6 Ways to Allergy-Proof Your New Home

Back in February, I finally achieved a life-long goal - I finally became a homeowner! While this was an exciting accomplishment, especially during pandemic times, it also came with a new set of challenges that I’ve never dealt with before in my life, making my new home allergy-proof.

Making changes to allergy-proof my home

Sure, there are some no-brainers on the list below, but like many things, you know what you know, and you don’t know what you don’t know. Thanks to the help of my allergist and parents, I was able to spot these unknowns rather quickly and make the changes I needed to live a comfortable life in my new pad. Check out the actions I took below.

Remove carpeting

I’m not kidding when I say this, but I literally ripped out all of the existing carpets and padding a mere six hours after closing on the house. Fortunately for me (and I confirmed beforehand), I had beautiful hardwood flooring under that fibrous monstrosity. Now, eczema aside, I would do this anyway. I’m a huge fan of hardwood because it’s easy to clean, beautiful, and adds more value to a home. Additionally, I don’t trust the carpet in a home that’s been previously inhabited. You never know what kind of allergens or grime has been retained by the old flooring.

Give it a deep cleaning

Next up, I paid for someone to do a deep clean of my house. The house I purchased was nice, but I wanted to make it my own. Because of that, I did a fair amount of renovations before I moved in. Between the complete renovation of my kitchen, the removal of asbestos tile, and the sanding and refinishing of the hardwood, there was a lot of dust floating around in the air. It permeated every single crevice of the first floor.

Create an air purifier

After seeing my allergist in May, I learned that a simple way to clean the air in my bedroom was to create a DIY air purifier. Since making one, it’s worked wonders for my allergies!

Change the air filter

I’m not sure why this took me so long to do, but I replaced my air filter. Looking back, the one that I removed was probably in the furnace for a solid eight months before it was changed out. Let me tell you, it was ABSOLUTELY filthy. I couldn’t believe it. However, it made complete sense because of all the renovations, so it was a good thing I finally replaced it. It was a cheap one, and HVAC companies recommend that you swap filters out every three months. All it cost was $17 and a few minutes of my time.

Ditch curtains, drapes, and blinds

Curtains, drapes, and blinds are cheap. Ditch the old ones and swap them out for something new. After my floors were sanded, they were completely covered in dust. Just do yourself the favor of throwing them out and getting a new set that goes well with your interior design.

Clean the air duct

Last but not least is air duct cleaning. Now, in full transparency, I have yet to get this done. With that being said, it is high up on my to-do list. After an inspection of my air filter, and DIY air purifier, it is evident to me that this needs to be completed as soon as possible.

Have any other suggestions?

It's amazing how a little knowledge and a DIY spirit can make a huge change when it comes to allergy-proofing your new home. Have some tips of your own? Drop them in the comment selection below!