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Achoo! How To De-Sneeze Your Digs (If You Have Allergies or Asthma)
Tips For The Homeowner from Parents

NEW YORK – You can prevent minor allergy attacks by keeping your home squeaky clean, says the August issue of Parents magazine.

Here are weekly, monthly and “always” tips for homeowners:

Weekly
• Wash bedding in hot water
• Dust, mop and vacuum
• Wash stuffed animals in hot water
• Give pets a bath
• Wipe down shades and blinds
• Clean the bathroom and kitchen to prevent mold

Monthly
• Wipe down houseplants, which carry pollen and mold
• Clean air filters
• Check for water and mold in the basement and attic

Always
• Keep windows closed during pollen season (check pollen.com for local levels), and never hang clothes outside to dry since they can collect pollen
• Avoid wall-to-wall carpet, especially in your child’s bedroom
• Ban smoking in your home (and car)
• Use hypoallergenic covers on pillows and mattresses
• Try high-filtration vacuum bags or a HEPA filter vacuum
• Keep your pets out of your child’s bedroom

These tips are published in the magazine’s monthly Emergency Guide section, which in the August 2006 issue focuses on allergies and asthma. Also featured in the section is a quick-care guide on how to stop an attack now; an at-a-glance guide to the four major types of asthma drugs (bronchodilators, corticosteroids, long-acting bronchodilators, and leukotrienne modifiers); and the signs that your child should go back to the doctor because her disease isn’t under control.

CONTACT:
Susan Soriano
212-499-1627
Susan.Soriano@meredith.com