spring cleaning_allergies

Seven Spring Cleaning Tips from Bernstein Allergy Group

If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma or allergies, then it is a good idea to keep a home as clean as possible. Spring is the perfect time to eliminate allergens that cause health problems.

Wear a Mask over Your Nose and Mouth

When you are cleaning your home, wear a special mask over your nose and mouth so that you won’t breathe in dust, pollen and pet dander. You can find these masks at local home improvement stores, and while you are shopping, you should also look for plastic gloves and an assortment of cleaning supplies.

Eliminate Clutter from Your Home First

Eliminating the clutter from your home will make it easier to keep it clean each week, but it also reduces the surfaces that can collect household dust. You can streamline your home so that you don’t have as much artwork on the walls or decorative objects on the bookshelves. Make sure to eliminate the clutter that is inside your home’s closets and cabinets.

Work from the Top to the Bottom of a Room

Begin in the corner of a room that is away from a door or an entranceway, and also, work from the top to the bottom of the room. You can climb on a ladder to wash the ceiling or upper areas of the walls, but if this is too difficult, then use a sponge mop to wash the walls and the ceilings. Make sure to remove items from the walls along with moving furniture to the middle of the room before you begin scrubbing the drywall.

Use Bleach to Wash Away Mold

If you find mold on the windowpanes or other areas of a home, then use bleach to wash it away, making sure to keep your mask on to avoid breathing in the mold spores. Mold can also grow on other areas of a home, but you can mix a solution of water and bleach in a spray bottle to eliminate the contamination.

Wet Dusting

With wet dusting, you will use damp paper towels or cleaning cloths to wash away dust, pollen, and dander. This will pick up the debris rather than making it enter the air where it will settle on other items in your home. Rinse the paper towels frequently to get rid of as much dust and allergens as possible.

Vacuuming Debris

Use your vacuum cleaner to suction the debris from your home’s upholstered furniture, floors, and carpets. Empty the vacuum cleaner’s dirt holder frequently to remove the allergens from your home as fast as possible.

Wash Draperies

The draperies in your home are often covered with pollen and household dust, but you can wash the items in a washing machine. If the draperies require dry-cleaning instead, then arrange to take the window coverings to a local dry cleaner.