People love their pets.  I heard someone on the radio a few days ago that really made me chuckle.  He said 15 years ago “people had pet cats and dogs and now they have children in fur coats”.  He was speaking of the growth in the pet care industry.

You don’t have to tell me that people love their pets.  I know personally.  I love my pets (well except when they are tearing something up or making a mess). Don’t you love your pets?  I also hear the heartbreak in people’s voices when they call and are faced with giving up a pet because someone in the house has an allergy.  They are faced with very real pain from the loss of their loved one in a fur coat. 

The conversation usually starts like this, “I need some cat dander allergy spray” or “do you sell that cat dander allergy soap?” or “I heard you have some stuff to rub on the dog to get rid of the dander”.  The first thing we try to do is educate the caller.  When people are informed, they are better able to make rational decisions about the actions they need to take.  See, it is not the cat or dog dander that causes the allergy.  The actual substance that triggers the allergic reaction is a protein that is found in the saliva and urine.  There are several proteins involved, but when it comes to cats, the most common is the Fel d1 protein. All cats and dogs produce this protein. Some more than others.  Don’t buy into the notion of the “hypoallergenic” cat or dog.  It doesn’t exist.

These allergy-causing proteins get spread on the animal’s skin and fur every time the animal grooms itself and empties its bladder.  It sticks to bits of hair and it sticks to little bits of skin.  It can dry up and flake off on its own or more commonly, it gets shed when that piece of skin or that strand of hair is shed.  The bits of dry dead skin on animals is referred to as dander, and that is why so many people mistakenly think it is the cat dander that causes the allergy.  Just think of the dander as a carrier of the allergen, not the actual allergen and you will be well on your way to understanding what is happening.

Knowing the source of the cat allergen helps to understand how to control it in the environment.  It almost goes without saying that the person with the cat allergy should not be in charge of cleaning the cat litter box.  That is because the protein is in the urine and the urine is in the cat box.  If you have cat allergies and must clean the cat box, then wear a mask.  Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards (that applies if you have cat allergies or not..eeewww).

Control where the animal sleeps.  Don’t let them sleep with you.  I know it is hard, but your body really does need the restful down time to recover from the stresses of the day and if you are subjecting your immune system to allergens unnecessarily, that just can’t happen..  Besides, you might even get a better night’s sleep if the cat isn’t waking you up every 2 to 3 hours because it is bored or wants to be petted..  That doesn’t sound like any pet you know does it?

You can wipe the cat down at least once a week with a coat conditioner made especially for controlling the allergens riding on the cat dander.  It is called Allerpet/C.  They also make a formula for dogs called Allerpet/D.  I have personally used the Allerpet lotion on my cats before I have visitors with cat allergy and have wonderful results.  You just pour the Allerpet on a clean rag and wipe it all over the cat (or dog).  It is not a shampoo, so you are not soaking and rinsing the animal.  You are just rubbing it on the animal.  It goes to work right away to get rid of the cat allergen.  As a bonus, it contains ingredients that make the animal’s fur very soft and shiny.

If the animal roams freely through the house, you have a bit more work in store.  You will need to spray down the fiber surfaces that can collect those little bits of shed skin, hair, or dried saliva or urine with a denaturing agent like ADMS Spray.  This goes for any upholstered furniture that the cat gets on as well as rugs or carpets.  This needs to be done at least once a month.

If you or someone you know is allergic to cats, it may be possible to get that “cat dander allergy relief” without getting rid of the cat.  But at least now you know its not really relief from cat dander you need.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Last week-end I was doing my own spring cleaning for our rental property (if you ever want a great place to get away from it all, check this place out Cabin On A Creek).  This included all those steps in the deep cleaning blogs I wrote previously.  As my dust mite covers were coming out of the washer and into the dryer a light bulb came on over my head.

In all the times I have written about the care and cleaning of zippered dust mite covers for the mattress, pillow, and duvet I never mentioned two important things.  First, when you wash your covers, make sure the zippers are open.  Second, when you are drying the covers don’t mix laminated and microweave fabrics. 

You want the zipper open so that both the inside and the outside of the cover can be laundered.  You don’t want to mix laminated and microweave fabrics in the dryer because they have different care needs.

The laminated fabrics protect because they are a conventional fabric to which a thin urethane laminate has been fused.  Because the membrane is fused to the fabric with heat, if it is subjected to high temperatures, the fusing will release and separate from the fabric.  This will ruin the dust mite cover and this situation is not covered by warranty.  Once the fabric and laminate separate, it is almost impossible to put the cover back on the pillow or mattress.

The microweave fabrics protect because they are a specially woven fabric that is constructed with a weave so tight that allergens cannot pass through the spaces between the fibers.  There is no urethane or any other form of laminate.  These types of covers can be dried on higher temperatures.

