After dealing with the long and cold winter season, the first signs of spring are typically embraced with open arms. However, pollen and other allergens can ruin the beautiful weather by triggering allergies in many people. Allergens are unavoidable, unfortunately, but there are ways to reduce the allergens in your home.

Let’s take a look at some allergens that may be hiding right under your nose, as well as how to deal with them.

Common Indoor Allergens

If you are regularly experiencing a runny nose, watery eyes, or itchy skin, it’s likely that your home is plagued with indoor allergens. There are four types of household allergens that you will likely encounter in your home.

• • Dust mites: These microscopic insect-like mites cannot harm us, but they thrive on dead skin cells and in humid settings. The proteins in the dust that comes from their feces or decaying bodies is what triggers an allergy in people.

• • Pet dander: Even households that don’t have a pet of their own can have pet dander in them. Like dust mites, the proteins in pet dander cause an allergic reaction.

• • Mold: Mold thrives in damp and humid areas. While mold is not as dangerous as it is often framed to be, it can still be detrimental to your health.

• • Pollen: Although pollen is mostly an outdoor allergen, it can be brought inside by our clothes, pets, and open doors and windows. It can be helpful to change out of clothes and shoes after you come back home from being outside, as well as wiping off your pets’ paws.

Of course, these are not the only things that can trigger a person’s allergies, and a person’s sensitivity to each type of allergen varies greatly.

Next, let’s take a look at some surprising places where these allergens may be found.

Pillows

Pillows and other bedding often accumulate hair and dead skin cells, which makes your bed a breeding ground for dust mites. If you often sleep with an open window, you may also attract outdoor allergens like pollen. And lastly, allowing your pets on your bed means you will have pet dander on your bed.

The best way to prevent these allergens from irritating you is to regularly wash your pillows and bedding. There are also pillowcases and bed covers that provide protection from moisture and allergens.

Air Ducts

If you are someone who regularly maintains your home’s HVAC unit, it’s likely that you are already cleaning your air ducts. If you are not cleaning your air ducts, however, you should make it a regular part of your home maintenance routine.

Your air ducts are likely accumulating dust, debris, and could even have rodents or insects hiding in them. All of these things in your air ducts means that allergens are being pumped into your home.

Indoor Plants

It’s likely that you have heard that indoor plants are often very beneficial to your home’s air quality. While this can be true, it is also true that mold can grow in the soil of your plants. This can be prevented by using drainage pots, as well as ensuring that you don’t overwater your plants.

Cleaning Indoor Air

In general, the best way to prevent allergies in your home is to use indoor air filters. There are different types of air filters for various needs; for example, you can purchase air filters that specifically prevent mold and allergens.

If you use our indoor air quality services, we will walk you through every step of the installation process. If you are unsure of the state of your indoor air quality, we can also give you a quick air quality test. Then we will gladly help you figure out what to do next, no matter the results. Contact us today if you have any questions on indoor air quality and allergens.