Dust, pet hair and pollen elimination are big parts of spring cleaning and eventually make people healthier in this season.
“Thoroughly cleaning your home can help eliminate allergens and keep new ones from easily entering,” said allergist James Sublett, president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI).
“Allergy season can last all year for those sensitive to indoor allergens, but it can worsen in the spring months when pollen becomes an issue,” said Sublett in an ACAAI press release.
The organization offered tips for spring cleaning in a way that causes minimal disruption to people prone to asthma attacks and allergies, such as being cautious when opening windows to limit the number of allergens entering one’s home, regularly cleaning pets’ hair from the home, not allowing pets into the bedroom and regularly changing air filters.
“It’s important to remove allergens from the home so you can lead a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Sublett.
And last but not least, those especially prone to allergies should avoid going outside during mid-day and the afternoon, when pollen counts are the highest.
Written by Varsha Tickoo, Community Health Programs Specialist at El Camino Hospital. Please visit the hospital’s Health Library and Resource Center to access helpful information and a vast array of resources that promote healthful living!
This article first appeared in the April 2016 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
