6 DIY ways to turn your home into an allergy-free oasis

Fortunately, with a few simple ideas and a small budget, it's possible to keep allergens away from you, according to healthy spaces designer Robin Wilson, president of Robin Wilson Homes and an ambassador for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. As an allergy sufferer herself, Wilson has tried and tested some effective tips to help you make your home an allergy-free oasis.

Take off your shoes at the door

Take off your shoes as soon as you walk in the door! When you enter the house, you must take off your shoes and put them in the closet. You must gradually develop this habit. This small change can keep out dust and other irritants you bring in from the outside world, like pesticides, mold, pollen, gasoline residue from the road, and E. coli from your pet's feces.

Keep dust out of the hands of your children – your refrigerator can help!

Children attach great importance to their toys, but their favorite toys are often home to a large number of dust mites. If the toys can be safely washed in a washing machine, you can wash them every week or two, followed by a gentle dryer cycle. If you don't have any of the above, you can use Wilson's secret tool - your freezer!

Every one to two weeks, give the toys a 48-hour deep freeze break. Before freezing, seal the toys in a large zip-top bag. After two days, take the sealed toy out of the refrigerator, but do not open the bag. Instead, hold the bag at the top and shake the toy vigorously. The frozen dust mites will then fall off the toy and collect at the bottom of the bag (Wilson points out that the mites may be too small to be seen with the naked eye). Unpack the toy carefully and you will find it becomes cleaner and safer!

Consider your home's largest exposed surface

As the largest exposed surface, your home's walls are often forgotten, and they directly affect the indoor air quality of your home. The sunny spring days may be the perfect time for a fresh coat of paint. Choosing the right front color is important, but choosing a safe paint formula is just as important. Wilson prefers low-VOC paints, such as the Aura series made by Benjamin Moore. VOCs are irritants that evaporate at room temperature. Choose a paint with low or no VOCs, and minimize your family's exposure to these chemicals.

Floor Coverings

Your floors won’t take up as much space as your walls, but they’ll require a lot of cleaning come spring time! Hardwood is best because allergens can be removed simply by sweeping and mopping. Carpets should be cleaned regularly and seasonally. If your carpet is immovable, start steam cleaning and vacuuming it weekly. Otherwise, even if such carpet is more valuable, the better option is still to replace the hard floor with carpet.

However, if you can't live without carpet, Wilson recommends choosing one that's made with something other than vinyl. The ceiling is a carpet module made of hops, whose large square pieces can cover most of the area, but at the same time it can be removed individually and cleaned with soap and water.

Replace shower curtains with nylon

If your bathroom is made of plastic or

Fabric is actually a better choice. Wilson likes nylon because it doesn't release phthalates and other harmful substances that can cause serious health problems. She added that nylon is better than vinyl because the material doesn’t require a mold. At the same time, shower curtains made of nylon are easy to keep clean and can be easily removed for simple cleaning.

Say no to toxic cleaning products

Effective cleaning is an important way to prevent allergies at home. However, it’s important to note that the wrong cleaning products can actually reduce your indoor air quality. The "clean smell" left behind by some popular vacuum cleaners is often caused by fragrances, which can be harmful to your health. Instead, Wilson recommends using the old "grandma recipe" of scrubbing windows, mirrors, and other hard surfaces with diluted white vinegar. Baking soda is an excellent deodorizer and can be used to flush sinks and bathtubs.