Interiors of Homes and Affects on Asthma
The inside of an asthmatic's home is where most causes and
triggers will be, making it especially important to identify
them and minimize the effect.
Dust Mites
House-dust mites are tiny insects that live in the dust that
builds up in carpets, bedding, soft furnishings and soft toys.
Many asthmatics are sensitive to their droppings. Although they
are an unseen trigger there are practical steps you can take to
reduce their damaging affect.
Use hypoallergenic coverings on your mattress, duvet and pillows.
All carpets should be replaced with hard flooring, or tile. Your
can have small, or area, carpets which you can wash
periodically.
Vacuum often. Insure that your vacuum cleaner that has good
suction and, most importantly, a filtered exhaust that goes into
a hypoallergenic back and does not scatter the dust. Damp dust
all surfaces or use an attachment on your vacuum cleaner.
All soft toys, stuffed animals, etc., should be put in the
freezer for at least of six hours every other week so as to kill
house-dust mites. To protect the fabric you can use zip lock
bags or even cellophane.
Wash your sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases, in the hottest
water possible, at least once a week. Some people are allergic
to the feathers in pillows, however there is no conclusive
evidence showing that synthetic hypo-allergenic pillows are
better.
A dehumidifier, which dries the air, makes it difficult for the
house-dust mites to live.
Furnishings and Carpets
Any furniture or flooring that is made from press board, a
composite that is often used for shelving and furniture,
contains a formaldehyde resin that gives off a pungent,
colorless gas that can irritate the airways that can trigger
asthma symptoms.
Carpets can also be a source of formaldehyde gas left over from
the manufacturing process. If you are buying a new carpet you
should ask the shop if they could unroll and air it before you
bring it into your home or air it yourself as soon it is laid.
Keep in mind that pet allergens can linger for a long time on
furniture and in carpets and are very difficult to remove
without resorting to such a rigorous cleaning measure. Meaning
that even if you own no pets the last owner of the home,
especially if you just moved in, may have had pets. It may be
worth steam cleaning the carpets before you move in.
Heating, Bathrooms and the Kitchen
Dampness, especially from bathrooms and laundry areas, has been
linked with asthma and research has also shown that asthmatic
have more problems when in homes without central heating.
Heating a home without using "fresh" air, that is just
re-circulating the air, may be just moving the airborne dust
mites from one area of the house to another. Many doctors have
seen patients whose asthma symptoms, due to this re-cycled air,
are much worse.
Houses that have gas fireplaces, stoves or ovens have higher
levels of nitrogen dioxide. In some people with asthma nitrogen
dioxide may cause other triggers to have slightly more effect on
their symptoms.
Without adequate flues fireplaces can cause worsening of
breathing problems, compared with central heating.
Fumes from Cleaning and Decorating
Many cleaning products and solvents are used around the house
release chemicals that can cause breathing difficulties in
people with asthma. These chemicals are known as volatile
organic compounds (VOC's). The majority of household such as
cleaning fluids, varnishes, glues and paints contain VOC's.
When cleaning, dusting, painting or working with any solvents,
make sure that you are in a well ventilated area with the nearby
windows open.
Furniture polish, air fresheners, carpet cleaners and
dry-cleaned clothes can all trigger asthma because they contain
VOC's.
Use solid or liquid alternatives rather than sprays if possible.
Wet paint causes problems as it's fumes may trigger asthma
symptoms. New low-odor, water-based gloss paints are now
available that may be slightly better for some people with
asthma.
Stripping wallpaper often unsettles the dust that has
accumulated over the years,so wash down wallpaper before
starting as this may help to dampen down the dust, preventing it
from becoming airborne. Ensure there is plenty of ventilation
while working.
Consider wearing a mask during during everyday cleaning and
housework.
Building work and repairs
It is important to ensure that housing problems such as damp,
poor ventilation and inadequate heating are resolved as quickly
as possible.
There is a link between poor housing conditions and asthma.
However care should be taken as major renovation or structural
repair can cause a lot of dust and other irritant triggers.
If you are contemplating any building work within your home it
is worth seeing your doctor or nurse to check if a temporary
increase in medicine is needed.