As winter approaches, we retreat back into our homes for warmth and shelter. However, spending more time indoors also means that we are exposed to more indoor allergens, from animal dander to mould. Read on to learn the most common allergens to avoid, as well as 5 tips on how you can help alleviate those annoying, annual allergies.
Common Allergies: Pollen, Dog Hair, and More
Some of the most common allergens include the following:
- pollen
- dust mites
- animal dander (tiny flakes of skin or hair) and cockroaches
- specific foods
- insect bites and stings
- medicines – such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and certain antibiotics
- latex
- mould – breathed in through small particles released into the air
5 Tips on How to Stop Sneezing and Get Rid of Allergies Fast
1. Regularly Dust, Vacuum, and Clean Your Home
As temperatures drop and you spend more time indoors, it’s important to make sure that you keep your home an allergen-free zone. This means that you should be regularly cleaning, dusting, and vacuuming your home to eliminate allergens such as dust mites and mould. Scrub areas that are prone to mould like bathtubs and sinks with a cleaning solution that combats mould and mildew. If you are particularly sensitive to animal dander, you may have to take extra precautions, as you and your pets spend more time in an enclosed space together during the winter. Try to wash your pets at least once a week, as well as any beds, blankets, and surfaces that they may touch. When it comes to being cautious, cleanliness is best.
2. Wash Your Clothes and Sheets Often with Hot Water
We live in our clothes and spend hours sleeping in between the sheets of our beds. However, the fibres of your clothes and sheets can harbour plenty of irritating substances that can cause your allergies to flare up. For this reason, it is necessary to wash your clothes and sheets often with hot water so that you are not constantly being bombarded with allergens all day and night.
3. Keep Indoor Air Clean and Dry with a Dehumidifier
The circulation of clean, dry air throughout your home is essential to managing allergens. Keeping a dehumidifier in your home helps remove moisture from the air, preventing the growth of mould or the thriving of dust mites, which are both known to further aggravate allergies.
4. Throw Out Carpeting, Shower Curtains, or Wall Paper that Have Mould
Mould can spread quickly and easily, especially in warm, wet, and dark places. These mould spores can provoke allergic reactions. If you do see any mould on objects in your home that can easily be thrown out and replaced, such as carpeting, shower curtains, towels, or wallpaper, it is best to get rid of them immediately. However, if you find mould on surfaces or objects that you can’t part ways with such as the walls or bathtub, there are cleaning solutions you can buy or create at home to get rid of it.
5. Take Allergy Medication—Runny Nose and Sneezing Remedies
There are many allergy medications out there to try that can help relieve some of your symptoms. With options such as decongestants, antihistamines, nasal sprays, and a choice between drowsy and non-drowsy, it is easy to find a medication that fits your needs. There are also other home remedies that you can try that are supposed to help with a runny nose and sneezing. Some of these recommended remedies include blowing your nose, drinking hot tea with honey, using a humidifier, taking a hot shower, using a warm compress, and doing a facial steam.
Go See a Doctor and Get an Allergy Test Done if Allergy Symptoms Persist
If after trying all of these tips your allergy symptoms persist, there may be a more serious issue that should be addressed by a doctor. In order to figure out what specific allergens are causing a reaction, your doctor can perform an allergy test on you. Allergy tests can help you better understand what allergens to avoid and make a strategy on how to avoid them in the future.
