Housekeeping and Home Organization

Allergy Vacuum

By Admin on February 27th, 2007

Allergy Vacuum

10 Step Program To Allergy Recovery

Most people spend approximately 86% (more or less) of their lives indoors. Some are more fortunate, and have jobs that take them outdoors in the open air. Individuals who spend a lot of time indoors risk being exposed to chemical and biological contaminants in this environment. Some of these contaminants can be carcinogens. Being exposed to these agents may influence the risk of developing respiratory problems such as asthma or allergies. There are more serious things that can be contacted such as lung cancer from exposure to Radon or Smoking. This article is not going to cover this topic, but focus on Allergies and Asthma Symptoms.

There is a lot of conflicting data concerning allergens and it seems no one can agree on the causes only

what drug to give the person for the symptoms. Just watch the commercials on TV, there seems to be a new drug everyday to fix your symptoms. Its funny, no one says anything in these commercials about fixing what causes the problem.

From my experience on dealing with individuals with Asthma and Allergies, the most common problem is exposure to simple allergens in the home. Examples would be cats, dogs and dust mites in the home. Let's not forget about birds either. It seems most individuals start to get better after removing pets from the house under a strict protocol of cleanliness of the home. I will list them in the order of doing this.

I call this the 10 Step Program To Allergy Recovery.

1. Remove the pets from the living area.

2. Remove the pet contaminated carpet from the home.

3. HEPA Vacuum the entire house, especially the areas that were occupied by the pet.

4. Wash the walls and floors with TSP or Trisodium Phosphate. This is a non-toxic cleaner that painters use to remove oils from walls before painting. Do not use the liquid type, use the bag type that is mixed on site. Be sure to test the surface to see if it is compatible with TSP before using the product. Rinse the walls after use with clean water.

5. Repaint all indoor walls of the house using a non-toxic paint that the allergic individual is not allergic to. Do not use any form of oil based paint indoors where the allergic individual will reside. Why paint you ask, to help seal the walls from odors from the pets. Several manufacturers offer low VOC paints or no VOC paints. They are Sherwin Williams, Dulux Paint, Porter Paint, Benjamin Moore and Mystic Paint. Be sure the individual is not allergic to the paint being used. I personally use Delux's "Lifemaster 2000" paint, but cannot use Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams. Everyone is different.

6. Flooring should be tile, marble or terrazzo only. Wood is Ok but not recommended because the dust mites love the dark, damp areas under the wooden floors at ground level, second story wood floor is ok. It has to be sealed on the surface and in all the joints. Wood has to butt up against the drywall with a baseboard over it.

7. No drapes or dust dust catchers in the home.

8. Home must be cleaned once a week using a HEPA rated vacuum cleaner.

9. No one in the home can smoke. If someone does, they can not get near the allergic individual because of the smoke residue in the hair and clothes of the smoker.

10. Have your home tested for Radon, Allergens and Mold after all the work is complete to verify you have done the work right. Most individuals forget to do this most important part of verifying that the work was done right.

The first thing you probably said after reading these steps is, not me, this is too much. Well, guess what, the allergic individual will not begin to get better unless they begin the recovery process. In the end, if this does not work, you will have figure out what else they are allergic to. There are lots of items in todays' homes that they can be allergic to.

In conclusion, most homeowners can improve the air quality in their homes, often with relatively simple measures, which should provide health benefits immediately.

The first is keeping their homes clean. Dust is the number one cause of allergies from my experience. Check your own home out now, go pull out the couch or end table, look behind it and guess what you find. Dust that has been sitting there for 6 months or longer.

Most individuals do not clean very well due to work schedules or obligations. They also hire incompetent cleaning services that do a mediocre job of cleaning. If it is going to get done right, do it yourself, its your health. Also, before doing any of these steps, check with your Doctor to see if it is alright to use this program.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us during business hours, at (954) 531-6476 or visit our website for free information on Mold and Radon.

To learn more about your home, visit our website at http://www.safe-homes.com

Mr. Art Emiss is available as a professional speaker to help educate your community or group function.

for those who have DOG ALLERGIES and live with their pets?

I have a 3 month old pug im pretty sure i am allergic to i just need some reassurance that it is possible to live with him still.

What do you do, vacuum alot? Get the allergy shots?

