How to Make Your Home Hypoallergenic: 7 Proven Tips

Allergy is a chimera of the 21st century, as it can occur almost to everything: to flowering plants, dust, chemicals, animals, food. Every third adult Russian and every fourth child is an allergist.

Since we inevitably spend a lot of time at home, we asked an expert for several tips that will help protect from extra irritants in the apartment.

Julia Kaufeldt, an interior designer, is convinced that design should not only be beautiful but also comfortable.

When choosing finishing materials, pay attention to water-dispersed paints: they have no unpleasant odor and are more resistant to contamination.

If you prefer wallpapers, it's better to choose smooth and paper ones. Dust accumulates on flocked or embossed wallpapers. For floors, natural and easily washable coverings such as parquet boards, ceramic tiles, or cork are suitable.

The sleeping area is a zone of special comfort, so pillows, blankets, and mattresses should be made from hypoallergenic materials. You can use special removable covers for allergics – they do not let water, bacteria, or viruses through.

It is better to avoid down, feathers, fur, and coconut fibers – they are difficult to clean, so a lot of dust accumulates in them.

Fabrics should be chosen carefully – they are, of course, beautiful and cozy, but very dusty. Throws and decorative pillows should be stored in wardrobes and taken out only when needed.

If you can't imagine life without a carpet, choose one with short pile – it is easier to clean, which means there will be fewer irritating particles in it.

Naturally, it is impossible to completely isolate the room from dust and bacteria, so I recommend using special equipment. Split systems, air humidifiers, or ventilation units with fine filtration will help.

Flora and fauna of the apartment require special attention. Choose non-flowering plants without pollen, and preferably with large leaves – they are easier to wipe. For example, for allergics, chlorophytum, phalaenopsis, spathiphyllum, and dracaena are completely safe. Potentially allergenic plants include those that irritate the skin (philodendrons, dieffenbachias, milkweeds), medicinal herbs and plants (kalanchoe, lavender), and garden-house varieties with basket-like inflorescences (gerbera, asters, chrysanthemums).

Allergy does not always arise from the plant itself; in some cases, the irritant is soil. In such cases, grow flowers using nutrient solutions – hydroponics.

As for animals, allergy is not only caused by long fur – it can even be fish food. Therefore, find out in advance whether you can live with a pet on the same premises. If the main allergen is fur, the problem can be solved by choosing a hairless breed of cat or a poodle whose fur hardly sheds.

Decor cannot be canceled, so just minimize the number of open shelves and small decor items. Also, books are better stored in closed cabinets – that way they deteriorate less.

Separate trouble – household chemicals. I recommend dedicating a separate cabinet for them. It is better to clean only while wearing rubber gloves and ventilating the room well after cleaning.

Illustrations in the article: Julia Kaufeldt's design project