6 Home Smoking Tips for Family Allergies
People with allergies sometimes are sensitive to cigarette or
other forms of tobacco smoke. In fact, even those who don't have
allergies may not care for the smell of tobacco or the resulting
smoke that can irritate airways. If you or someone in your
family is a smoker, you may want to take steps to limit others
in the household to second-hand smoke, which has been shown to
play a role in the development of lung cancer or other diseases
and illnesses.
Here are some tips that may help to control the amount and
effect of tobacco smoke in your home, and thus protect others
from its possible negative effects.
1. Restrict smoking to one area of the house. This could be in
your bedroom, the bathroom, a living room, or even outdoors on
the porch or patio. Choose an area with windows, if not outside,
to keep it well ventilated with a good cross breeze. Or you can
stand near an open door or screen door to let the smoke escape
through this route. 2. Buy smokeless ashtrays. When not
puffing, set your lit cigarette in these, and they will gobble
up the smoke before it fans out into the room. You'll be
surprised how much cleaner and fresher the house will feel when
you put one or more of these ashtrays in the rooms where you
smoke tobacco products.
3. Limit your smoking to certain times of the day. You might
want to do most of your puffing when the kids are asleep or out
with friends. Some people crave tobacco after eating or when
they are nervous while working, for example, so plan to light up
more during these times, and less when the children or a
non-smoking spouse is around.
4. Wash the walls once or twice a year. Unless your home's
walls are covered by a product that should not come in contact
with moist cleaners, choose the correct one for your paint or
wallpaper finish, and follow product directions to wash down
your walls. It is amazing how much of a cigarette's byproducts
will cling to household fixtures like walls, and how clean and
bright they will look after washing. Do the same for furniture
and flooring on a regular basis to keep that pungent tobacco
smell from building up in your home.
5. Close off smoking areas. If you habitually smoke in the
solarium, consider having a door built to shut off this room
from the rest of the house. This will help to contain the smoke
to one area, making it easier to vent and clean.
6. Avoid smoking in or near the children's bedrooms and play
area. Secondhand smoke has been proven to contribute to the
development of ear infections, frequent respiratory ailments,
and other health inhibitors.
Taking a few precautions like these can make your household
environment safer, fresher, and more enjoyable to all. You don't
have to spend much money or time to get the health-related
results you need.