuuming regularly on the seating areas and into the grooves on the sides of the sofa. Flipping over the seats will also help. Some cushions have removable covers which can be taken out and laundered or sent to a dry cleaner.

Vacuum the carpet thoroughly and regularly.

Use Febreze's Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer to prevent allergens from getting airborne. Other products with similar functions are also available on the market.

The bathroom is another battlefield. Keep the tubs and sinks clean. Ensure that the shower curtain does not accumulate any fungal growth and replace it if cleaning does not remove all stains. If tiled, clean the grouting between the tiles.

All woodwork especially in areas that can come into contact with moisture, as in the bathroom, doors and window sills need attention as damp wood is susceptible to fungal attach.

While spring cleaning time gives you a good excuse to do a top-to-bottom cleaning of the house, making the cleaning process as outlined in this article a more frequent activity, will pay you great dividends, whether you are an allergy sufferer or not. In addition, once you make it a habit, the cleaning process will become less of a chore that it seems to be if performed only once a year.