Is there an allergy sufferer in your family?

Allergy UK has just run its latest annual awareness week to draw attention to the plight of the many allergy sufferers across the country. During the week, the charity put the spotlight on allergies and found ways to get people talking about the problem in an attempt to keep them top of mind.

Allergens found within the home can cause a number of different conditions such as perennial allergic rhinitis and asthma. As with all allergies, there are ways you can help reduce symptoms and keep them under control. Here are a few useful tips to consider if there’s an allergy sufferer living in your home:

• It is estimated that an average bed has over 10,000 house dust mites living in it, which results in over 2 million droppings. Cover duvets and pillows with anti-allergy bedding covers and encase the mattress in a barrier cover. Wash all the bed linen weekly at 60 degrees using non-bio detergent to kill mites and their allergens
• Keep the bedrooms well-ventilated and the windows slightly open at night. Then open the window in the morning to air the room, except during the pollen season when you should make sure the window is closed in the early morning and early evening
• You should consider replacing curtains in the bedroom of the allergy sufferer with a roller blind. If you do have curtains then wash them every 3 months at a high temperature
• If you have a child with soft toys, keep them in a drawer rather than on the bed and wash them weekly at 60 degrees with non-bio washing powder or liquid. This avoids the house dust mites building up
• Vacuum carpets weekly, but be aware that this increases the amount of house dust mite allergen in the air for 20 minutes. So, if possible, ask someone else to do the vacuuming and wait 20minutes before re-entering the room. One idea is to employ the help of a professional cleaner – it’s as not as if you don’t have enough on your hands already with all that laundry! Find out more about how Molly Maid, the UK’s leading residential cleaning company, can help you by ringing 0800 377 7507.

See Full Bio