How to Live With an Allergy to Animal Hair
Remove as many soft surfaces in your home as possible., Surface clean all rooms of your home that your pet uses daily., Wash throw rugs, curtains, furniture covers and other washable soft surfaces once a week., Limit your pet's access to your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove as many soft surfaces in your home as possible.
Animal hair, dander, and other allergens gather and hide on soft surfaces and are more difficult to remove.
Replace carpets with hard surface flooring such as wood, tile and linoleum where possible.
Vacuum carpets at least once a day and steam clean them every other week if you cannot remove them, or keep your pets out of all carpeted rooms.
Use throw rugs instead of carpet.
Wool is the best choice for allergy sufferers.
Limit your use of curtains and other window dressings.
Cover windows with hard surface blinds or shutters instead.
Cover soft-surface furniture with machine-washable covers, and mattresses and pillows with specially designed allergy covers.
This is especially important for any furniture you allow your pet on. -
Step 2: Surface clean all rooms of your home that your pet uses daily.
If your allergies are extreme, this cleaning may need be done by someone else.
Vacuum all soft surfaces including rugs, furniture, throw pillows, drapes, etc.
You may want to purchase a sealed filter allergy vacuum that filters and traps dust, dander and allergens.
Use pet hair removal rollers in between vacuuming to keep surfaces hair-free.
Both the disposable and the sticky washable type are available in many department and pet supply stores.
Sweep or vacuum all hard surface floors, then wash with hot water and appropriate cleaners. , Follow manufacturer washing instructions and use water as hot as the material can withstand. , Keep your pets out of your bed. -
Step 3: Wash throw rugs
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Step 4: curtains
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Step 5: furniture covers and other washable soft surfaces once a week.
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Step 6: Limit your pet's access to your bedroom and other rooms in your house that you spend a lot of time in to decrease your exposure to the allergen.
Detailed Guide
Animal hair, dander, and other allergens gather and hide on soft surfaces and are more difficult to remove.
Replace carpets with hard surface flooring such as wood, tile and linoleum where possible.
Vacuum carpets at least once a day and steam clean them every other week if you cannot remove them, or keep your pets out of all carpeted rooms.
Use throw rugs instead of carpet.
Wool is the best choice for allergy sufferers.
Limit your use of curtains and other window dressings.
Cover windows with hard surface blinds or shutters instead.
Cover soft-surface furniture with machine-washable covers, and mattresses and pillows with specially designed allergy covers.
This is especially important for any furniture you allow your pet on.
If your allergies are extreme, this cleaning may need be done by someone else.
Vacuum all soft surfaces including rugs, furniture, throw pillows, drapes, etc.
You may want to purchase a sealed filter allergy vacuum that filters and traps dust, dander and allergens.
Use pet hair removal rollers in between vacuuming to keep surfaces hair-free.
Both the disposable and the sticky washable type are available in many department and pet supply stores.
Sweep or vacuum all hard surface floors, then wash with hot water and appropriate cleaners. , Follow manufacturer washing instructions and use water as hot as the material can withstand. , Keep your pets out of your bed.
About the Author
Brandon Myers
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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