When you're allergic to dust, symptoms like sneezing and itchy eyes can be a daily burden. It's harder to avoid dust than it is peanuts, bees, and other common allergens, after all. But you don't have to be doomed to a lifetime of symptoms in your own house. Here are three ways to minimize your dust-allergy symptoms at home.
Have your air ducts cleaned.
If you have a forced-air heating system, then dust is probably being spewed out across the room every time the heat kicks on. This is why many people with dust allergies notice that their symptoms worsen in the winter. Most HVAC companies offer duct-cleaning services. They will come use special equipment to reach deep into your ducts (much farther than you can reach with a vacuum), removing dust deposits. Expect to pay between $300 and $500 for this service, depending on the size of your home.
After you have your ducts cleaned, be sure to replace your furnace air filter and to keep replacing it on a monthly basis. This will go a long way toward keeping your ducts cleaner in the future.
Have someone else do the dusting when you're not home.
Regularly dusting the furniture, baseboards, and door frames is important for keeping your home dust free. However, you should not be the one doing the dusting, as this will just expose you to more dust. You also don't want your friend, partner, or family member to dust when you're home, since the process of dusting kicks dust up into the air. Try scheduling dusting when you're not home. If you live alone, hire a cleaning service to come dust your home every week or two, and ensure they do it while you're not there.
Install a humidifier.
Dust stays suspended more easily in dry air. Dry air also irritates your airways slightly, making them more sensitive to allergens like dust. To combat dry air, consider installing a humidifier in your home. This device will integrate with your furnace and add moisture to the air as needed. If a whole-home humidifier is out of your budget, then purchase a vaporizer at a pharmacy. Keep the vaporizer running in the room you frequent most. You could even purchase several vaporizers and use them throughout your home. You'll need them most in the winter, since this is when the air tends to be drier.
Dust allergies are tough to deal with, but with the tips above, your home can become a safe haven from your symptoms rather than a place that makes you sneeze.