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Good housekeeping can help fight indoor allergies

By Tim Brust
Special to The Times
Even in mid-winter, when the grass and pollens outside are gone, some people still suffer from watery eyes and a runny nose.

While allergic reactions to things outside the home are common, inside allergies are just as common.

“The major source of inside allergies are dust mites and pets,” said Dr. Mona Imam, who specializes in allergies, asthma and immunology.

The problem with the dust mites, tiny insects that feed on dust inside the home, is not the insect itself, but its waste products. Pet hair and pets’ microscopic dander are both possible allergens.

Imam said another allergy-producing source is mold and mildew. Mold can grow in various parts of the house, particularly where it’s wet or damp. That includes bathrooms and kitchens and even around outside walls if water is penetrating from the outside.

Mold may also grow in the refrigerator.

Imam said it’s impossible to say if a typical outside allergy is any worse than a typical inside allergy. She notes that for the patient, the worst allergy is the one they’re suffering from.

There is one big difference, though. While outside allergies may occur only when a specific plant or group of plants is blooming, inside allergies can afflict sufferers nearly year-round.

Imam said for some, inside allergies are worse in the morning when they wake up and sometimes in certain parts of the home if the allergy source is more prevalent, such as the room where a pet sleeps or a hot or humid part of the home where mold is present.

It might not be possible to eliminate all the potential indoor allergy threats, but there are strategies to help minimize them.

Pet allergies may be the easiest to control. The most direct method is to find the pet a new home or keep it outside. Beyond that, animals should be bathed
regularly and kept out of rooms where the allergic person spends the most time.
Thorough cleaning of carpets, upholstery, bed linens and plush toys can help reduce the number of dust mites. Make sure to wash pillow cases, sheets and other items in hot water. Hardwood or vinyl surfaces don’t harbor dust mites as carpeting does. If carpeting is used, it should have a low pile.

Mold can sometimes grow in areas you can’t see, but scrubbing floors, walls and other surfaces in kitchens, basements and bathrooms inhibits its growth. These surfaces can be treated with chemicals that discourage mold growth.
Becky Carpenter’s son, Derek, had a number of allergies when he was younger. Carpenter, of Belpre, said at that time they vacuumed every day to keep the amount of dust down. In warm weather the windows were kept closed and the air conditioner kept on to keep pollens from coming inside the home.

Each spring the basement was given a good scrubbing to control mold.

“You have to make sure you wash it down with bleach water,” she said.
Zyrtec.com suggests electric or hot water heat is better than other systems because they don’t spread dust and mold throughout the house. It also recommends avoiding the use of fireplaces or wood-burning stoves. A dehumidifier, it says, helps keep the air dry and reduces mold growth.