If you struggle with allergies or asthma, it’s important to pay extra special attention to the environments you spend the most time in.

There are so many allergy triggers outside of your home but there are several common triggers that could be lurking behind your front door. Avoiding these triggers will help make your life a lot easier, particularly if you tend to spend a lot of time indoors.

Here are the most common triggers to be aware of.

Avoiding Common Allergy Triggers in the Home

1. Pet Hair

Your furry friends may be an integral part of your household but their fur could be what’s triggering your allergies or making them worse. If you already have pets at home, do what you can to minimise shedding. And if you already struggle with allergies but what love to get a pet, stick to the breeds that are known to shed the least and cause fewer allergies. You may even want to spend 30 minutes with an animal to see if you have a reaction before you commit to becoming a pet owner.

2. Dust Mites

Dust mites are small insects that love warm temperatures and feed on human skin flakes, which means they are present in most homes. To stop dust mites from being an allergy trigger, opt for allergen-proof pillow covers and mattresses and wash your linen at 50 degrees Celsius every 10 days. Dust mites are not the same as bed bugs, so you won’t wake up with any marks; it’s more likely that they will affect your respiratory system. When vacuuming your home, wear and mask and use a double-layered bag in the machine. It’s also not uncommon for dust mites to live on stuffed toys but placing them in the freezer for several hours should kill them off.

3. Pollen

While pollen tends to have the biggest impact outside, it is still possible to bring it inside on your clothes and shoes – even your pets can bring pollen inside, which is when people tend to think they’re allergic to their pets. To stop pollen from becoming a problem, keep your windows and doors closed as much as possible during the warmer months, change your shoes before coming inside and consider wiping down your pets before they come inside too. An air purifier is also excellent for keeping pollen at bay.

4. Mold

Mold loves damp, dark environments such as basements and showers, which is why it’s important to keep these areas of your home clean. You should also refrain from placing a bedroom or living room in the basement if you or someone in your family struggles with allergies. Tiling is also a better option for your home if you are worried about mold-related allergies since carpets trap moisture for longer. You can use water, detergent and bleach to clean up mold growth.

5. Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette smoke is another common trigger for people with asthma or allergies. In fact, it can make the severity of an asthma attack much worse. Avoid smoking in your home and your vehicle if you are living with someone with allergies. Activated charcoal is another great option for purifying the air and getting rid of that lingering smell of smoke.

6. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are another common allergy trigger that not many people know about. This is particularly true in inner-city populations. The allergens are present in the saliva and feces of the cockroaches but killing one or two won’t get rid of the issue. If you spot several cockroaches in your home, chances are there are a lot more. There are a number of natural solutions for cockroaches that you could try instead of going the chemical route. It also helps to block off any cracks and crevices near windows and doors and to repair any leaking pipes or tapes because cockroaches need water to survive.

Now that you have a better idea of some of the most common allergy triggers, you can take steps to create a purer living environment for you and your family.