Steps to Creating an Asthma-Friendly Home
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What Are the Common Steps To Making Your Home Asthma-Friendly?
If you or someone in your family has asthma, you know that it’s a chronic lung condition that causes shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness when attacks occur. You also know that asthma has the potential to limit your ability to do physical activities and can negatively affect your mental health and relationships.
The good news is that asthma is treatable with medication. You can also identify and remove or reduce asthma triggers in the home to reduce your symptoms.
This article explains how to help manage asthma by creating an asthma-friendly home.
1. Cleaning Your Bedroom
The key to asthma-friendly homes is that they reduce exposure to allergens. A great place to start is in your bedroom, since you probably spend eight or more hours there daily. You can reduce the asthma triggers in your bedroom by doing the following:
- Wash your bedding in hot (130 degrees Fahrenheit) water weekly.
- Encase mattresses and pillows in allergen-proof covers.
- Minimize the amount of fabric present by removing items like carpet or rugs, curtains, and stuffed animals.
- Control the humidity using a dehumidifier. Aim for a level of 30 to 50%.
2. Battling Allergies Throughout Your Home
It’s crucial to reduce the allergens in every room. Your asthma-friendly home checklist should include the following actions:
- Don’t let anyone smoke in your home.
- Manage pet dander by regularly cleaning your pet (brushing, bathing, etc.), vacuuming floors and furniture, wiping counters and other surfaces, etc.
- Take steps to control mold and mildew. Run central air conditioning (if you have it) and a dehumidifier. Eliminate sources of standing water like leaky pipes and blocked roof gutters. Avoid houseplants, which can have mold in their soil. Remove mold using cleaning products appropriate for the surface.
- Minimize outdoor allergens in your home by keeping windows and doors closed when levels are high, washing clothes promptly after exposure to allergens outdoors, etc.
3. Improving Indoor Air Quality
Better indoor air quality can mean fewer asthma attacks and symptoms. Take the following actions to improve air quality in your home:
- Invest in air purifiers.
- Change the air filters in your home’s heating and cooling systems regularly.
- Vacuum frequently.
- Open windows to let fresh air in when outdoor allergen levels are low.
4. Managing Other Triggers and Maintaining a Clean Environment
Your asthma-friendly home checklist should also include the following items:
- Use unscented products only.
- Eliminate pests.
- Keep your home free of clutter.
- Clean regularly.
It’s essential to know your triggers and ensure you address them as part of your asthma “home treatment.”
You can take steps to make your home more comfortable, potentially reducing asthma's impact on your life.
Next Steps and Useful Resources:
