4 spring cleaning tips to ease allergies

09 Sep 22

Spring is the season of longer days, flourishing gardens and – for many Australians – allergies. So if you’re wondering how to tackle spring cleaning to keep dust mites and other allergens at bay, read on.

Why do allergies spring up now?

More trees and flowers blooming in spring means more pollen in the air – which triggers common seasonal allergies like hay fever.

You’ve likely also spent more time indoors during winter (hello, Netflix nights!), which has probably prompted a dust mite party in carpets and furnishings, as you and your pets shed more skin cells and hair.

As a result, you may find yourself sniffling, sneezing, coughing, itching or tearing up more easily. But now you know why allergies crop up now, let’s look at some quick spring cleaning tips to ease them:

1 Gather your gear

If you’re going to be doing the spring cleaning yourself and you suffer from seasonal allergies, you may want to wear a protective mask and cotton gloves. That way, any allergy triggers that get stirred up during cleaning won’t make your symptoms worse.

You’ll also need a quality vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, as a normal vacuum will simply recirculate dust particles back into the air – which could trigger your allergies all over again. A HEPA-filtered vacuum traps the particles, making it much more effective during daily cleaning as well as spring cleaning. If you don’t have one, hiring a carpet cleaning technician with safe commercial-grade equipment is a wise choice.

2 Clean regularly

While spring makes seasonal allergies worse, they can affect your health and happiness all year round. So it’s a good idea to vacuum and wash your bedding at least once a week to keep dust and other allergens at bay. You can also buy allergen-proof covers for your mattress and pillows.

Hiring a professional house cleaner is an easy and affordable way to get your weekly cleaning done from top to bottom – freeing you up to spend more time doing the things you love on sunny and warm weekends.

3 Keep pollen out

Prevention is almost always better than cure, so if you have grass allergies it’s best to avoid being outside on high-pollen days (or at least in the morning, early afternoon and on windy days when the pollen count is typically higher) – as well as keep the windows closed and clean your air-conditioner filters regularly.

It’s also important to keep your lawn short to reduce grass growth. However, mowing the lawn yourself can be an awful allergy trigger, so hire a lawn mowing service and try to stay inside when they’re working.

4 Go on pet patrol

Spring is also a great time to give your pets, as well as their beds and toys a good ol’ warm or hot water wash – even if you have a so-called hypoallergenic breed. Bathing your pets and their bedding keeps allergy-triggering dander and mites at bay. Also be sure to give their favourite napping spots a thorough clean – and wash your hands after petting them if you’re suffering from allergy symptoms.

Spring into your day

There are many things you can do to ease allergies – not just during spring cleaning but all year round. But if you’d rather be out enjoying the warmer weather, V.I.P. is here to help with all your spring cleaning and garden maintenance needs.