Kenmore

step by step

• 1
  

  Care for bedding

  Allergens collect in fabric, so skip the pillow shams, bed skirts, throw rugs and ruffled curtains, and stick to the necessities. Here’s how to make what’s left as harmless as possible:

  • Buy unbleached pillows with 100% cotton covers and filled with foam, not feathers. Dust mites can double a pillow’s weight in 6 months, so launder pillows regularly and replace them every year or two.
  • Use anti-allergy bedding, which is usually made from 100% cotton and is unbleached, undyed and pre-washed in a baking soda solution. If you’re not ready to invest in an entire set — mattress liner, duvet cover and pillow liner — opt for just the pillow liner.
  • Keep out dust mites — and their allergy-causing excretions — by washing sheets weekly and comforters every six weeks.
  • Store soft toys such as stuffed animals and foam balls in a closed container. And toss them into the laundry every few months — more often if they see a lot of action.
• 2
  

  Filter your air

  Most important, don’t allow smoking in the house. Install an electrostatic furnace filter or HEPA filter to remove dust, smoke, pollen, mold, dander and other airborne allergens.

  Place air purifiers in the room to remove dust mites, mold spores, pet dander and fumes. Match the purifier to the room’s size.

• 3
  

  Control heat and humidity

  Keep the temperature inside the house around 70 degrees Fahrenheit — mold and dust mites thrive in heat and humidity. Use the air conditioner and keep the windows closed during spring and summer to keep pollen and other allergens outside.
• 4
  

  Minimize dust

  Eliminate clutter that collects dust. Dust the bedroom — including lampshades, windowsills, blinds and ceiling fans once a week — with an electrostatic cloth (it traps dust and mites more effectively than vacuuming). Caulk and seal windows to stop pollen and dust from infiltrating.
• 5
  

  Limit dander

  Not only is pet dander — dry skin flakes — a major allergen, pets can also bring in allergens from the outdoors. Your best bet is to keep pets out of the bedroom. If you can’t bear to shut them out, at least keep them off the bed and follow these tips:

  • Bathe pets regularly. It’s not the hair triggers allergies, it’s the skin.
  • Vacuum upholstered furniture regularly.
  • Because much of pet dander is unseen, it collects throughout the room.
  • Steam clean furniture, walls, clothing, bedding, upholstery and fabrics to kill pet dander. If the room is wallpapered, move the furniture away from the walls before you steam clean.
  • Steam clean at least once a month.
  • Even if you keep pets out of the bedroom, dander clings to your clothing and shoes and is easily tracked into the room.
• 6
  

  Keep a clean floor

  Allergens thrive on the floor in carpets and area rugs, if a family member has severe allergies, consider removing them. Regardless of what kind of floor covering you have, these tips will reduce allergens:

  • Remove shoes when you enter the house to avoid tracking pollen and allergens.
  • Vacuum frequently with a vacuum outfitted with a HEPA filter
  • Replace carpets with hardwood or washable area rugs and vacuum frequently.
  • Steam clean bedroom rugs to kill dust mites and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to pick up the most allergens.

You can reduce allergens and leave behind cleaner air while you vacuum with the Kenmore Intuition 31100 and Intuition 31040 vacuums.