Autumn allergy triggers
Top tips to keep allergies out of your home
Autumn brings a kaleidoscope of colors, cooler temperatures and, for many of us, the onset of major allergy season. As the leaves fall and the season brings some wet weather there are a few typical triggers for allergies. The biggest offenders are ragweed, mold and dust mites.
Ragweed is a major cause of autumn allergies. In most parts of the country ragweed will continue to release pollen well into October. Mold is another major cause of allergy symptoms. Piles of leaves and damp areas outside and inside the home are places where mold can quickly grow. Dust mites, eager to get out of the cooler weather, will migrate into our homes and accumulate in all of our most comfortable places like furniture beds and carpet.
Luckily, with some planning and organization, it can be relatively easy to deal with these triggers and minimize the impact of Autumn allergy season. Here are some tips from Chem-Dry to keep you one step ahead:
- Clean all vents and air filters in your home prior to turning on heating units.
- Keep on a regular schedule of dusting your home and use damp cloths which help contain the dust instead of just spreading it around.
- Wash your sheets and bedding on a regular basis…weekly is recommended.
- Keep shower curtains clean. The bottom edge of fabric shower curtains is a prime spot for mold to grow.
- Vacuum as often as possible and use a HEPA-filter machine if you can.
- It’s good practice to have your carpets, rugs and upholstery cleaned by a professional regularly. For carpets, 2-3 times per year is the recommended schedule. Autumn is the perfect time to prepare your home for holiday festivities and remove built-up dirt, bacteria and other allergens.
A series of new studies1 reveal that carpets and upholstery actually help indoor air quality by acting like giant filters to absorb dirt, allergens and bacteria. Contrary to common belief, carpets, area rugs and soft furnishings can trap allergens resulting in fewer particles escaping into the air provided they are effectively cleaned. After vigorous testing it was found that Chem-Dry removes 98.1% of allergens from carpets and upholstery and when the cleaning process was combined with their sanitizer, Chem-Dry was also found to remove an average of 89% of airborne bacteria in the home. The specific common household allergens tested were cat and dog dander along with dust mite allergens.
The number of people with allergies and intolerance’s in Ireland is increasing. 470,000 people in Ireland have asthma and Ireland has the fourth highest prevalence of asthma in the world according to the Asthma Association of Ireland. 1 in every 10 adults and 1 in every 5 children suffer from asthma. 25% of the Irish population now suffers from some form of allergy and at least 10% of children and young adults have more than one allergic disorder.
Founded in 1977, Chem-Dry is the world’s leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service with a network of more than 3500 units in 47 countries serving over 100,000 homes a day worldwide. Its green certified solution and proprietary hot carbonating extraction cleaning process provide a deeper clean, allow surfaces to dry faster and leave homes healthier. Chem-Dry has been ranked as the number one carpet cleaning franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine for 27 consecutive years and has been operating successfully in Ireland since 1989 serving both residential and commercial properties. For more information or to find a local operator see www.chemdry.ie
ENDS
Media Contact: Helen O Dwyer | PR1 | 086 2332725 | 046 9731622
Editors Notes:
1 The studies were commissioned by Shaw Industries, a leading U.S. based carpet and flooring manufacturer, and performed by Airmid Healthgroup an independent biomedical research group. A further study was commissioned by Chem-Dry in 2015, the world’s leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service in a cross section of homes internationally.
