Defuse indoor allergy triggers
By:Norma Flanagan
Tips for 4-H and Youth

Pets, cleaners and even stuffed animals could be a source.

The usual culprits of an indoor allergy attack are unwanted guests like dust, mold, insects and rodents.

Spring has sprung the pollen season. Little can be done to control allergens outside. But you can knock out the ones inside with a bit of cleaning and prevention.

Many everyday items in homes trigger allergies. The best way to prevent allergies is to remove the cause. There are simple things you can do to eliminate these causes.

Throw out pillows once a year and wash your sheets every week to get rid of dust mites. Dusty stuffed animals can also trigger allergies in children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

Stuffed animals are dust magnets. To kill dust mites on stuffed animals, you can put them in a plastic bag and freeze them.

Changing the air filters in your house every three months and replacing them with pleated filters, which catch more dust than regular filters, can make a huge difference in allergies.

Keeping your house below 60 percent humidity and cool prevent mold growth. Mold grows better in warm, moist environments.

You can bring outdoor allergy triggers inside.

The things you and your pets track into your house can cause reactions. Taking your shoes off when you come inside prevents you from bringing these contaminants into your home.

Many people sleep with their pets and have them in their bedrooms. It is better to remove them form your sleeping space and bed to prevent them form triggering allergies.

In addition to removing the source of allergy triggers, the cleanliness of your house and the products you use to clean it also affect indoor allergies.

Cleaning and getting rid of the dust in your house is a major way you can reduce allergic reactions. Also, maintaining your house so you don't have leaks and holes will prevent mold growth and keep pests from coming in.

It also helps to declutter your home. A lot of stuff gives dust more surfaces to land on.

Choose cleaning products wisely. Some can cause reactions, too. Many people are allergic to volatile organic compounds in many household cleaners, even those found in what are called 'green' cleaners.

Limit the number of cleaners you use, and don't use too much of any product.

Heap vacuum cleansers also work well to reduce dust and dust mites, but just vacuuming regularly helps.

The most important part of keeping indoor allergies at bay is to keep your home clean and remove the sources of allergy triggers.