Drying of the covers becomes important when you are laundering a mixture of both types.  Since one takes higher heat than the other, they cannot be dried together unless you want to run your dryer for a long time on a low setting. 

What I do is wash both types of covers together (with the zippers open) and then I dry the microweave fabric first in the dryer on the medium setting.  While the microweave fabric (in my case it was the AllerSoft 100% Cotton) covers were in the dryer, I had my laminated covers (in this case it was the Bed Bug proof pillow covers) drip drying while they waited for their turn in the dryer.  When the cotton covers came out, I adjusted the heat to the low setting and tumbled the laminated the covers.  Because they were almost dry from the drip dry, it only took a few minutes for them to become completely dry.

The entire washing and drying process took place while I steamed the mattress and pillows with my Vapamore and treated the carpets with a denaturing agent.  So when all the covers were dry the bed could be put back together again and the room was finished.  It was perfect timing!

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

If you were overwhelmed by my Spring Cleaning break-down, I apologize.  I tried to take a really, really big job and break it down to approachable and do-able bites.

If you aren’t up to the full job, what is the minimum you can do to get results that will bring relief?

Focus on the bedroom and the bed.  At a minimum, your clean should include washing all your allergy bedding, washing the conventional bedding, and treating the nonwashable items with a denaturing agent to handle the allergens that have collected since your last deep clean.  If you have an air purifier or HEPA air cleaner in the bedroom, make sure you turn it on high before you start cleaning.

Strip off the dust mite proof mattress covers, pillow covers, and duvet covers and get them in the washing machine.  Make sure your water has been turned up to 140 degrees.  If you don’t want to use hot water, just add a little De-Mite to your regular laundry detergent or wash with Allergen Wash.  We don’t recommend washing your allergy bedding with any liquid chlorine bleach.  The chemicals are just too harsh, and if you have a laminated or coated fabric, the treatment can be damaged.  If you think they need a little brightening, use any of the powdered bleaches.  The bleaches with sodium percarbonate (anything with “oxy” in the title) can be safely used on your allergy-proof bedding.

While the bed is apart, wipe down the bed rails, head board and foot board. 

If you have silk or wool bedding that cannot be washed, take them outside to expose to the sunlight.  The ultraviolet light will revive silk and wool.  If you have a bedspread that can’t be washed, you can safely put it in the dryer on the fluff or no heat setting and let it tumble for 20 minutes or so to beat out the dust and allergens.  Then before you put it back on the bed, spray both sides with ADMS Anti Dust Mite Spray to denature the proteins from the allergens that were left behind.  This is a great way to freshen up a bedspread that is too large to wash or is made of nonwashable material.  I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it was my mother who came up with this years ago.  I believe in giving credit where credit is due!

While you have the bed apart, this is a great time to spray down the dust ruffle.  It the dust ruffle is washable, you can toss it in with the allergy proof bedding if you aren’t using hot water.  The De-Mite and Allergen Wash are safe for all fabrics and colors and can be used to safely wash your dust ruffle.  The same is true for decorate pillow shams if they are made of washable materials.

Once all your allergy proof bedding is clean and dry, re-assemble the bed.  Spray down anything you weren’t able to wash with ADMS antiallergen spray and put on the clean sheets.  Put your freshened bedspread, quilt or duvet back on the bed as well as the decorative shams.

Keep your air cleaning device turned on high for the next two hours and keep the bedroom door closed.  This will allow your cleaner to suck up dust particles that might have become airborne as a result of your cleaning.

This isn’t the same as doing a deep clean to the entire room, but if you have allergies, this is something you need to do at a minimum of once a year.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Related Posts

•  Spring Cleaning – Living Areas
•  Spring Cleaning – Bedrooms
•  Spring Cleaning – Kitchen

Ack!  Spring cleaning the kitchen can be such a big job that it can tire you out just to think about it, much less do it. But, if you have a strategy, a plan, and the right tools, it doesn’t have to be so bad.

First your strategy has to be divide and conquer.  That means don’t try to do all the cabinets and counters at once..  Divide the room into blocks and clean each block one at the time.  In addition, each major appliance (think fridge or stove) and the pantry counts as a block. Plan on starting in one corner and working your way around.  You don’t need many supplies if you use a couple of all purpose ones.

To start, if you have a self-cleaning oven, this is the time to remove the racks and get the cleaning cycle started.  If you don’t have a self cleaning oven, and it isn’t too heavily soiled, you can apply your cleaning solution now.  If it is really soiled, it is best to let the cleaning solution sit overnight.  Get the drip pans and vent hood filters (washable ones) soaking in the sink with a solution of hot water and House Wash.  For the kitchen and bathrooms, House Wash is your go to cleaner.  If you are a spray-type person, then go ahead and in use an empty spray bottle to mix up one part House Wash to 8 parts of hot water. If you are a bucket-type person, mix your cleaning solution in a bucket now.  The standard 8:1 solution is good for tackling a modest amount of grease.  If your kitchen is really greasy, then you want to mix the solution as one part House Wash to 4 parts hot water.  Don those gloves and get to work!

