Cleaning Tips to Relieve Hay Fever
With the winter gone, along with its related coughs, colds and fewer germs to worry about, it might seem that you can take a little more of a relaxed approach to your cleaning regime.
However for some of us the summer months, far from being glorious, are insufferable due to hay fever, symptoms of which for some are worse than having a cold.
It’s estimated that around one in four people in the UK have hay fever and while it can be difficult to manage your exposure to grass and pollen outside (you can’t always avoid walking past your neighbour’s house when they mow their grass), there are ways to minimise the dreaded symptoms and generate a more allergy-friendly environment inside.
Here are our top cleaning tips to help relieve your hay fever at home. As a professional cleaning company, our office cleaning services can also combat hay fever symptoms during the high pollen season to keep your staff feeling the best.
Start at the Top of a Room
One of the simplest tips to help alleviate symptoms is to ensure you start cleaning from the top of the room and work your way down. By doing this any dust and dirt will fall to the floor and lower surfaces, which you can clean as you work your way down.
Starting with the ceiling, remove any cobwebs first, then dust and clean light fittings, followed by the top of your shelves downwards. Vacuum your curtains if you have them, for a more thorough cleaning.
Then finally move on to windowsills and surfaces, leaving the skirting boards till last before tackling the flooring.
Dust and Vacuum Regularly
As you know it’s especially important to keep on top of your cleaning regime during the summer months to keep allergies at bay.
One of our top recommendations is to develop a thorough cleaning schedule and outline within it, what to clean when, how and how often. This will prevent a build-up of dust and particles all of which can make seasonal hay fever worse.
When vacuuming it’s advisable to use a cleaner that has a high-efficiency particulate air filter which will trap dust and pollen particles rather than blowing them back out into the air.
For dusting it’s best to use a microfiber cloth, as it can lift and trap more dust than a regular cloth.
Clean Out All of Your Clutter
Have you ever got a box down from the top of your wardrobe and found yourself covered with dust? Any item that is left out on a shelf or ledge will attract dust, it can’t be avoided.
One of the quickest and most effective methods of reducing the dust that collects in your home is to minimise the boxes, ornaments, books, and other bits that aren’t kept in cupboards.
Cluttered shelves are also harder to clean, which will make most of us less keen to tackle them, making the situation worse.
If any of that resonates with you, perhaps it is time to reevaluate what you leave out where and see if you can clear out any unnecessary clutter, as this will really help you to minimise your allergen symptoms.
Wash Your Bedding Regularly
When snuggling up into your bed at night you might not realise that your sheets and duvet are not only covered with human hair and pet hair (if you have a pet), but also contain pollen (that will have crept in on your clothes), dust mites and other allergens. Something that you might not want to think about.
We recommend washing your bedding regularly, such as your sheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases in a hot wash once a week. Hot water is crucial for killing these dust mites and eliminating allergens.
In addition, consider vacuuming your duvet and mattress monthly.
Wear a Mask When You Clean
When cleaning it might make sense to wear a mask and to keep one outfit that you wear for the job. This is because when you’re cleaning, a high amount of dust, pollen, and particles that live on the surfaces become airborne and can be inhaled and attached to your clothing, which will make your allergies worse.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
We buy certain cleaning products because they are marketed to be the answer to our cleaning woes, however many of them contain harsh chemicals that can exacerbate allergies. It is well worth looking up the chemicals that are contained in your cleaning products to find out how they might affect the air quality in your home and their potential to increase the likelihood of any allergic reactions.
If you’d prefer to use a cleaner that is effective at removing dust and allergens but doesn’t include harsh chemicals there are a number of natural ingredients available that won’t compromise air quality and will be better for your lungs. These include white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
Hire a Professional Cleaning Company
If you feel that your home needs a rigorous deep clean to help get you started and on the right track, you may want to opt for a professional cleaner, and one that specialises in allergen removal. Professional cleaners will have the necessary skills, equipment, and materials to ensure your environment is allergy-free.
It might be that you decide you’d like to do this every six months or so, to help you to manage the allergens and dust that accumulate in your home.
Because they will have expert experience, they will also be able to provide you with helpful tips, information and best practice ideas. Why not check out our blog on how a professional cleaning company can improve your indoor air quality?
Taking all of these simple and easy steps, such as tackling clutter and wearing a mask will help to alleviate your hay fever and any allergies. Other benefits include a cleaner and tidier home, which will also help with your general well-being, so a win-win.
