Home & Garden

5 Must-Have Appliances for the Allergy Sufferer

Appliances That Help to Reduce Indoor Allergens

See More About:

If you're an allergy sufferer, there are some appliances that I consider essential for maintaining a good dust control to reduce allergens, so you can feel better. While not everyone can afford to have all of these in their home, start where you can and upgrade those appliances you have according to your budget. Make sure to chose appliance features carefully so you can reap the best allergen control.

1. The Essential Vacuum to Remove Dust, Dander

Photo © Mifflin

While you can manually dust furniture and sweep or dust hard surface floors, it's inevitable that dust will not be fully contained. Sweeping especially, tends to just disturb rather than remove dust and that can cause even more allergy problems. A vacuum is an essential home cleaning tool whether or not you have allergies. But the allergy sufferer should chose a vacuum wisely, looking especially for features that help to minimize the possibility of allergens being returned to the room during cleaning. When buying a vacuum, look for one with a sealed unit, a HEPA filtration system and good suction.

As for bag versus bagless designs, some prefer a bag that they can cleanly throw away, while others like the low operating cost of bagless bins that they can empty and be done with the dirt. If you have pets, a vacuum that can better pick up animal dander and deal with pet hair is a must. Since vacuuming is extremely important for the allergy sufferer, a second vacuum that you can leave on another level of the home, or one that you can easily grab for quick touch-ups, is also a good idea.

2. An Air Purifier to Clean Your Indoor Air

Photo Courtesy PriceGrabber

Regardless of how well you keep your home clean, dust and allergens have a way of coming into the home on clothing or pets, or just seem to appear from out of nowhere. And then there are the dust mites to tackle. An air purifier is your first defense when it comes to controlling and removing dust and allergens from the air you breathe in your home.

When allergies are extreme, you may want to consider a more expensive whole-home air cleaning unit or an air washing system which are more efficient than portable air cleaners. While you might benefit from an air cleaner in every room of the home you use, the very first place you should have one, is where you spend the most hours of the day - the bedroom. If your budget allows a second unit, place one where you spend a good part of your time, such as the family or living room.

Air cleaners vary in efficiency depending on the technology and filtration system used. A single stage unit may only remove large particles, but one with secondary or three layers of filtration plus a HEPA filter, will remove large, small and also minute particles from the air. A secondary benefit of an air purifier is that odors are usually eliminated as well as dust. If you have pets or smoke in the home, you'll need to change filters often, if you want your air cleaner to run efficiently.

3. Improve Home Moisture With a Humidifier

Photo © Mifflin

There are whole-home humidifiers that can be installed via existing ductwork, but though they are helpful for some, they generally are not as effective as portable room models. That's because they tend to add moisture to rooms that do not need it and limit what your bedroom gets. You can add moisture where you need it most with a portable humidifier. But understand that proper humidifier care is crucial, especially for those with allergies.

Chose a humidifier with variable speed settings and place it in the bedroom where you spend the most time. Add a second unit in the main living space if your home is very dry. Be aware that different features will affect noise operation, efficiency and humidifier care. And ensure that you do not add too much moisture to your home, which may necessitate running a dehumidifier to remove the excess. You can monitor home moisture with a hygrometer.

4. Deep Clean Carpets to Remove Dander, Dust

Photo © Mifflin

If you have carpets in your home, you'll need to vacuum it regularly. You'll also need a machine to clean these carpets occasionally, to reduce the presence of dust, dirt and dander that can build up in the fibers. Deep steam cleaning will help to remove allergens which can trigger allergies. For those sensitive to dust, even when carpets are not dirty, running a carpet cleaner can help to control dust and allergens.

5. Dust or Clean With an Unscented Steam Mop or Steamer

Photo © Shark

For those sensitive to scents, finding unscented cleaners is extremely difficult. Even natural household cleaners, those formulated as green alternatives, tend to have natural scents. Your best alternative when it comes to cleaning sealed floors without any scents is to use a steam mop. You'll get a good cleaning with steam generated from water - nothing else.

A handheld general purpose steamer will also clean without the use of chemicals or smelly cleaners. Some models can be used to steam wipe cabinets, fixtures and other tasks, depending on the accessories included with the steamer.

6. More About Cleaning Your Home to Reduce Dust, Dander, Allergies

Keeping your home tidy and organized makes cleaning and dusting much easier and that will help to reduce the presence of dust and dander. When upgrading your washer, you may also want to consider one with steam. Some dryers also come with a steam feature. A certain amount of heat is necessary to kill dust mites and most sanitary steam cycles will provide that required heat - this is especially important when washing bedding.