Understanding the nature and location of the most common indoor sources of allergy is extremely important for the fact that your home is the place where you probably spend the most time, and you don’t want any health issues arising from it. Now, the key to managing allergies that are triggered by indoor allergens can be the following steps – recognizing that there is a problem, investigating the cause, and reducing your level of exposure.

In this article, more specifically, we are going to talk about the second step, so you will learn just how you can find out what you are allergic to in your home.

Basics Regarding Indoor Allergies

In most cases, a regular home contains at least some amount of a wide variety of animal and plant life, most of which can easily become a prominent source for allergens, which are the triggers of allergic reactions. Plants are responsible for pollens, which are the main cause of both seasonal and non-seasonal allergic rhinitis, which results in nasal stuffiness, sneezing, like watery eyes. We should mention though, in most cases, non-seasonal rhinitis is more often than not caused by other indoor allergens such as dust, cockroach parts, animal dander, and even mold.

Now that the basics are out of the way, let’s get started with the most common allergens and how to find out who’s the culprit. 

Dust Mites

The first allergen on our list is dust mites, which are basically microscopic arachnids that live out of the dust, hence the common misconception that one can actually be allergic to dust. You should know their presence doesn’t indicate that the house in question is dirty since usual cleaning procedures can’t eliminate them. The problem with dust mites is the fact that their tiny fecal pellets tend to disintegrate and form a fine powder that can easily float into the air, which is when most of the inhalation happens. 

This dispersion quite commonly occurs during vacuuming, turning in bed while sleeping, or even by turning your air conditioning on. When it comes to air conditioning and allergen removal, some great filter options can help to make your home allergy free exponentially. Ultimately, if you happen to notice that your eyes get watery every time that you dust, vacuum, or get in contact with dust – the probability is high that you are indeed allergic to dust mites.

House Plants and Pollen

Considering the fact that a very large number of outdoor pollen causes allergies, it is a really good thing that few indoor plants are troublesome when it comes to allergies. This is mostly because indoor plants, in most homes, are predominantly leaf and not flower based, which means that they do not pollinate as much as outdoor plants. 

If there are a lot of flowers in your home, and if you happen to notice that you have seasonal allergy symptoms that are correlating with flowers blossoming, maybe you should think about opting for different indoor plants.

Mold

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis and asthma can oftentimes be triggered by the inhalation of the spores of molds. Molds tend to grow on wet surfaces, both indoors and outdoors. For instance, indoor plants, especially ones kept in damp baskets, can be prominent sources of mold, as well as plant terrariums.

The problem with mold is that they produce spores or seeds, which are even smaller than pollen. Upon longer periods of exposure, especially when it comes to certain more potent types of mold, their spores can be a major health hazard.

That being said, no matter if you aren’t sure whether the mold is responsible for your allergic reaction, or even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms at the moment – if you happen to spot the mold, it’s better that you deal with it and remove it as soon as possible. According to David Miller of HappyHomeQuest.com, the easiest way to kill mold is to spray it with undiluted white vinegar, leave it for an hour, then wipe it with a damp cloth.

Allergies Related to Pets

The most common reason for people experiencing allergic reactions due to living with animals is dander or skin shedding. For people susceptible to experiencing such allergic reactions, it’s important to notice that dander is more potent in causing allergic reactions than fur or hair as commonly thought. In addition to dander and fur, allergic reactions can also occur to the saliva or urine of cats, dogs, horses, as well as rodents.

In the end, it all comes down to being vigilant and taking control of your well being – most of the allergens that happen to be present in your home can easily be dealt with. And if it means that all the irritating sneezing and watery eyes are going to disappear – it’s absolutely worth it.

Now that we have narrowed down the suspects, go to the doctor, get tested to be sure what you are allergic to, and all that’s left is to take action!