For those who were diagnosed with adult-onset asthma, it may seem very difficult to imagine your life living with it, but there are a lot of things that you can do to prevent it. Doctors may advise you to keep your house as allergen and dust-free as possible. This is a tall order, specially if you live in a tropical country, but it can be accomplished. Here are some things that you can do to make your home a friendlier place.
- Remove dust catchers. This means saying goodbye to wall-to-wall carpeting, heavy drapes, and wool or velvet upholstery. Opt for vertical blinds (not horizontal blinds, on which dust settles more easily) or lightweight curtains that are easy to wash. Switch to small area rugs made of cotton that you can throw in the wash regularly. Have your sofas redone in leather, fabrics that are easy to vacuum and clean. Consider slipcovers that can be removed as soon as they get dirty.
- Every day, sweep your floors then run a damp rag over them. Wax and polish hardwood and parquet floors regularly. So your efforts are not wasted, keep windows and doors fronting busy, dusty streets closed.
- Eliminate dust and dust mites in bedrooms. Change the sheets once a week. Vacuum your mattresses and pillows before putting on fresh linen. Lay mattresses and pillows out under the sun in a few hours every week to kill dust mites. After sunning your mattresses and pillows, spray them with an anti-dust mite disinfectant, available in supermarkets and in big drugstores. In the kids’ bedroom, get rid of as many furry stuffed toys as possible. Replace them with stuffed toys made of cotton that can be tossed in the washing machine, or better yet, opt for wooden toys, which you can easily wipe when they get dusty. To get rid of many of the mites that inhabit these toys: Put a toy inside a plastic bag and leave it in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours. This will kill all the mites but you still have to wash away their droppings.
- Use damp cloth to dust furniture, including the legs of chairs and tables. While you’re at it, don’t neglect door tops, windows, windowsills, and baseboards. Dust behind paintings and picture frames too.
- Regularly trim the grass in your garden or lawn. Weeds left to grow flowers are a major allergen, especially for children.
- An air conditioner is great for filtering air. Be sure to clean the filter every two weeks, spraying it with anti-dust mite spray. Have the entire unit cleaned professionally at least once or twice a year.
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asthma is one of the most common conditions. i did hear that it could get worse in tropical countries. thanks for the advice. btw, you might want to join our summer giveaway – chance to win $50 – just grab our badge: http://blog.ed2group.com/2010/07/sizzling-hot-summer-promo-2010/