As the Easter Bank Holiday weekend saw Brits enjoy warmer temperatures and brighter, longer days, one thing is for certain – spring is well under way. However, the incoming summer season also brings with it itchy eyes, sneezing and discomfort, all in the form of hay fever.
According to Met Office data, hay fever negatively affects the lives of around 10 million people around the country – that’s more than one in five UK residents. Just last month, Google searches for ‘hay fever symptoms’ spiked.
However, hay fever season isn’t the only trigger for allergies. Common dust mites, dead skin and even animal fur often result in hay fever-like symptoms. London-based cleaning expert Ivan Ivanov, from cleaning company End of Tenancy London, has offered his top cleaning tips to help people eliminate allergies in their homes.
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Hay fever is estimated to affect around 10 million people across the UK
(Image: PA)
Giving his expert advice, Ivan said: “We’re now at the beginning of hay fever season, and quite rightly people are getting prepared for their allergies to hit. Although antihistamines and other over-the-counter pharmaceuticals can help alleviate allergy symptoms, the best course of action is to remove any triggers.
“This means tackling dust within your own home first and foremost, and it doesn’t have to be an arduous task.” He adds that making a few small changes should make your life a lot easier, and help make your spring and summer as allergy-free as possible. His top tips are below.
Wash your bed sheets and hoover regularly
Microscopic dust mites love to nestle into the fibres of bed sheets, causing unwanted irritation on the skin. Plus, with the close proximity of the duvet sheet to your mouth, you run the risk of breathing in the dust mites, which is unhygienic and a potential trigger point for allergies. Wash your sheets, and dry them away from the floor, so as not to pick any dust up.
Dust falls perfectly into carpet crevices, meaning the only way to avoid dust build-up is to vacuum frequently, with special attention being paid to thick carpets. Also consider transitioning to hardwood flooring, as it makes spotting dust a whole lot easier.
Mop the floor with warm water and vinegar
If you have a hard floor already, then mopping is a super speedy and effective way of lowering the amount of allergy triggers in the home. A simple and cost-effective way of cleaning the floor is warm water with a couple splashes of vinegar, to ease some of the dirt off of the ground. In a matter of minutes, you’ll have a clean and shiny floor with no dust on.
Air purifiers are a great investment
If you’re someone that prefers tech over toil, a great addition to the home is an air purifier. Using extremely fine filters, they suck in air and cleanse it to remove any allergen particles. While they aren’t infallible, they are extremely effective at removing dust.
Become a DIY expert
Dust can build up inside cracks, such as in the walls or in the ceiling. To stop the tide of dust building up and causing irritation, be sure to try and cover up all the cracks inside.
Plus, eliminating cracks that lead to the outside also have a positive effect on your energy bills. This is particularly important as millions of homes across Britain have been plunged into a cost-of-living crisis following the rise in gas and electricity bills.
Learn how to dust properly
The most important aspect of dusting is having a damp cloth instead of a dry one. A dry one just disperses dust particles into the air, which unfortunately makes allergies a whole lot worse. A damp cloth collects all the dust with ease. Don’t bother getting on all fours to reach tight corners and skirting boards, instead use the hoover’s long attachment, it’ll save you hassle.
If you have light fixtures or blinds that are made of a delicate material, put down the damp cloth or vacuum and instead invest in lint rollers. Designed primarily for clothing, lint rollers have a sticky outside that lends itself beautifully to removing dust. Just be cautious not to apply too much pressure to what you’re cleaning – such as a Venetian blind – or else you run the risk of breaking it.
Have you ever noticed how your computer keyboard attracts dust? Typing removes microscopic amounts of dead skin, and eventually that forms into dust. When typing, all that settled dust comes up again into the air, becoming a potential irritant. To stop this happening, take a cotton bud and run it along the rows and columns of keys carefully, collecting all the build-up.
Get organised – and make cleaning fun
Be wary of clutter. Dust loves to settle into cracks and crevices, and can build up surprisingly quickly. Declutter your spaces, as a clean home is a clean mind. Consider donating your clutter to charity instead of throwing it out. If you simply can’t live without it, put the items in the loft or the garage.
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Finally, as hard as it might sound, try and make cleaning fun. We all know it can be a monotonous task, and therefore it can be easy to fall into the trap of doing the minimum work needed. Instead, put music on in the background. Work to a beat to maintain a rhythm. Or, let your mind wander as you listen to a podcast. It can make even the most menial cleaning task a whole lot more enjoyable.
Combining all these tips, Ivan says, should result in a dust-less and healthy home, free from allergy irritants and just in time for the start of the warmer summer months.
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I’m Sam, a News Reporter at MyLondon with a special interest in covering court and crime. I started in September 2021, and I’m based in Ealing. You can follow my Facebook page here.
Three stories I’ve worked on in the past month that I’m particularly proud of are:
Coming from a small town in rural Scotland, my favourite thing about London is the incredible mix of people and exploring all the amazing independent pubs, restaurants and cafes that the city has to offer.
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