Suggestions for Home for People with Asthma & Allergies

We did all of those things - spent a fortune, broke our backs putting on mattress covers, did a HEPA filter (and changed the filters regularly) in both air purifiers and vacuums, and the other things you mentioned. Doing a lot of cleaning can help with the dust, but can add the cleaning chemicals back into the air and stir up the dust you're trying to get rid of.

We also took prescription meds, over-the-counter meds, stuff from the health food store (because we mistakenly thought the products were better or the staff knew what they were talking about), and some holistic things from the chiropractor.

What we learned is that all of these things just treat the symptoms, but don't get to the cause. They have limited effectiveness, and sometimes make things worse.

I went to a number of seminars on autoimmune issues (which I learned is what an allergy is - a reaction to an otherwise harmless ingredient or environmental element). I learned a lot about boosting my immune system so it no longer reacted to these allergens - which include pollen and dust but also things that some people react to, like peanuts and tree nuts and dairy and all the foods people find they can't eat. I learned that proper, science based supplementation (not mixing and matching vitamins myself!) can restore the body's natural ability to fight off "harmless" (or what should be harmless) stimuli. I can now eat everything and take no meds.

I've continued my studies in nutritional epigenetics, and continue to work with a lot of people who have found similar results backed up by the science. The more we understand, the more easily we can boost our immune systems - and multiple clinical trials (independent, not run by an individual company or pharmaceutical concern) continue to bear that out. The effect on prevention is huge, and it has demonstrated results in cholesterol reduction, immune system boosting, gene expression (genes working properly), and now cancer prevention. So the science continues to expand the base of knowledge.

Hardwood flooring or tile. Carpeting causes problems no matter how many times you vacuum.

Consider getting rid of carpets.
Window treatments can be a problem too as they can get really dusty if you don't clean them regularly.
No pets.
Depending on how old your home is it might be worth it to have your air ducts cleaned out.
Our first home was 21 yrs old when we bought it.
We had the ducts cleaned and out came heaps of pet hair, dirt, some Lego pieces, some coins and other junk that had dropped in - it was truly amazing how much dirt was in there.
We don't often open our windows - it tends to let in too much pollen.
Consider covering upholstered furniture with throw covers that are easily washable.

We got rid of carpet, and have hardwoods, and we don't put curtains up. We just do blinds. My husband and oldest son have both. And they have had allergy shots. My son was done with his program years ago, and it changes his life for the better. My husband just started his shot program, and he is hoping it will help him soon. And we bathe our dog regularly. My husband and son are allergic to nearly everything outside, and dogs and cats. And we have a dog and cat, and they aren't bothered too much by them.

Sounds like you're doing well so far, some of the things I was going to suggest you have already done, so that's great! I have cat allergies and no longer have indoor cats, but when I did, I noticed a night and day difference if the cats were bathed at least every 2 weeks. We aren't talking miracle shampoo here, just baby shampoo, it made all the difference in the world! Do you have birds? They were a big trigger for me, I had to just get rid of mine and I saw a world of difference there too. I say get rid of the carpet if at all possible, its a total trap of dust and mites no matter what kind of vacuum you use. I noticed my allergies go absolutely wild whenever we would steam clean the carpet, always right after, so that tells me that a simple steam clean is not a cure for that problem! You can never really clean that carpet. Another thing...an allergist told me years ago to avoid a real Christmas tree as well as any indoor plants because they can irritate us as well. Keeping the shower/bathroom mold and mildew free helps a ton too. I feel your pain, I am terrified to begin my day tomorrow without my Allegra D, I took the last pill today and will not be able to get to the pharmacy soon enough! Oh...I am sure you know this...make sure those heater/ac filters get switched out frequently...I have been pondering trying the vent filters too, we are all a mess here...its a work in progress for us too. Good luck!! Oh...ps...a friend told me that he always changes his clothes after spending a while outside, has worked wonders for us...totally worth the trouble!

YES!

First of all we made our daughters room a air sanctuary. Her room got the most attention with the cleaning.

We ripped up all carpets in the whole house and have all wood floors, No fabric drapes. We just have mini blinds.

We placed a Hunter air filter in her room. The company suggest you change the air filter every 8 to 12 weeks? But I noticed we had to change it every 4 to 6 weeks depending on the time of year. I actually always tried to have 3 extra filters, just in case I could not make it to the store as needed.

We kept her bedroom door closed as much as possible.

Yes, we had an excellent vacuum cleaner and also started using the swifter when it came out on the market.

Her stuffed toys were kept in one container and every once in a while I ran them through the Dryer on the "air setting" you would be amazed how much dust those things collect each month.

Each time we purchased bed linens for her room. I purchased 2 comforters and 2 to 3 sets of sheets. I tried to wash her comforter about every 3 weeks. Since if faded from all of the washings, when we were having guests, I would then use the not faded comforter. It was kept in its original zippered bag in her closet.

We had HEPA filters for the house Air conditioning system too.

The moment we purchased that electric air filter for her room, we saw immediate results.

FYI, by about 5th grade, she grew out of all of the asthma stuff. She is an adult now but is still careful on Ozone action days and when the Smoke or volcanic ash passes through Austin.. But over all has totally out grown her respiratory problems.

It really depends what your allergy is to. If it's pollens, then you want to keep your windows closed and AC on to keep the pollens outdoors. If it's dust, then opening the windows to let the dust out can help.

Here are some suggestions for dust allergies:
Replace miniblinds with shades to minimize dust.
Minimal, if any, curtains. I prefer a simple washable valance with shades.

And, not dust related, but the biggest for us - we don't have any pets, even though we all love dogs.

I think you've already done most of what I would've suggested. One thing I've heard (but that we haven't done) is have hard surface flooring (wood, tile, etc.) in lieu of carpeting as much as possible. I also switched to using natural based bathroom cleaners or just vinegar and baking soda. The strong bathroom cleaners I used previously bothered both me and my husband. My husband and oldest son both have asthma and allergies and I have viral-induced asthma. If you have pets keep them out of the bedrooms of the people who have asthma and allergies.

You don't mention the type of flooring you have, but hardwood, linoleum, vinyl, etc is ideal. We moved from a home that had wall-to-wall carpet to a home with all hardwoods. We have actually been able to take my son off one of his allergy meds, and I think this is a lot of the reason why.
Also, you can get an allergen air filter for your central air/heating system. They are more pricey, but I think they actually do make a difference for my son.

Our in-home humidifier seems to have really helped me. It seems to keep the air cleaner, maybe the water droplets catches the dust or stuff in the air then it falls to the floor instead of being breathed in.

Just try to have humidifiers without filters and do use distilled water instead of household water from the city unless it's highly filtered.

We have hardwood floors and no pets.

Would you consider getting a robot vaccum/ mop? They are a bit pricey. We run ours about 2+ times a week. We find that if our floors are cleaner, the rest of the house remains cleaner.

I test allergic to all trees, all grasses, chocolate, soy, almonds and cherries. I've recently grown allergic to cats too, and have trouble with heavy doses of milk products (esp ice cream). Most of the time my allergies aren't problematic. Having said that, some precautions I use include-

the robot floor cleaners
hardwoord floors
I wash with ivory
we don't have curtains or blinds, just rice paper vinyl decals on the windows for privacy.
I wash my face and hands and shower 2+ times a day (just a rinse).
we take our shoes off.

This might/ might not seem obvious, but try to have a hard line decluttering of your house. the less you have around, the less you have to clean/ have dust settle on. This includes pareing down your wardrobe, shoes, purses, holiday decorations, table settings, books, toys, electronics etc.

Best,
F. B.