That’s Something to Sneeze At!

Cats

Dust mites

Mold

About 20 million Americans are allergic to dust mites — tiny bugs you can’t see that thrive in dust. Their waste products cause sneezing, coughing, and more. At least they don’t bite.

Tests can pinpoint exactly what makes you sneeze inside your home — pets, mold, dust mites, or something else.

In your mattress

In your closets

In your air ducts

To avoid dust mites — and allergy symptoms — wash bed linens once a week in hot water, between 130 and 140 F. If you keep your water heater set lower, you could wash your bedding at a laundromat instead.

Also use dust-proof covers on your mattress and pillows.

True

False

Cat or dog fur itself isn’t usually the problem. What most likely makes you sneeze is your pet’s dander — tiny bits of dead skin that Fluffy and Fido shed.

 Some people also react to proteins in animal saliva or urine. Glands on pets’ skin, especially cats, also make a protein that gets on fur. So when you come in contact with the fur, your allergy gets worse.

Almost anywhere

Just in kitchens and bathrooms

Mainly inside walls

It isn’t a big allergy problem indoors unless mold finds a damp spot to grow. Then, look out, almost any damp spot will do. That includes wood, carpet, paper, and insulation.

Clean up mold where it grows and fix the cause of the moisture, such as a leaky pipe. To keep indoor humidity low, vent bathrooms and dryers, use a dehumidifier, and run vent fans when you cook, clean, and wash dishes.

Yes

No

It may be big business, but there’s no proof that it improves health. Even for people with allergies, it’s not a must-do. Dust in dirty air ducts doesn’t usually travel back into the living areas of the house.

One rare exception is when ducts are so clogged that tiny bits shoot into your home with each blast from your furnace or air conditioner.

No

Yes

Even with special filters, vacuum cleaners can blow around dust and pet hair while they suck it up. If you can, get someone who isn’t allergic to do the job.

When you’re stuck cleaning, your best bet is a central vacuum system in the house. Next best is a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter or double-layer bag. The machine should also have a sealed unit that won’t spew dust, as well as at least 12 amps of dirt-sucking power. Wear a dust mask, too.

Yes

No

Sometimes

Allergy shots get to the root of the problem: the body’s immune system. A full series of shots can take 3 years or more.

For some people, shots stop their symptoms for good. Others need to continue injections to keep effects like sneezing and itching at bay.

Wool blankets

Your feather duster

Wall-to-wall carpet

It’s a breeding ground for dust mites. Wood floors give them less cover to hide in. Throw rugs are OK if you can wash them or get them cleaned often.

True

False

The first line of allergy defense is to avoid triggers, which is why your doctor may tell you to find Tiger a new home. But many people with allergies do live happily with four-legged friends if they’re smart about it.

Banish pets from your bedroom. Install a central air filter and run the heat or A/C at least 4 hours a day. Wash walls often, and clean carpets with a HEPA-filter vacuum. Perhaps hardest, avoid petting and hugging your furry friend.

You could also ask your doctor about allergy shots.

Wipe them off.

Freeze them.

Hang them in fresh air.

Seal the toys in plastic bags and place in the freezer for at least 5 hours. Then rinse them in warm water and put them in the dryer to get rid of the dead mites.

Or try heat. Wash toys every other day in hot water. Dry them at the hottest setting.

It attracts cockroaches.

It attracts dust mites.

It’s a major cause of mold.

Cockroach allergies are creepy but common. They’re caused by the bugs’ body parts or by proteins found in their droppings or saliva.

People with cockroach allergies need to keep a super-clean house. Keep food and garbage tightly lidded, put away pet food, wash dishes right after a meal, and eat only in dining areas — even your midnight snacks.

They blow extra dust into the air.

Dust mites love moist air.

The ideal humidity level in your home should be between 30% and 45%. If you go much higher, dust mites and mold start to multiply. A cheap device called a hygrometer can measure the moisture.

Their trunks are moldy.

Their bark peels off.

The needles dry up and shed.

To avoid touching off a mold allergy, wipe down the tree’s trunk with a mix of 1 part beach to 20 parts water.

Also, to be sure you don’t bring outdoor allergy triggers into the house, use a leaf blower to blast any pollen off the tree before it comes inside.

500

50,000

500,000

Most often, a gram of dust (the weight of a paper clip) has about 500 dust mites, but it can hold as many as 19,000 of the teeny critters. The bugs feed on flakes of human skin and animal dander. The average adult human sheds enough skin every day to feed a million mites.

Your Score:

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Congratulations! Your indoor allergy know-how is nothing to sneeze at!

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Sources
|
Reviewed by Melinda

Ratini, MS, DO on April 18, 2017

Medically Reviewed on April 18, 2017

Reviewed by Melinda

Ratini, MS, DO on
April 18, 2017

IMAGES PROVIDED BY:
Tom Le Goff / Photodisc

SOURCES: 

American Academy of Family Physicians.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
American Christmas Tree Association.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
American Lung Association.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Gore, R.

, April 2003.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
National Jewish Health.
University of Illinois Extension.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
World Allergy Organization.

This tool does not provide medical advice.
See additional information.

THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the WebMD Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.

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