How to reduce allergens in the bedroom

With so many hours spent in bed every night, your bedroom is one of the most important rooms to keep clean, particularly if you have allergies.

Why we should try to keep bedrooms dust and allergen free

If anyone in your family suffers from allergies, it’s important to try and reduce allergens in the air and on surfaces, to lower the risk of an allergic reaction.

Tips to reducing allergens in your bedroom:

1. Keep your bedroom clean
• Wash all bed linen once a week on a hot wash (at least 60ºC) to kill dust mites.
• Use a vacuum cleaner with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter to clean carpets.Use a Dettol floor cleaner to keep your floor tidy.
• Use a Dettol antibacterial surface cleanser or surfaces wipes to remove any pollen, pet hair and dust mite debris from hard surfaces.
• Make sure any decorative pillows, throws, rugs or other fabric items are fully washable. Machine washing will remove dust, allergens and dirt.
• Fit mattresses, duvets and pillows with dust mite impermeable covers
• Choose lightweight washable cotton curtains, vertical blinds or roller blinds if possible - horizontal blinds and shutters will collect more dust. Always clean blinds with a damp cloth.
2. Keep your bedroom tidy
• Soft furnishings are a haven for dust mites. Throw away anything that you don’t need, and try to keep cushions, pillows and blankets to a minimum.
• Put cosmetics, jewellery and clothes away in closed cupboards so that they don’t accumulate dust.
• It’s useful to keep out of season clothes in vacuum zip bags to keep dust at bay.
• Avoid storing items under the bed – boxes and suitcases are harder to vacuum around, meaning dust mites and allergens can collect.
3. Keep pets away from your bedroom
• Don't allow pets in bedrooms, especially if any family members suffer from allergies.

Additional cleaning tips for children’s rooms:

If children suffer from allergies to pollen, house dust mites and pet it is important to keep their bedrooms clean to limit their exposure. Here are some ways you can help:

• Soft toys tend to go everywhere with your children. Make sure you choose washable toys that you can machine-wash on a hot cycle (at least 55ºC) to remove dust mites.
• Avoid letting children sleep with their soft toys and regularly wash all bedding.
• Plastic and wooden toys should be cleaned regularly with products proven to remove dust mite allergens like Dettol antibacterial cleanser or surface wipes. Make sure you rinse thoroughly with clean water afterwards to remove any chemical residue.

During peak pollen times, make sure you place your child’s bed or cot away from air vents.