Spring has sprung in Eastern NC, and that means long days of gorgeous sunlight, cool rains in the afternoon, and pollen! Lots of pollen. It coats the grass, the car, the house and of course, it’s tracked into your home.
Allergies and asthma are serious concerns for many families. Sometimes the flooring you chose can help or hinder the presence of allergens in your home. Here are a few items to consider for flooring if you’re trying to reduce allergens indoors.
Tile’s hard, sealed surface makes it a great choice for allergy prone clients. It’s easy to clean and sanitize. Pollen can’t burrow into it. It’s a popular choice for high-moisture areas such as kitchen and bathrooms. Tile’s smooth surface can be cleaned and dried, helping to prevent the build-up of mold or mildew.
Hardwood Flooring is a traditional favorite with a smooth surface that less likely to trap pollen grains than fibrous flooring. They’re easy to clean on a regular basis. Depending on the level of grain or texture in the wood, some allergens and pet hair or dander may be trapped in small spaces. Having a good seal on the flooring is important to reduce allergens.
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) works much like tile in preventing allergens from collecting in a home. LVP is waterproof and versatile for any room of your home. It had look like real hardwood or tile and is easily swept or mopped to reduce dust, dander or pollen.
Check Your Cleaning
Most allergens that collect in the home can be reduced with a few simple cleaning habits. No matter what your flooring type, make sure you:
- Vacuum twice a week especially in peek pollen seasons, using an anti-allergen filter. This can help eliminate buildup and solve a host of problems.
- If pet hair or dander is an issue, you may keep pets off your bed or out of the bedroom. If your cat or puppy spends all day lounging on your pillow, you will spend all night breathing in the pet dander that is left behind.
- Keep bedroom windows closed. It’s tempting with spring breezes to open the windows and enjoy them, but that breeze brings in irritants that can affect your family members with allergies.
- Reduce moisture in wet areas where mold and mildew prefer to grow. Don’t let the shower run too long before you get in, keep the water temperature down and shorten shower times. If you have an exhaust fan, use it.
- If you have house plants, make sure they are not varieties that cause allergy reactions.
Spring is a great time to live in Coastal North Carolina. Enjoy the sunshine, spring showers and bird songs. Don’t let pollen beat you this season!
