Allergy Alert!
It seems that almost everyone is allergic to something these days. Our bodies have become hypersensitive to so many substances such as pollen, fur, dust or a particular food. I’m sure you’re thinking about your own allergy right now. Does it hinder you at times from living life as you would like? Do you have to use inhalers or medication to control it? The source of many allergies can be found in your home – the place you spend the most time.
The most common allergies are from dust mites, pet dander, pollen and smoke.
DUST MITE ALLERGY
Did you know…
- A gram of house dust (1/2 tsp) contains up to 1000 dust mites and 250,000 of their fecal pellets.
- Dust mites are arachnids, not insects. They are 0.3mm in length, invisible to the human eye and related to spiders.
- Dust mites are found throughout the home in carpets and furniture, but 90% are found in and on mattresses. They feed on our dead, bacteria-infested skin cells that collect on mattresses and comprise up to 10% of total mattress weight.
- Vacuuming mattresses alone will not eradicate dust mites. Systems that add UV radiation to vacuuming are totally ineffective at removing perspiration, oil and soluble stains.
PET DANDER
It’s safe to say that more than half of the population has a pet or two…or maybe three. Most of us have either cats or dogs…or both. While our pets are often treated like one of the family, they can make life difficult if we have allergies to their dander. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), the proteins found in a pet’s dander, skin flakes, saliva and urine can cause an allergic reaction or aggravate asthma symptoms in some people. Also, pet hair or fur can collect pollen, mould spores and other outdoor allergens.
POLLEN
The Okanagan is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. There are so many activities to participate in and scenic orchards and vineyards to appreciate. But these things are difficult to enjoy if you are allergic to pollen. Pollen allergies affect the sinus and respiratory tract with symptoms that include watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat and even asthma. A pollen allergy may also be referred to as hay fever. If you’ve been enjoying the outdoors, it’s possible you have brought some of that pollen inside on your clothes or shoes attaching itself to the carpets or furniture. Your outdoor allergy has just moved inside!
SMOKE
It is common knowledge that smoke is the cause of asthma and other respiratory issues in some people. An allergic person does not necessarily have to be near a person with a lit cigarette or near burning wood to feel the effects. For example, if an allergic person moves into a home that was previously owned by someone who smokes, a reaction can occur. This is because the smoke has penetrated into the porous surfaces of the home such as walls, ceilings, carpets, etc. and will remain until the home is treated to remove the allergen.
Although the presence of these allergens can be minimized with thorough vacuuming and frequent dusting and cleaning, it’s not always enough.
In most cases, a proper carpet and furniture cleaning will do the trick. The Oxy-Dry® ultra low moisture system is effective at resolving allergy issues because it utilizes the MaxVac Extraction process to remove the deeply embedded allergens from the carpet or furniture. Our Aqueous Oxygen infused cleaning solutions will eradicate germs, bacteria and viruses on contact as well as neutralizing allergens from pets, dust mites and pollens. This anti-allergen treatment is included as part of our normal cleaning process. Aqueous Oxygen is hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly and 100% safe for your whole family.
If you are suffering from allergies, let us help you breathe again. Call Oxy-Dry®…your Fresh choice®…naturally!
