Laundry Tips for Reducing Indoor Allergens
Spring is upon us which means here comes the pollen. If you or anyone in your household has allergies, how you handle your laundry can greatly affect indoor allergies. Learn laundry tips that will help reduce allergens and are good practices for everyone!
Control Dust Mites to Reduce Allergies
Dust mites and their droppings are known allergens. And they are everywhere in our homes where there are fabrics and fibers. It takes hot water and frequent washing to keep the mites under control.
We spend a huge part of our day in the bedroom so keeping bed linens clean and dust free is particularly important for those with allergies. Of course, it’s nearly impossible to wash a mattress and box springs or soft upholstered furniture. For those pieces, try a fabric allergen sanitizer vacuum (Raycop is a brand name). These vacuums use ultraviolet light to kill dust mites and bacteria and then a dual filtration system to eliminate the 99.9% of the offenders from fabric surfaces.
Control Mold & Mildew in the Laundry Room and Your Closets
The prevention and removal of mold and mildew is important whether it is growing in your laundry room or in your closet or laundry hamper. Not only can it cause breathing problems for those with allergies and asthma, it can also destroy walls, clothes and shoes.
Laundry rooms can frequently harbor mold due to a leaky washer (even a small leak) or poor air circulation. It doesn’t take long for mold to begin growing and it should be removed as soon as possible to reduce your family’s exposure and prevent structural damage.
High humidity in closets or storage areas can cause mold to grow on leather shoes and purses and on clothing. The mold is attracted to soiled areas – food stains and body soil – that encourages growth.
Tossing damp clothes or towels into a hamper can cause terrible sour odors and begin mildew growth. The key to removing those odors is to get towels really clean (use hot water!) and use distilled white vinegaror baking soda to neutralize odors.
Clean Your Washer and Dryer to Reduce Allergies
It is important to clean your washer and dryer frequently to prevent and reduce indoor allergens.
Washers, especially front load models, can harbor mold and mildew on gaskets and hoses. If you don’t see the mold (it may be behind a door gasket) you will certainly smell it and if you don’t clean the washer, your clothes will have the same odor. Front load washers should be cleaned monthly, and it is very important to limit the use of excess detergent and fabric softener that act as food for the mildew growth. Standard and high-efficiency top load washers should also be cleaned regularly.
The key to keeping your clothes dryer from becoming an allergy-inducing machine is to clean it regularly. Vented dryers pull the moisture out of our clothes and should send it to escape out an outside vent. However, if that vent is clogged, mildew can grow and worse, a fire may ignite. Clean the dryer lint trap after every load and check dryer vents often for your health and safety.
Non-vented dryers use a compressor and a collection bin to hold moisture drawn out of fabrics. These bins must be emptied often and cleaned to prevent the growth of mold.
Select Laundry Products Carefully to Reduce Allergies
By using laundry products – detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets – like all free cleaners that are free of dyes and fragrances, you will reduce the chances of contact dermatitis, chemical sensitivity and asthma.
You may wish to eliminate commercial products and make your own laundry products and incorporate natural ingredients like distilled white vinegar and baking soda into your laundry routine.
Handle Pet Bedding Correctly to Reduce Indoor Allergies
Pet dander can cause allergy problems. So taking care of pet bedding and clothes like sweaters and jackets correctly is important not only for the health of the animal but for your health as well.
Reduce Outside Allergens by Handling Laundry Correctly
Outdoor allergens like pollen, chemicals and dust come in the house on our clothes. Learn how to remove those problems in the laundry. One suggestion to reduce introducing these allergens into your home is to shed your clothing in the mud room or garage to prevent allergens coming into the living area.
While most of us love the scent and feel of clothes dried in the sunshine, those clothes and linens also bring in allergens during high pollen count days. If you suffer from outdoor allergens, skip the clothes line and opt for an indoor drying rack or use the dryer.
To help with removing allergens contact a dry cleaning service! Pollen and mites can be tricky and difficult to remove so asking for help is encouraged. At The Best Dry Cleaners of Savannah we use all hydro-carbon based cleaners to ensure the removal of allergens such as pollen.
Trust your laundry to the professionals at The Best Dry Cleaners of Savannah
We use an eco-friendly Dry Cleaning Process:
Utilization of green, environmentally friendly hydro-carbon based cleaners. We do NOT use the solvent, perchloroethylene, which is both a health and environmental hazard!
Dry Cleaners Savannah Georgia
Blog source: https://www.thespruce.com/reduce-indoor-allergens-laundry-2146158
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