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• Encase pillows, mattresses and box springs in zippered allergen barrier covers.
• Wash all bedding including sheets, pillowcases, blankets and mattress pads in hot water every week.
• Encase comforters in allergen barrier duvet covers or wash every two weeks in hot water.
• Reduce upholstered furniture and draperies and where possible use wood, plastic, vinyl or leather.
• Remove "dust collectors"
• If you can't remove pets from your home, then keep them out of rooms with carpeting or upholstery and bathe them regularly.
• Remove carpeting, but if that is not possible use a denaturing product that neutralizes protein allergens. Other recommendations include:
  • Vacuum once a week with a HEPA type vacuum cleaner
  • Clean once a month using hot water extraction

And, because dust mites thrive best in warm, humid conditions it is generally recommended that:

• Heating systems use air vent filters
• Closet doors be kept closed to minimize cross contamination
• Hard surfaces be cleaned with a treated cloth
• Window shades be used instead of blinds

Unfortunately, we know that these guidelines are not always practical or attainable by some allergy and asthma sufferers. Personal preference can also play a big part in determining what methods will be used in controlling indoor allergens. Often, we find ourselves compromising or finding alternatives to the suggested guidelines. For example, regardless of how well you clean…

• Dust mite allergens will always exist in your home because they thrive on sloughed-off human skin
• Pets maybe an important part of your life
• Carpeting and upholstered furnishings may be more aesthetically pleasing to you
• Mold and mildew are unavoidable do to bathrooms, kitchens and basements and is more prevalent if you live in a humid climate
• Anyone can develop allergic reactions at anytime to any one or several allergens. It could take weeks or years to develop these sensitivities, but once they do -- they can't prevent the release of histamines which cause sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes or tightening of the airways.

Therefore, AllerSafe™ has worked to develop a line of anti-allergen products, which will help to reduce the effects of allergic reactions to household allergens.

We recommend talking with your allergist to customize a plan that's right for you…we hope AllerSafe™ Anti-Allergen Products will be part of your plan to reduce allergens in your home.

Facts About Household Allergens:

Dust Mites

Dust mites are an eight-legged arachnid (related to the spider) that is microscopic and therefore can not be seen by the human-eye. Dust mites feed on sloughed-off human skin and live in dark, warm, and humid environments. It takes approximately one month for a dust mite to develop to the adult stage. The typical life span for dust mites is two - three months. The female dust mite will lay an average of 40 eggs every three weeks during her life span. Therefore, millions of dust mites can be found in mattresses, carpeting and upholstered furniture.

But, it's not the dust mite that causes the allergy or asthma attack -- it is their fecal matter which is a protein allergen that causes the reaction. It is estimated that over 100,000 dust mite fecal particles can be found in only one gram of dust.

Cats and Dogs

In the U.S., approximately ten million people suffer from pet-related allergens, yet more than one third have pets in their homes -- Why, because they're part of the family. The allergic response to pet allergens is not caused by their fur, but their dander and, in the case of cats, also in their saliva. Again, these are protein allergen. When these microscopic protein allergens become airborne, they are inhaled thus creating the allergic reaction.

Even if you do everything to eliminate or minimize pet allergens from your home, you may still encounter pet allergens in other public buildings because pet allergens tend to be sticky. People who have pets unknowingly transported those allergen to schools, offices and other public spaces by carrying it on their clothing.

Mold & Mildew

Mold and mildew are microscopic fungi that flourish in warm, humid environments. Mold and mildew can be found outdoors and indoors and live on organic matter. There are over 100,000 different types of molds, which reproduce by releasing spores into the air to form new mold clusters. These airborne spores, when inhaled, cause allergic reactions. Even by taking preventative measures to minimize dark, damp, poorly ventilated areas in home, mold spores can enter the home from outside. And, because molds take their nourishment from plant and animal matter, house-plants and firewood can even be a problem for the allergy sufferer.

For the mold & mildew allergy sufferer, reducing exposure is key to minimizing an allergic reaction. There are several ways to reduce the effects of mold & mildew in you home including the basement, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen as well outside the home and when traveling.

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