Reduce Winter Allergens And Breathe Easier All Winter Long
One in five people suffer from winter allergies and, if you’re that one, you know how miserable it can make you feel. Allergies to dust mites, mold, pollens, pet dander, and hair can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as:
- Coughing
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Sneezing and runny nose
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing
People mistakenly blame the cold weather for the problems. But chances are, the biggest triggers for winter allergies are right in your own home where people spend more time during the winter months. Concrete Craft® would love to help you make your home more allergen-free and safe for your family this winter and all year long. Here are some of the causes and corrective measures that can be taken to free your home from allergens.
Common causes for winter allergies
Dust, in all its many forms, is the main culprit for setting off indoor allergies according to emedicinehealth.com. House dust is a mixture of everything from food to clothes to furniture, including human, pet, mold, and plant residuals. In the wintertime, homes are sealed against the cold, keeping everything inside where house dust coats every surface. Irritants can take surprising forms:
- Furnaces can expel dust, mold spores, and insect parts along with warm air.
- Pets may spend more time indoors, obliging with pet dander, saliva, and urine.
- Dampness inside and out encourages mold and bacteria growth on surfaces that don’t dry out.
- Fresh Christmas trees and pine wreaths can bring in mold, chemicals, and strong odors.
- Holiday decorations and displays provide more surfaces to accumulate dust.
- Floor coverings can trap dust and dirt in fibers, grout lines, and on rough surfaces.
- Window curtains attract dust and absorb smoke odors from fireplaces, cooking, or smoking.
Steps to eliminate allergy triggers
Since the best way to relieve allergy symptoms is to take preventive measures, here are some suggestions for reducing and eliminating indoor allergens so everyone can breathe easier:
- Clean the air of pollens, dust, mold spores, and smoke by using an air purification system with HEPA filters that remove at least 99.97% of 0.3 micrometers airborne pollutants for cleaner air.
- Protect mattresses, box springs, and pillows with washable, allergy-proof removable covers. Wash bedding every week and make bedrooms pet-free zones to eliminate pet dander. (Check out Allergy Guard Direct for 100% cotton covers.)
- Use window blinds and shutters instead of fabric window coverings that trap dust and dirt in the folds. Vacuum window coverings once a week to eliminate dust buildup. Choose washable fabrics for curtains or drapes so you can keep them clean.
- Replace air filters as recommended for your heating and cooling system, using filters with a high range MERV rating (12-13) for the best filtration.
- Prevent mold by controlling moisture throughout your home. Dry off surfaces where water collects, like shower walls and around bathtubs and kitchen sinks.
- Ventilate windowless rooms (including attics) with exhaust fans that circulate to the outside.
- When weather permits, open the windows and doors for a bit of fresh air.
- Periodically check under sinks for any leaks that could create a moist environment for mold to grow. Invest in a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air.
- Brush and groom pets outside or in the garage to reduce hair and pet dander inside.
- Dust regularly with a microfiber cloth and vacuum with a HEPA filter for maximum removal of allergens.
- Learn helpful cleaning tips to combat allergies and asthma from cleaninginstitute.org.
- Replace carpet with decorative concrete floors that are easy to keep clean and allergen-free.
Decorative concrete floors for a cleaner living
Since your floors are the largest surface in the house that collects dust, replacing dust-grabbing carpet with decorative concrete interior floors will help sustain a cleaner, dust-free environment. The non-porous sealed surface resists moisture and stains so spills and messes wipe right up with no lingering residue or odor, including pet accidents. Decorative concrete’s moisture resistance inhibits the growth of mold and mildew in rooms where moisture can be a problem, like kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, and mudrooms. You can shut down any hidden mold-producing spots before they get started!
- Bathrooms stay cleaner since no water gets absorbed around fixtures, tubs, and showers. Any spills can be wiped up leaving a completely dry surface.
- Kitchen floors are notorious for spills of all kinds and stained decorative concrete resists difficult stains like tomato sauce, grape juice, and greasy foods.
- Basements will no longer be damp and cold with a moisture barrier and decorative concrete overlay that transform the basement into a beautifully comfortable room.
Throughout your home, decorative concrete floors will help to create a cleaner environment that is easy to maintain with a dust mop and occasional wet mopping. Use a neutral-pH cleaner like Palmolive dish soap that doesn’t contain strong chemicals, another possible allergy trigger. Living rooms, family rooms, and bedrooms will all stay more allergen-free with decorative concrete floors. Adorn, accent, and add softness with washable area rugs that can easily be kept clean.
Unlimited style and design potential
With decorative concrete overlays from Concrete Craft, there is no limit to the style of flooring you can enjoy. With stained concrete, stamped concrete, stenciling, and custom hand-cut faux stone designs, you can have any type of floor you want. From the look of polished marble to hand-carved flagstone, there are myriad designs and styles to choose from to achieve authentic stone and wood finishes: cobblestone, tile, brick, Ashlar slate, Roman slate, wood plank, and more. These four floors are just a sampling of how decorative concrete floors can enhance your entire home with durable beauty and outstanding value while providing ongoing health benefits.
Let Concrete Craft help to make your home more allergen-free by replacing carpet and other floorings with decorative concrete overlays that repel dust to keep your whole home cleaner. Contact us or go to www.concretecraft.com to find the Concrete Craft location nearest you and request a FREE estimate to make your home safer. We can also update a smoke-covered fireplace with vertical concrete resurfacing in faux stone or wood designs with a sealed surface to repel dust and soot buildup. Make this the winter you tell those allergies goodbye!