5 Easy and Effective Ways to Reduce Pet Allergens at Home

Our fuzzy friends can be fun, unconditionally loving companions, but sometimes they can be carriers of allergens that can make us miserable. They don’t mean to make us sneeze, cough, and feel generally dismal – it’s just part of their nature. While the fur isn’t considered an allergen, our pet’s dander is. Yet, our canine and feline friends can also be carriers of pollen, mold and dust. In addition, we can also be allergic to their saliva and urine. In people with asthma and who are allergic to dogs and cats, it can be deadly. Here are 5 easy and effective ways to reduce pet allergens at home.

1. Keep your pets outside during allergy season. Allergy season is called allergy season for a reason. In the spring and summer time, when the flowers have bloomed, pollen is travelling all over the place looking for other flowers to settle on. Yet, most of the time it settles on our pets who then drag the allergens into the home. On top of their dry, flaking skin – it can be a recipe for a sneezing disaster. If this is the case, be sure to keep your pet outside and encourage people to wash their friends after they play with your pets.
2. Keep your pets off the furniture. Keeping your pets off the furniture, especially the bed, can hugely reduce pet allergens and your reaction to them. Most fabrics are like magnets for pet allergens and after Fido spends an afternoon taking a nap on the couch, you will wonder later on when you settle down to watch a movie why you are sneezing so much. When it comes to your bed, be sure to make your pet sleep on the floor, especially if you have asthma.
3. Clean as much as you can. Dusting, sweeping and mopping are all great ways to make sure there are no allergens in the home. In addition, you want to clean your sheets and bed linens more often than you usually do, especially if your feline friend spends most of his or her day taking naps on your bed. You might also want to keep a rag on hand to swipe down walls whenever you walk down the hallway. Doing just a little bit everyday can be a great way to reduce dust.
4. Purchase allergy pillows for your bed. Doctors say that pets can be carriers of millions of dust mites. Special allergy pillows are made out of unique materials that can fend off dust mites, pet dander and pollen. Many of these special pillows are made out of lush, soft materials, so you don’t have to worry about sacrificing comfort for a good night’s sleep.
5. Air purifiers. Some air purifiers can be up to 98% effective when it comes to clearing the air of allergens brought in the home by pets. If you are moderately allergic to cats or dogs, an air purifier might be the only way to have a furry companion. At the end of the day, if you can reduce the allergy symptoms, having a pet can be worth all the trouble.