Allergy-proof Your Bedroom

Most important, don’t allow smoking in the house.

Install an electrostatic furnace filter or HEPA filter to remove dust, smoke, pollen, mold, dander and other airborne allergens.

Place air purifiers in the room to remove dust mites, mold spores, pet dander and fumes. Match the purifier to the room's size.

Keep the temperature inside the house around 70 degrees Fahrenheit — mold and dust mites thrive in heat and humidity. Use the air conditioner and keep the windows closed during spring and summer to keep pollen and other allergens outside.

Eliminate clutter that collect the dust that dust mites love. Dust the bedroom — including lampshades, windowsills, blinds and ceiling fans — once a week with an electrostatic cloth (it traps dust and mites more effectively than vacuuming). Caulk and seal windows to stop pollen and dust from infiltrating.

Not only is pet dander — dry skin flakes — a major cause of allergies, pets can also bring in allergens from the outdoors. Your best bet is to keep pets out of the bedroom. If you can't bear to shut them out, at least keep them off the bed and follow these tips:

• Bathe pets regularly. It’s not the hair that triggers allergies, it's the skin.
• Vacuum upholstered furniture regularly.
• Steam clean furniture, walls, clothing, bedding, upholstery and fabrics once a month. (If the room is wallpapered, move the furniture away from the walls before you steam clean.)

Allergens thrive on the floor in carpets and area rugs. If a family member has severe allergies, consider removing them. Regardless of what kind of floor covering you have, these tips will reduce allergens:

• Remove shoes when you enter the house to avoid tracking pollen and allergens.
• Vacuum frequently with a vacuum outfitted with a HEPA filter
• Replace carpets with hardwood or washable area rugs and vacuum frequently.
• Steam clean bedroom rugs to kill dust mites and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to pick up the most allergens.