Question:
.I was wondering if any persons out there could tell me special cleaning
(and in a cheap way) tips that help an asthmatic out. I do not have asthma so
I can not say what I am doing is helping. I use as little household cleaning
solutions as possible, but I do use some. I don't switch brands, I dust as
much as possible and I air out the house everytime I do this when my child is
at school. I know I'm messing up somewhere along the line cause she is in such
distress.
Answer:
First, ditch the carpeting, at least in her room. Second, damp dust and
damp mop dailiy. Third, possibly the best cleaning solution I have ever
found is white vinegar, and it doesn't set off attacks.
I might also add, remember what your child is sensitive
to may be quite different from what you are sensitive to. We found that a
table top HEPA (high efficiency particle air) filter in my boy's bedroom
worked wonders, stowed fuzzy stuffed animals for awhile (but compromised a
bit), and put easy to wash covers over his bed spread, beefed up the
furnace filters and attacked dampness and the potential for mildew in the
bathroom and basement.
We thought he might be sensitive to our dog, but that was disproved when he
spent weekends with a friend with 2 dogs, 2 cats, 5 horses: and improved!.
The one thing I have found being the asthmatic mom who cleans the house is that
the less dust you create in the first place the better off you are. That means
simple decorating, get rid of as many rugs as you can, keep the curtains to a
minimum, etc. If this is not possible, vaccum as much as possible, but
remember to either get a vaccum with a hepa filter or as the other post said,
vent it to the outside. If you don't the micoscopic particles get thrown back
into the air since most bag vaccums cannot filter them. I have found great
relief when my husband bought me a phantom vaccum.
