Allergies are terrible, especially indoors. To make things worse, getting home for a well-earned shut-eye only to start sneezing and coughing will wear you down pretty quickly.
The good news is that with the help of these tips, you can make your bedroom a safe zone, and you may finally put your allergies to sleep. Read more to learn about them!
Why do my allergies trigger inside my room?
No, your bedroom isn't haunted or holds a grudge against you. The real answer is more boring than that: dirt, not as in grimy walls or floors, but more like dust, pet dander, and dust mites (even mold spores) hidden in nooks and crannies, ingrained in fabrics or floating in the air.
But why would there be more dirt in your room than in the rest of your house? There's not a single answer; it actually is due to a combination of different factors and not that you are bad at cleaning. Check out three of the most common causes:
- Sometimes the bedroom appears to be not as dirty as other areas of the house, like the living room or kitchen. So, you may have been focusing your cleaning efforts in those areas more often.
- As you spend many hours sleeping on your bed, most of the dead skin you shed ends up there, making it a lovely place for dust mites to live and feed.
- Bedrooms are usually smaller than kitchens or living rooms, meaning they have worse ventilation than the rest of the house. This causes the dust to resettle instead of going out with the airflow.
How to make your bedroom allergy-free
While you won't get your room hospital-grade clean, the following tips will help you make your space somewhere you can rest instead of dealing with a runny nose. Keep in mind that, although useful by themselves, you need to apply more than one tip to really notice the results.
Tip #1. Declutter your space
Let's start with an easy one: tidy up your bedroom.
Piled-up clothes and shoes, bags lying around, things stored under your bed, or knick-knacks on the furniture become spaces for dust or critters to settle, increasing the number of allergens in the bedroom.
To solve this problem, store things you don't use that often in boxes, and hang up clothes and accessories as soon as possible instead of letting them lay on the floor or bed. Tidying up your room will also free up space to carry out the next tip more effectively.
Tip #2. Vacuum and dust regularly
This tip is a simple yet effective solution. As dust carries a lot of allergens (especially during springtime), you'll have lower chances of getting allergy symptoms by not letting them into your room.
Dust and vacuum your room weekly to keep dust levels low. If you already do it that often, try dusting twice a week. Besides the frequency, the tools you use also matter; for example, microfiber cloths work better to trap dust than regular rags or feather dusters.
Similarly, consider that older vacuum cleaners tend to release more fine dust back into the air than newer ones. So, if you were already considering replacing your old machine, this could finally be your chance.
Tip #3. Keep your windows closed
What better way to lower the number of allergens in your room than keeping them outside? So, as soon as that season when your allergies act up starts, make sure to close the windows in your bedroom.
Sure, it may seem this tip goes against achieving good airflow, but there are ways to overcome the issue, like turning a fan or your room's AC on. However, make sure they keep clean; otherwise, they'll only spread dust instead of improving the air quality.
Note: If closing the windows in your bedroom isn't an option, consider investing in an air purifier to place by the window.
Tip #4. Wash bedding and covers with hot water
Until now, we've only talked about how to prevent allergens by tackling dust in your bedroom. However, getting rid of dust mites in your bed is equally essential, as they can turn your relaxing sleep time into a nightmare.
The best way to eliminate dust mites is to wash your sheets and pillow covers weekly with hot water. As dust mites can't stand very high temperatures, the hot setting on the washing machine will do the trick.
Note: If you want to be extra careful, consider switching to dust-proof bedding and covers—ideally, the ones with pores small enough to block allergens.
Tip #5. Keep humidity low
You should know that humidity plays a big part in keeping allergies active. How? Well, mold and dust mites thrive in environments with humidity levels over 50%. Fair, you don't carry a humidity sensor everywhere you go, so the fix here is to keep humidity levels as low as possible.
Although you can buy an electric dehumidifier for your bedroom, the investment isn't mandatory. Instead, you can go with disposable dehumidifiers that also do the job perfectly and can last up to three months!
Also, if you have plants inside your bedroom, consider placing them somewhere else. The same goes for line-drying clothes inside your home. If you don't keep good airflow, the evaporated water will fill the air, paving the road for mildew, mold, and dust mites to appear.
Tip #6. Make your bedroom a pet-free zone
Pet dander sticks everywhere, so if you let your furry pal roam freely through your room or sleep with you, you may experience harsher allergy symptoms—especially at night!
Commit to making your bedroom a no-pet area. We understand; keeping your pets outside your bedroom can be tough if you're accustomed to their company, but necessary to keep your allergies at bay.
Tip #7. Consider removing rugs or dust-gathering fabrics
Keeping your bedroom allergen-free can be harder if you have items that make dust easier to settle and accumulate.
You can take out rugs or switch your blinds for synthetic ones to minimize the amount of dust—the fewer extra fabrics you keep in your room, the fewer chances for your allergies to act up.
Extra tip: Get help from our cleaning professionals!
As you see, keeping your space tidy and clean is essential to prevent your allergies from firing up. However, thoroughly cleaning your room may take more time than you may have. Luckily, Rain City Maids can gladly take over your cleaning duties!
Let our thoroughly trained professionals clean your bedroom (and the rest of your house) and say goodbye to allergies. Book with us now!
