Say no to mites, molds and cockroaches

Are you tired of constant trips between your doctor’s office and your local pharmacy? Does your daughter think that Claritin is a dietary supplement, or is your son’s asthma never seeming to be under control and easy nasal breathing during the day and snoring-free sleep at night are long forgotten habits in your family? If this sounds like you, then you may be ready to exert some power over the situation and allergy proof you home.

Allergies are extremely common in our society. Volumes are written on why it seems to be a growing problem, but meanwhile, the noses keep running and eyes keep itching. Many effective allergy medications have been developed, but a simple avoidance of allergen exposure remains a cornerstone of any treatment program.

This article seeks to arm you with simple techniques to decrease the amount of allergens in your home and help you to live a healthier life.

Environmental allergies come in all variety of shapes and colors. In other words, you can be allergic to just about anything from cockroaches to pollen. For the purpose of this discussion we will break them into two big categories - seasonal and perennial.

Seasonal allergens appear only during a certain time of the year, and you have no influence on the amount of them. On the other hand, perennial allergens present themselves year around and can sneak up on you at any time.

If you or your children suffer from allergic symptoms throughout the year, look very closely at your house. The most important indoor allergens are house dust mites, animal allergens, cockroaches and fungi. Let’s look at them separately.

House dust mites infest fabrics such as mattresses, bedding, rugs, clothing, upholstered furniture, and stuffed animals. The biggest exposure to their bodies and feces occurs from bedding that you lie down to sleep in after a tiring day at work. The following preventive measures are simple, easy to implement and have been proven to be effective:

• Encase pillows, mattresses and box springs into a special cover (fine weave, vapor-permeable, vinyl or plastic).
• Wash bedding weekly in hot (130-degree) water.
• Remove stuffed animals and toys from the bed.

Vacuum weekly (wear mask and leave the room for 20 minutes after cleaning) using good quality bags (double-thickness or high efficiency particulate air filter on air outlet).

If you still have energy left, and want to go to extremes, replace carpets with polished wood flooring, trade upholstered furniture for leather, vinyl, or wood, and exchange draperies for washable shades or blinds.

Animal allergens — mainly from cats, dogs, rats and mice — originate in their secretions and contaminate their fur, dander, and even your bedding. The simple measures to avoid exposure are straightforward: Do not bring a furred pet into a home and find an existing pet a new home. If you absolutely have to keep the pet, you can try the following (note that these measures are more difficult to implement and are probably less effective):

• Restrict the pet to one area or keep it out of the bedroom.
• Use high efficiency air cleaners.
• Remove carpet from the bedroom.
• Wash the pet weekly.

Cockroaches prefer kitchens and bathrooms and like to hide in cracks and crevices. Even their remains are allergenic, and therefore extermination has to be followed by extensive cleaning. The following measures could be helpful:

• Exterminate, vacuum-clean and wet-wash the house.
• Place trash outside the home daily and avoid letting dirty dishes collect in the sink.
• Store food in sealed plastic containers.
• Seal cracks and remove sources of standing water.

Fungal allergen exposures generally take place outdoors; nevertheless, some fungi may invade homes through open doors and windows and grow on a variety of materials. If you are found to be allergic to them, try the following measures:

• Keep the doors and windows closed and use air conditioning.
• Control moisture by sealing water leaks, ventilating bathrooms and kitchen, and using dehumidifiers.
• Use chlorine bleach with detergent or quaternary amine preparations to clean contaminated materials.
• Use high-efficiency air filters.
• Use a mask when cleaning contaminated materials.

Although all these measures will not guaranty you an allergy-free life, most of them are easy to implement and can help you to reduce the symptoms. If you are not sure whether or not your symptoms are actually an allergy, see your doctor for advice and possibly testing. Remember, it’s your home and it’s up to you to say no to mites and cockroaches.

— Marat Plotkin M.D.
Healthpoint Pediatrics