I have 2 Golden Retrievers, an English Setter, and a Toy Poodle...all live in my home. An allergist can give you advice (as well as medications) that will help you live with your dog (if you are allergic...having the test is the only way to know for sure). My insurance company covers 100% of the allergy shots-yours may, too. For now, though, try Zyrtec.

Some things you can do: Vacuum daily, get rid of carpet (replace with wood), replace curtains with wood blinds (and clean often), keep dog bathed regularly (every 4-6 weeks with a good shampoo formulated to keep dander down, like Allergroom-follow up with humectant spray-Humilac), Use an awesome furnace/air conditioner filter (Filtrete) and change monthly, use an air cleaner recommended by your allergist (like the Whispure...the cheap ones do NOT work).

Battling Sinusitis -- Review of SinuPulse Elite & More

Blue Buffalo Canned Dog Food, Chicken Dinner (Pack of 12 12.5-Ounce Cans) $26.28 Blue Buffalo Canned Chicken Dinner (12.5 oz) includes high quality protein, wholesome whole grains, and nutritious garden veggies and fruit. High-Quality Protein-Always the First Ingredient Real chicken provides them with essential amino acids they need every day. Wholesome Whole Grains Hearty whole grains like brown rice and barley supply the complex carbohydrates that your dog needs for energy. ...

SinuPulse Elite Advanced Nasal Sinus Irrigation System $79.95 Are you one of the millions of sinus and allergy sufferers? Is your nose stuffed up? Do you experience sinus headaches, allergy symptoms, infections, or post nasal drip? Does your treatment improve your body's disease fighting function, or are you simply treating the symptoms? The SinuPulse Elite® Advanced Sinus Irrigation System effectively cleanses and clears your sinuses gently and pleasantly,...

Fresh Wave Continuous Release Odor Eliminator Gel, 64-Ounce Jar $29.49 64 OZ, Fresh Wave Continuous Release Super Gel, Refillable Container, Safely Neutralizes and Eliminates Odors, For Continuous-Release Odor Control, Place Near Pet Areas, In Musty Closets, Basement Or Garage Or Other Areas Where Odors Are Stubborn and Lingering, Just Pour Into A Wide Mouth Container....

BISSELL Steam Mop Microfiber Pad Replacement, 2-Pack, 3255 $3.55 2 Pack, Bissell, Steam Mop Replacement Microfiber Pads, Fits Model 18677 Bissell Steam Mop Hard Floor Cleaner, True Value #799504, Reusable, Washable, 100% Chemical Free....

Hoover Type S Allergen Filter Bag, 4010100S $0.49 Designed to fit Hoover canister vacuums using type S bags, these allergen bags are ideal for many allergy sufferers. The bags contain electrostatically charged liners to help capture extremely fine particles. They are 100% effective at trapping dust mites and eggs, 99.98% effective at trapping common grass pollens, and also highly effective at trapping cat dander, molds, mold spores, and other par...

Hoover Type Z Allergen Vacuum Cleaner Replacement Bags, Package of 3 $4.84 Designed to help many who suffer from dust-associated allergies or discomforts. Traps 100% dust mites and their eggs and 99.98% of ragweed and common grass pollens. Fits all "Z" bag applications....

Capture Carpet Cleaning System Total Care Kit 4lb $22.99 Capture is the safe way to a healthier home. *Capture helps rid your home of harmful spots, stains and odors - The deep cleaning powder absorbs allergens and breaks down stains. *Tiny particles work like sponges to capture dirt and significantly reduce allergens unlike wet carpet cleaning systems. *Capture lets you clean like a professional and enjoy a healthier home....

Vacuum-assisted closure aids healing of difficult wounds. (80% success Rate in the Clinic).: An article from: Skin & Allergy News $5.95 This digital document is an article from Skin & Allergy News, published by International Medical News Group on July 1, 2003. The length of the article is 512 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation Detai...

Electrolux HEPA H12 Washable EL012W Vacuum Cleaner Replacement Filter $2.91 Includes HEPA H12 Washable Filter - EL012W...

Oreck ProShield Plus Air Purifier with UV-A Helios Shield and Remote - AIR12GU $252.74 It's time to clear the air. And now there's an easy, portable, proactive way to do it.The EPA says indoor air may be 5 times more polluted than the air outside, and most of us spend approximately 90% of our time indoors. If you have weather-tight doors and windows, pets, or smoke, you could be adding to the problem. That's why you need the new, whisper-quiet ProShield Plus Air Purifier - the easy,...

---