Sanofi-aventis U.S., an affiliate of sanofi-aventis, “a leading global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone,” recently concluded its Clean Sweep campaign which was designed to guide home cleaning for the estimated 60 million Americans who are nasal allergies sufferers. Nevertheless, raising awareness about how detrimental unclean homes can be to one’s health continues.
The campaign helped participants to locate lurking allergens in their homes and improve their allergy management routine. According to a Spring Cleaning Survey of more than one thousand adults, 94 percent of respondents recognized that proper cleaning can help reduce incidences of illness including nasal allergies, yet four out of five people in the U.S. are exposed to house dust mites, the most common trigger of nasal allergy symptoms.
With such statistics in mind, how clean is your home? Is your home making you sick? Or, more importantly, is your home killing you?
“On average, Americans spend nearly 22 hours each day indoors without realizing that indoor air can be more seriously polluted than outdoor air, including allergens (animal dander, mold, house dust mites), making it important to know the most common places for allergens to hide,” said Allergen Xterminator and Certified Indoor Air Quality Professional Jeff May told The Mississippi Link. “We know that allergy-proofing your home won’t eliminate all allergens or all of a person’s symptoms, but the more effort you put into cleaning out the allergens, the better you may feel.”
May is also author of the book, My House is Killing Me! The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma.
He and Dr. Michael Blaiss, clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and past president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), were key consultants used in Sanofi-aventis’ Clean Sweep campaign.
“Allergic rhinitis, or nasal allergies, is one of the most common chronic diseases in this country, but too often people tolerate their symptoms when they could be taking steps to better manage them,” said Blaiss.
May, who is a certified indoor air quality professional, pointed out that “many people are surprised to learn that their normal cleaning routine may still leave allergen in their home.” See his video of an actual home investigation at http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/xyzal/42544/ In the video, he states, “The mattress may contain up to 100,000 dust mites.”
According to May, cleaning often stirs up dust, mold, and other allergens making proper gear, including a double-strap dust mask and hair covering, an important part of home cleaning. He offers the following practical and often overlooked cleaning suggestions to help sweep, dust and wash away allergens likely to trigger nasal allergy symptoms:
• Around the house: Use a damp or electrostatic cloth when dusting to avoid flinging dust into the air.
• In the bedroom: To kill dust mites, wash your sheets and blankets using hot water (at least 130° F) and put bulky quilts in the dryer on low heat once a week.
• In the bathroom: Clean or replace moldy shower curtains and bath mats.
• In the kitchen: Scrub often to remove food and mold from the sink and keep the area around the faucet dry.
• Outside the house: Keep windows closed while mowing to prevent allergens from entering your home.
• After cleaning: Take a shower, wash your hair and change your clothes after cleaning, and leave your house for a bit because some airborne allergens can be floating around for 30 minutes before settling.
Blaiss advises:
• Millions of people suffer from allergy symptoms caused by indoor allergens, such as house dust mite droppings, animal dander, cockroach droppings and molds, so be sure to clean your house with an eye for these allergens.
• Four out of five people in the United States are exposed to house dust mites, and three out of five are exposed to cat or dog dander, so it is very important for those with nasal allergies to be sure they are properly managing their symptoms and correctly cleaning their house.
• Nasal allergy sufferers don’t have to settle if they are not getting symptom relief. Visit your physician to review your current indoor and outdoor allergy management routine.
For more helpful tips and information on how to manage nasal allergy symptoms, go to www.XYZAL.com. XYZAL® is a registered trademark of Sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC.
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