Allergy Friendly Bedroom Makeover
Recently I was invited to attend a webinar with AllerEase and Dr. Neeta Ogden, an allergy specialist, to learn about allergy friendly bedroom makeovers. Many, if not all of us, have some kind of allergies at some point in time, or at least some symptoms relating from allergens. Yes, there are medicines we can take and natural remedies as well for relief from symptoms, but there are also a lot of things we can do to at least keep those allergens from entering our bedroom. After all- our bodies need to be rested to fight off germs and allergens, and if those allergens are in our bedroom with us, how will we be able to fight them off? With global warming, allergy seasons are hitting harder and lasting longer. We can all take a few steps to keep allergens out of the bedroom!
Here are some tips for an allergy friendly bedroom makeover:
Got pets? That’s great!! BUT...
Brushing and washing your pet will help with dander- helps reduce exposure. Persons with allergies to dander shouldn’t be the ones doing the brushing, and never inside! Never, ever brush your pet in your bedroom!
No pets allowed- If your dog is a long haired dog – or even short- they are bringing pollen back into the home. Think of when they shake! Keep them OUT of bedrooms!
We’ll just caption this one “Do as I say, not as I do” because she is NOT allowed upstairs but clearly, I’m not the best enforcer!
Hose down paws- yes. I’m serious. Or, do what our old neighbors did, and train your dog to step in a basin of water before entering the house. She had our Tobey doing it when she watched him for one week. (And within a day he was untrained, but that was us, not him!)
Air purifier– if you can afford one, get one. Even just for your bedroom, although whole house purifiers are great.
Vacuum lampshades and ceiling fans at least once a week. Choose simple lampshades without a lot of detail- they serve as good spots to collect dust.
Clear it out! Clutter attracts dust and mites love dust– so SKIP clutter. Especially in the bedroom. Bedrooms are for rest and sleep. This includes ON the bed. Especially with kids- LESS stuffed animals! Mine all have a lovey, but when we got them, we made sure to get ones that would hold up to being washed frequently. We can’t get around them so we do what we can to keep them allergen free.
This is about as much “stuff” as we allow on beds now. Can’t do away with the loveys!
Clean up! People with seasonal allergies should always shower at night – all of those allergens are in the air, and get into your hair and on your skin, so if you don’t shower, you’re bringing the allergens into your bed and surrounding yourself with them.
Bed Linens need your attention. Be aggressive about exposure to allergens. There are things you can do before medication- saline mist, showers, air purifiers, be diligent about washing bedding!
Regular mattress covers miss the bottom. That leaves you open to exposure!
Washing schedule: pillows once a week, bedding once a week, including mattress cover. Mattress covers should have 6 point zipper coverage- which means it should cover the sides, top and bottom of your mattress. So invest in mattress covers 2 per bed at your house. Each pillow should also have a zippered cover and you should have 2 covers per pillow. Comforters should be washed once a month, and more frequently if your allergies are more severe. Blankets should be done weekly with the sheets.
Zip the mattress in and then cover to keep those allergens OUT!
Most of our (well, 95%) pillow protectors and mattress covers are from AllerEase– they are so easy to find, and come at such an affordable price, it doesn’t break the bank when I’m getting 2 sets of everything per family member. I’ve found other brands but they cost a lot more and I have yet to find any that hold up better than AllerEase, so we’ll stick with what we know and trust.
Blinds not drapes– as for window covers and treatments, before buying, look how easy they are to clean and what you need to do to clean them!! We have all simple to wash and simple to get on/off rods in order to keep our window treatments cleaned frequently. Skip the fabric shades. They love to collect dust and allergens in all of their fibers. We actually had cellular shades in every upstairs window before this webinar. They’ve all come down and won’t be replaced. We’ll just stick with washable window treatments from here on out!
No carpet- just rugs that can be washed- wall to wall carpet is not your friend if you have seasonal allergies. If you can avoid having it, do so.
No shoes in bedroom– this isn’t just for folks with allergies. Just- YUCK. Think for a minute about where your feet take you in the course of a day and then think hard before having those same shoes on your feet where you sleep!
Allergies aren’t fun. They can be a nightmare, in fact. But there are a lot of things we can do to keep them out of our beds so that our bodies can get an allergen-free rest to fight off the allergens the next day! Keep it simple, and keep it washable, so you can have an allergy free bedroom sanctuary.
How do you create your allergy friendly bedrooms?
Thanks to AllerEase for inviting me to the webinar and for the product samples and gift card!
Tiffany Hathorn says
I need this! I have really bad allergies. My son, however, could probably eat anything while traipsing through poison ivy and would be fine, lol. I’m glad I’m the one with all of the allergies.
Lynndee says
We always have bad seasonal allergies over here and we have carpets in all bedrooms. Ugh! Thanks for the tips.
Rose Cottrill says
We just moved in to our new home and my son is gaving allergic reaction to something. He is having hives and I am freaking out. Great tips!
Lori Felix says
I try my best to keep an allergy friendly bedroom but it is difficult with owning a dog that refuses to be left out of the room lol. I wash everything that can be washed regularly and have Buddy washed and groomed frequently to minimize allergens in the bedroom.
Stephanie Pass says
I have very bad allergies, but we haven’t been able to afford to pull up all the carpet just yet. I would love to be able to do that soon.
Up Run For Life says
I am hoping that we can rip up the carpet in our house sooner than later. I know the carpet is my enemy when it comes to allergies. I also need to be more diligent about cleaning house.
Jeanine says
Wonderful tips! We think our oldest is dealing with seasonal allergies so we are trying to deal with that the best we can!
The Cubicle Chick says
Allergies are no fun. I’ve considered investing in shoe covers for guests so they don’t track those outside elements into the house. – Yolonda
Michele D says
I love all your tips. It’s so important to think of different ways that can help with allergies.
OurFamilyWorld says
We have a whole slew of allergy sufferers in the house. These are very helpful tips. I make sure the bedroom linen is washed every week and the house is very clean to minimize sneezing.
Kelly Hutchinson says
This is great. I have cats and my daughter is not quite allergic but these still help wonders!
lisa says
I’m thankful we don’t have terrible allergies in our house. We do try to keep allergens down by minimizing dust collecting items like stuffed animals, and cleaning linens often.
Terri Beavers says
My grandkids have bad allergies, they get it from me and I got it from my mom and I’m sure she got it from her mom. I’m going to have a house free of kids this weekend and I’m going to use your tips to get the house allergy friendly so when they get back from camp, it will be all ready for them.
Marge S. says
Great tips, Brett! I read somewhere recently that you can kill the dust mites in your kids’ stuffed animals by putting them in the freezer overnight. I guess you’d have to do it on a regular basis, like monthly.
I’m going to pin this article on my Allergies board. Thanks!
Brett says
I have heard that too. Ours go in the wash on hot water with the sheets!
Dee says
I suffer from seasonal allergies and you give some really good points. Only one point I won’t be able to do and that is kick out my furry friend. I am so use to having him in the room that not letting sleep at the foot of the bed would feel strange to me.
Brett says
I know. It’s not easy to keep them away from the bedroom!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I have to get some of these for every bedroom in the house. We live in Georgia. As you know, Georgia is the capitol of Pollen Country.