Allergen avoidance strategies

House dust mite:

  • Wash your bedsheets, pillow covers, and other covers used on bed at 55-60 degree C every 1-2 week
  • Order dust-mite proof bedsheets online or get it stitched from your local tailor of impermeable material
  • Avoid moisture collection in your room: allow sun light over bed, allow cross-ventilation in bed room. Try to maintain relative humidity <50%.
  • Use HEPA filter fitted vacuum cleaners only.
  • Avoid using carpets as they are difficult to get rid of dust completely.
  • Clean the curtains, mosquito nets, and other items which can collect dust easily, reduce their use, or avoid completely wherever possible.
  • Soft toys like teddy bear are known to attract dust mites, wash them at 55-60 degree C or keep them in freezer compartment to kill the dust mites.

Pollens:

  • Know your pollen it’s pollination calendar, whether perennial or seasonal.
  • Limit your outdoor time during pollination season.
  • Track pollen calendar where feasible/possible- consult your allergist.
  • Wear full covering goggles to prevent pollens from entering your eyes.
  • Wear face mask meant to reduce pollen entry in your breath, see the label/description which comes with face mask.
  • Clean your AC filter weekly
  • Don’t dry your cloths outdoor during pollination season, instead use a cloth dryer.
  • Take a shower, wash your hairs after coming from outside.
  • You have to be extra careful during pollination season of the pollen you are allergic to.

Cockroach:

  • You and your family members should eat at the place designated for it, like in a dining room on dining table or mark a place for dining- like near kitchen (in Indian setup).
  • Avoid eating on bed, tv room, over sofa.
  • Don’t open potato chips packet over sofa/bed
  • Avoid food wastage going in sink/basin/drain
  • Clean the dining table/ dining place immediately after eating with detergent/disinfectant.
  • Try to eradicate cockroach from your house by using appropriate insecticide.
  • They are night dwellers, visible mostly in night. So if they are not visible during day time, don’t be in false belief of being free of them. They hide in dark cramped places
  • Seal cracks in floors and ceilings
  • Store all food in sealed containers
  • Don’t store waste in home

Moulds:

  • Use 5% ammonia solution or vinegar (शिरका) to remove mould from bathroom, near चापाकल, and other places. You can use food grade vinegar to clean and remove the fungus from inside of चापाकल
  • Repair any water seepage in your home.
  • There shouldn’t be any पपड़ी/ broken area of paint, plaster, सीलन.
  • Moulds/fungus grow in humid air rapidly, use dehumidifier or AC or natural ways to reduce humidity like allowing sun light and cross ventilation of air.
  • Rapair indoor water leakage immediately if any.

Pets:

  • Avoid the animal you are allergic to but don’t have to hate them! You can sill have other pets.
  • Find another home for your pet or keep them outdoor.
  • Vacuum carpets, mattresses and upholstery on daily basis
  • Use HEPA air purifier/filter to trap animal danders
  • Wash your hands after playing with pets, take a bath.
  • Change your cloth before going to work/school if you had contact with any animal known to cause allergy, it will also protect your work colleagues.

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