The Dangers of Cleaning Your Home By Brenda Williams At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

I have horrible allergies. It is something that my boyfriend and I joke about because having allergies is still seen as a somewhat “nerdy” thing. Because my allergies are bad, perhaps this is why I am a borderline obsessive compulsive neat freak. I try to vacuum at least once a week, and I am constantly cleaning up after other people in my own home and elsewhere. But did you know that cleaning can actually exacerbate the symptoms of someone who suffers from severe allergies?

My apartment is small and it has wall-to-wall carpeting (something I'll never truly understand why most apartments have), therefore, whenever I vacuum, I have to be smart about it. You see, when you vacuum carpeting, sure you're sucking up whatever debris and allergens are on the carpet, but you are also stirring up a lot of dust and allergens (I.e. trouble) that kind of get thrown out into the air that you are breathing in. This is why it is recommended that people who have bad allergies leave their apartment or wherever they live after they've vacuumed. In other words, if you're going to do a power cleaning session at your home, save the vacuuming for last.

There are also issues with having your carpets cleaned-especially if you have small children and/or pets and this has to do with the chemicals that are used during the cleaning process. Before you have your carpets cleaned, whether you've hired someone to do it for you or even if you live in an apartment where they allow you one complimentary carpet cleaning per year, you should check to see what kind of chemicals are used and whether or not there is a more organic alternative. There are also other things that you can do to reduce carpet dander. If you have a pet, for example, you may want to restrict the areas that they are allowed. For example, no pets are allowed in my bedroom where I sleep because I want the least amount of pet dander in there so that I can prevent any type of allergy attack. Additionally, make sure that you groom your pet in a designated area-preferably outside because the hair will tend to fly out and stick to everything. Finally, enact a rule whereby any and all guests must remove their shoes by the door before they come inside. Doing this will, again, reduce the amount of debris that gets dragged in and tracked around.

If you have small children or really bad allergies, then you may want to spend a little more time researching household cleaners. In the past, for instance, I have opted to pay extra at the supermarket for organic household cleaning items to save myself the headache (literally) that comes from cleaning. Products with harsh smells or too much bleach can actually disturb your health, which is why when you are cleaning, you should turn a fan on and open the windows. For example, we have a really small bathroom without windows, etc. and one day I was in the bathroom with the door shut scrubbing out the tub. When I stood up, the whole room was spinning, forcing me to sit back down somewhat awkwardly. I stumbled to open the door, turned on the bathroom vent and immediately opened up the windows in the bedroom. After all, you can never be too careful!

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