(Source: McClatchy/Tribune)
It may be a little late to give your home a "spring" cleaning, but that certainly doesn't mean you don't need to clean it anyway _ especially if you have a family member with asthma or seasonal allergies. If you're looking for a way to make your home "lung-friendly" while you stay indoors to take a break from the summer heat, the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics offers some help. Here are five tips the patient advocacy group for allergy and asthma offers for your "spring" cleaning:
1. Smoking: Ask family members and guests not to smoke in the house. You also could have your family take the EPA Smoke-Free Home Pledge (www.epa.gov/smokefree).
2. Mold: Look under sinks, on windowsills, around the tub and in the laundry room for signs of mold and dampness. If you find any, find the source of water and clean up the visible mold. A dehumidifier is also a great investment for basement areas prone to dampness.
3. Air it out: wash curtains, bedspreads, and any other linens that may be a source of dust and allergen collection.
4. Use HEPA vacuum: HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums have special filters to keep dust and allergens from blowing back into the air when you vacuum, making your cleaning efforts much more productive.
5. Replace HVAC filters: Replace furnace filters in preparation for air-conditioning season _ consider a high-efficiency filter or air-cleaning unit to make the air in your home more breather-friendly.
For more information and a free Indoor AIRepair at Home guide, visit www.aanma.org/publication.
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(c) 2009, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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