Ditto the pp who suggested the pillow, mattress and box spring covers. They make a huge difference.
Wash all curtains in the house. Definitely have the ducts professionally cleaned. Make sure filters have been replaced.
Do you have wall to wall rugs elsewhere in the house? You may need to eventually replace with hardwoods, but should probably have them cleaned in the meantime.
The deep clean can not be just limited to her room. It is going to have to be the entire house.
You may want to consult an allergist if it continues. Dust may not be her biggest allergen... it could be grass, mold, trees, pets, etc. Testing will help you isolate and reduce allergens. Good luck!
Post by demandypants on Oct 29, 2014 11:31:05 GMT -5
DD and I both have dust allergies, when I dust the house I always use a damp cloth to catch the dust rather than knocking it around the house. Any deep cleaning that I do where I am disrupting dust from things leads to me having a stuffy head and headache. We also use barriers on our mattresses, box springs, and pillows. However all of that being said we both use an Rx nasal spray, zyrtec, and DD is also treated for asthma. We are also allergic to much more than just dust. So we don't go crazy washing curtains and eliminating rugs because there is always something out to get us
I recommend testing too if you have not already seen an allergist. Also, if the Clariton doesn't seem to help you can always try another OTC allergy med like zyrtec
Household dust is definitely an allergen, but it could also be dust mites. I am highly allergic to dust mites. You are already doing a lot of things to help her and I think the other suggestions like an allergy mattress cover and duct cleaning would help. I would suggest adding at least one more air purifier and putting it in a high traffic area like the family room. Do you have pets? Pet dander is a major allergen for some people (like me). If you have pets and it turns out she's allergic she can get allergy shots, so there's no need to re-home Fido or Fluffy. Also, your household cleaning products. The chemicals in a lot of commercial products can set off allergy symptoms. I have allergies plus asthma and many of them aggravate my symptoms. I started making most of my own a few years ago and it really helps. Above all, it sounds like she needs allergy testing which can be done via blood work and skin tests. Unless your family doctor has a really comprehensive practice, he/she is probably not equipped for skin testing. I really think she should see an allergist.
Post by polarbearfans on Oct 29, 2014 15:16:45 GMT -5
A high quality furnace filter makes a HUGE difference. Ours is so expensive and we replace it every other month, but it makes a huge difference in air quality. I am crazy and have 3 cats even though they bother my allergies, and then one of the poor little cats has dust and seasonal allergies lol. If I go too long replacing the filter, his eyes start to water and he has the cutest sneezes.