You still want to start at the top and work down. Beginning at the first “block” First clean the tops of the upper cabinets and any exposed wall above the upper cabinet in that block. Sprayers, spray your solution on and wipe.  Bucket types, wipe down with a clean sponge or rag.  If you have knick-knacks or other dust catchers on the tops of the upper cabinets this is the time to take them down and wash them off.  After the tops of the upper cabinets are cleaned, then wash the inside and outside door of the cabinet.  Next remove all contents from cabinet. This is also a good time to sort and decide what to keep and what to discard. Wipe down the interior of the cabinets and inspect shelf coverings.  If they need replacing, this is a good time to do it because everything is out of the cabinet!  Return contents to cabinet.  Now, for that block, clean the backsplash.  If you have a steam cleaner like the Vapamore Steam Cleaner, this is the time to put it to work.  Steam the backsplash to clean away grease, grime, food debris, and whatever else has collected there since you last deep cleaned!  If you don’t own a steam cleaner, then it is elbow grease time to clean the backsplash with your House Wash and water solution.  After the backsplash in your “block” is cleaned, then clean the counter tops.  Once again, if you have a steam cleaner, this is where they excel.  I steam clean my countertops with the microfiber smooth floor attachment.  The steam loosens soils and sanitizes at the same time.  If you use the House Wash solution to clean down the counter tops (this is how I did it in the pre-steam cleaner days) then spray them down afterwards with Vital Oxide disinfectant spray to sanitize them.

Next, if there are any cabinet drawers in this block, time to empty them out and wipe down the interior with your House Wash solution.  I also like to give them a mist of Vital Oxide.  Clean any drawer inserts, inspect any drawer linings and the return contents to drawer.  This is of course after you have sorted through to see if anything can be discarded, recycled or donated!

Now for the bottom cabinets in your block. Follow the same procedure as for the top cabinets.  Wash the inside and outside of the cabinet door with your House Wash solution.  Remove all contents and sort, discarding as necessary.  Clean cabinet shelves and drawers, inspect linings and replace if necessary and return contents to cabinet.

If at any time in this process your block contains those dreaded plastic tubs and containers and their associated lids, take the time to make sure that all your plastic container bottoms and tops match up.  This is a great time to toss the lonely hearts who have lost their mate.  Sorry to sound so cold, but it is true.  The same goes for drawers that contain table linens.  Are you really going to use that stray napkin that has lost all its friends?  Really?  It’s also a good time to cull your herd of baskets.  I don’t know why, but if I put a beautiful straw bread basket in one of my cabinets and close the door, by the time I go in that cabinet again the basket will have multiplied by division or either invited all its friends over.  Suddenly that basket has become a cabinet full of baskets.  Its time to sort and discard/donate.

Once you get to the bottom of your block, be sure to wipe down the base of the cabinet and clean the area where the base joins the floor.  So many “things” fall into that crevice over time!

When you get to the pantry, start at the top and tackle one shelf at a time. This is a time to inspect cans for bulging seams and dents. Discard any questionable items.  Sort through dried spices (you know they don’t last forever don’t you?) and toss old tea bags.  Inspect the linings on the shelves and replace as necessary.  Wipe down shelves and return contents.  I also like to take my vacuum cleaner and vacuum the floor and corners of my pantry when I deep clean.  Wipe down the pantry door before you close it on that block.

Follow this process and work your way around the entire room.  Clean outside, remove contents from inside, clean inside, return contents and then move on.  When you get to the fridge follow the same process as the pantry, tackling one shelf at a time.  If you have removable shelves and bins, take them to the sink and wash them with hot soapy water.  After a thorough cleaning, I like to spray down the surfaces in my fridge with the Vital Oxide spray to disinfect.  Of course, make sure no food is in the way.

Once you have cleaned every block and re-assembled the stove and hood its time to tackle the last big project and that is the floor.  Use the crevice attachment to clean cracks between the floor and cabinets. Move fridge and oven (if possible) so you can vacuum behind and under them.  This is also a good time to vacuum off the coils on the back of your fridge.  It will help it cool more efficiently.  Then fire up the steam cleaner and deep clean that floor.  Pay particular attention to the areas close to the stove and fridge as these are where most food spills happen.  If you don’t have a steam cleaner, mix a strong solution of House Wash and hot water and add about 1/4 cup Vital Oxide to sanitize as you mop.  Make sure to get every nook and cranny and rinse your mop frequently.

Once the floors are finished, grab the phone and order take-out. I mean that kitchen is so clean you wouldn’t want to cook in there would you?

Til Next Time!

Cheryl
The Allergy Store