Avoiding Allergies in Your Home
Millions of Americans struggle with allergies. Howell Furniture wants you to ensure your home doesn’t add to the suffering. How easy it is to clean and the available surface area of your furniture all contribute to how allergens affect your home. Consider the following when trying to reduce the allergens in your home to keep you and your family breathing clean air.
How to Avoid Allergens in Your Sofas, Loveseats, and Chairs
Tommy Bahama Upholstery Shoal Creek Sofa
by Tommy Bahama Home
SKU: LL7722-33
Use Dust Proof Materials
The best materials to help people with allergies are leather and synthetic leather. Unlike woven fabrics that trap dust and pet hair, these materials have a solid uniform surface that does not hold allergens and are easy to clean. If you are wanting to purchase a woven fabric furniture piece, then choose one that is tightly woven to minimize the ability for the fabric to trap allergens.
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Raise the Base
Choosing furniture that raises the bottom piece off of the floor allows increased air flow and an easily cleanable floor surface below the furniture. This can reduce allergens in your home if swept, mopped, or vacuumed regularly. Sofas or chairs that have lower legs risk the chance of dust and mold accumulation which can make it difficult to breathe and can worsen allergies.
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Try an Alternative
For allergy sufferers, futons or day beds can be a great alternative to sofas or loveseats. They are available in standard mattress sizes which allows them to be fully covered by standard allergy-proof mattress covers that are waterproof and dust-repellent to protect your futon or day bed from allergens at every angle. An added bonus to these are that they allow for an extra place for guests to sleep.
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Other Things to Consider
Remove Carpeting
Carpet can accumulate a lot of dust over time. Dust mites get deep into the fibers and sometimes vacuuming is not enough. Making the switch to hardwood floors with rugs that can be washing in hot water can help reduce these allergens from lingering.
Avoid Clutter
Consider choosing storage pieces that shield your belongs to prevent dust from settling in nooks and crannies around your house.
Get Good Pillows
While it’s good hygiene to replace your pillows every six months, try to avoid fluffy pillows as they have more surface area to collect dust. Pillows that have smooth, tightly woven fabrics won’t collect as many allergens.
Helpful Tips
Use a HEPA Air Purifier and Vacuum Cleaner
A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arresting) filter is 99.97% effective at catching airborne dust particles and dust mite debris that could worsen your allergies. It also captures other smaller particles like smoke, chemicals, pollen, and pet dander.
Freeze Pillows and Stuffed Animals
If you can't wash items, you can place them in the freezer for 24 hours to kill dust mites. Shake them vigorously afterwords to remove debris. If you are lucky enough to live in a climate below freezing, placing items outside works too!
Invest in a Dehumidifier
Because dust mites flourish in humid places, it’s important to keep your home below 50% humidity.
Use a Steam Cleaner
Washing items in water above 130 degrees fahrenheit kills dust mites. If you have furniture or fabrics that can be steamed clean, this is an option. Make certain that these items completely dry out. Follow up by vacuuming or strongly shaking the item outside to remove debris.