5 Ways to Deal With Dust Allergies

Have you found yourself sniffling and sneezing in a way you can’t explain? If it's not hay fever season, you don't have a cold, and the only pet you ever had was a stick insect when you were 10, you might have a house dust allergy.

Good news, though: there are plenty of dust allergy home remedies and ways to reduce the number of allergens in your house. Here are 5 of the best. 

1. Treat dust allergy symptoms

While you work on addressing the root causes of your house dust allergy, it’s important to take good care of yourself. It’s always a good idea to see a doctor – especially if you think you might have asthma – but plenty of dust allergy remedies in the form of over-the-counter antihistamines can help manage your allergic reaction to dust.

In the short term, you can also use a saline solution nasal spray to shift that stuffiness in your nose and throat. While you’re blowing your nose often, make sure you have some soft, strong Cushelle tissues in easy reach.

2. Mite-proof your home 

Did you know that dust mite allergy is one of the most common causes of asthma? Dust mites live in even the cleanest houses, thriving at temperatures of more than 21 degrees Celsius and in humid climates – bad news indeed for the centrally heated UK. Luckily, you can buy dust mite sprays and ultrasonic plugs to stop those allergens in their tracks.

Soft furnishings are prime settlement areas for the humble dust mite, and one of the easiest dust allergy home remedies around is to buy dust-mite-proof coverings for your pillows and mattress. While they won’t get rid of any dust mites already living there, they will stop new mites getting in and minimise your contact with them.

3. Damp-proof your home

As well as making dust mite allergy symptoms worse, damp homes can be a haven for mould and fungus spores, which also live in dust and cause that sneezing and sniffling. To deal with the damp that might be causing your house dust allergy, make a point of opening your windows regularly to ventilate your home.

Make sure that your house is warm enough to evaporate some of that moisture, too. Setting your thermostat to between 18 and 20 degrees should keep you cosy without helping dust mites breed. If all else fails, you could invest in a dehumidifier to suck that excess moisture out of the air.

4. Keep things clean

Unless you live in Antarctica, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get rid of dust mites entirely, but having a clean house can help control dust allergy symptoms. Cleaning gets rid of microscopic particles including human skin, fabric and lint scraps, tiny pieces of food and more, which can trigger an allergic reaction to dust.

It’s important to vacuum upholstery and carpets, of course, but vacuuming doesn’t help much by itself. You also need to wash your bed linen frequently, along with cushion covers and (if possible) curtains. While you’re cleaning, protect yourself from flying dust by wearing a dust mask – or by asking someone who isn’t allergic to do the cleaning for you.

5. Extreme makeover

If you’re the homeowner and things are looking a bit tired, you might need to consider some more drastic dust allergy remedies. Carpeting is a major culprit when it comes to harbouring dust mites and other irritants, so if your allergy is really causing you grief, you might like to think about exchanging your carpets for hard floors.

We hope this advice has helped you on your quest for a comfortable, sniffle-free life. Remember to see a doctor if your dust allergy symptoms are really getting you down and ask for help if you need it.