<p>Hi everyone, my son has had allergies for many years but it hasn’t been bad enough in the last few years for him to need daily meds. Now however it seems like it’s gotten worse and it seems like it’s the dust allergies that are flaring up.
He’ll be going to his primary and likely to his allergist as well but I was wondering if any of you had found anything else that was helpful - purifier, humidifier, anything else?</p>
<p>Shark vacuum cleaner (incredible suction); remove the carpeting in the room where he sleeps, when you/he changes the sheets on his bed, throw in the mattress pad and pillows as well. No dust ruffle, no throw pillows on the bed- wash everything in hot water.</p>
<p>Honeywell True Hepa air purifier. I had used one for years, but then stopped using it when we moved to a new house. My son’s allergies got quite bad. I purchased a new one and within a few seconds of plugging it in, I felt like oxygen was being pumped into the room. My son’s asthma is much much better as well. </p>
<p>I ended up going for allergy shots for my allergies. Dust was the worst one that I had. It was a commitment of time and dedication but I don’t regret it. Once the shots were done with, the immunity has stayed with me. I have very little trouble with symptoms.</p>
<p>We live in the hot & humid South, so running dehumidifiers almost year round is a must to keep the indoor humidity at or below 45% (I now shoot for 40%.) We got rid of all carpet, have only a couple of small washable area rugs, removed all curtains (most rooms have plantation shutters), and have no fabric upholstery (chairs and sofas are leather.) All bedding is washed weekly in hot water, and that really limits what we can use. HEPA filter vacuum cleaners help, too. There are AccuClean filters or AprilAire 5" media filters on each HVAC system, plus UV lights, but that’s due to immune system issues. The two changes that made the most difference were getting rid of all carpet and keeping indoor RH low.</p>
<p>If you have central air or force air heating you can install filters with a higher MERV rating. Check with your HVAC tech to make such that this won’t cause problem. There are other option for filtering but I have no experience with them.</p>
<p>A Hepa air purifier could help. We use the Austin brand. Expensive but the filters have a long life which can offset the initial cost.</p>
<p>DD uses an allergy cover on her pillows to reduce dust during sleep. </p>
<p>We are ALL allergic to dust and dust mites in this household. We have allergy control barriers on ALL bedding, including the box spring, mattress, pillow cases. We regularly launder bedding in HOT (140 degrees or hotter) water. We also have hardwood floors (sheet vinyl in bathrooms and kitchen). We have two robotic vacuum cleaners that run M-F. It makes a HUGE difference and has dramatically cut our allergy symptoms and need for allergy meds. Both kids have purchased their own robotic vacuum cleaners for their respective rentals. </p>
<p>If one needs to have carpet, having a very low pile and frequent vacuuming with the robotic vacuum cleaner makes a difference. Most traditional vacuum cleaners throw the dust all over the place and actually make it tougher for allergic folks to be around while and after the vacuuming. The robotic vacuum cleaners don’t throw up dust, so it’s OK to be around while they are operating. Another bonus is that they can be programmed to go off regularly (like daily), so you don’t let the dust and allergens pile up. It has been a life changer for our family.</p>
<p>Keep clutter and dust collectors in bedrooms to a minimum (including no books, etc. in bedroom). We also have wooden and leather furniture, to minimize dust and dust mites. If you have stuffed animals and other fabric things (throws, blankets, etc.) that can’t be washed in VERY HOT water, freeze them in a Ziploc for 4+ hours and then put them in the dryer on “fluff” setting to get rid of the dead dust mites.</p>
<p>@HImom, is there a particular robotic vacuum that you recommend?</p>
<p>We like Roomba made by iRobot. It’s available at Costco and Costco.com, so you can try it out and return it if it doesn’t meet your needs or approval. We have been using these for about a decade now, I think–probably longer. Have introduced it to my SisIL who has several as well now, as well as my folks and other friends. </p>
<p>We liked it so much, we splurged for the newest model at irobot.com, which has NO brushes to clean, that H loves (D has very long hair which is always getting tangled in the brushes, even long after she is no longer staying at our home). The new model is more than 2x the price of the other models, so not everyone thinks it’s worth the splurge. It also has greater suction power, which we also like.</p>
<p>Costco has coupon sales on the Roomba periodically, but not sure when their next one will be–maybe holidays or New Year. The coupon is sometimes about $30 off, I believe.</p>
<p>^ I was hoping you’d say that, @HImom. I just ordered one. :)</p>
<p>Hope it helps your household as much as it has ours and those of our loved ones! It’s kind of fun to watch as well–if you have pets, the trick is to “discipline/scold” the Roomba in front of them so that they know they’re still the top pet and don’t attack the Roomba. There are videos and instructions about that–we don’t have a pet, so it’s not an issue in our home.</p>
<p>Oh, that’s hilarious! I’m pretty sure my cat (and my D’s visiting cat) will both run and hide.</p>
<p>Huge thank you everyone! Still reading through all your responses. We don’t have any carpets in the house because of his allergies and use the Miele vacuum, that was recommended to us at the time he was dx’d with allergies.
He’s tried the air purifier with variable results. What’s really annoying is the unpredictability and inconsistency of his symptoms but may be that’s the nature of the beast…</p>
<p>Is it an allergy to dust mites too? Symptoms worse in mornings? Maybe try removing all dust collectors (including bookshelves) from bedroom, allergy control barriers on mattress, box springs and pillows and laundering curtains & bedding regularly in 140+ degrees. </p>
<p>A lot of people ignore the “fan” setting on their thermostat. That means the air filters are working only when heat/ac are running. With a well-insulated house, this may be only a small fraction of time, especially in fall and spring. If you run the fan more often, air gets filtered more often. (It also keeps hot/cool air distributed more evenly.)</p>