Pet Allergy Relief Tips & Advice

There are several things you can do to relieve the discomfort associated with pet allergies. Here we outline the Top 10 Pet Allergy tips that will help you get pet allergy relief.

1. Use a HEPA Air Purifier

To have an allergic reaction, the cat dander needs to be airborne and you need to breathe it in. Since cat allergen is so small and difficult to remove, a good high quality HEPA air filter is absolutely essential. Personally, I’ve found that the liberal use of a high grade HEPA air purifier running 24 hours a day is the key to success. I highly recommend the IQAir , Airpura V600 Pet, Austin Pet Machine, or the QuietPure Home air purifier for the best results.

2. Get a HEPA Vacuum Cleaner

A true HEPA vacuum cleaner sucks up cat dander and keeps it from returning back into your environment. Vacuum your whole house weekly. Keep your pets off furniture, and remove carpet and area rugs. If possible, let your cat outside to reduce shedding in the house. There are several vacuums we recommend and 2 of them are canisters such as, the Miele Complete C3 Cat & Dog vacuum and the Sebo AirBelt D4.  Also, we recommend 3 uprights such as the Sebo Felix The Pet, Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright vacuum, and the Miele S7260 Cat & Dog.

3. Utilize Vapor Steam Cleaners

Steam Cleaners are proven by research to be extremely helpful in eliminating the cat proteins/dander which are embedded in your carpets and upholstery. We have many machines that we are impressed with such as the Ladybug line specifically, the Ladybug XL 2300 TANCS and the Ladybug 2200S TANCS. A cost effective favorite is our exclusive line of WhiteWing steam cleaners.

4. Keep Pets Out of the Bedroom

This is where you spend most of your time at home. Keep the bedroom door closed at all times and make this a sanctuary away from your pets.

5. Always Wash Your Hands

Always wash your face, hands and arms after grooming or playing with your pet to remove its dander. Never touch your eyes afterwards.

6. Clean Your Pets

Cat shampoos thoroughly clean your pet and neutralize the allergy-provoking allergens found in their fur, dander and saliva. Alternatively, you can use a damp micro fiber cloth to rub down the pet’s coat daily to rid it of dander. We recommend a few pet allergy control products and have been very satisfied with the Allersearch Pet + Anti-Allergen Shampoo, as well as the Ecology Works Anti-Allergen Pet Shampoo.

7. Wash Your Linens

Washing your bed and household linens in 140°F water will eliminate both dust mite and cat allergens. Remove clothing worn after grooming or playing with your pet. Keep the clothing, now full of animal dander, out of the bedroom. We recommend the Allersearch Allergen Wash Anti-Allergen Laundry Detergent & their Acaril laundry additive.We also like the Ecology Works Anti-Allergen Solution Laundry Detergent.

8. Use a Nasal Irrigator

If you have sinus problems because of your cats, use a nasal irrigator and clean out the allergens in your nostrils on a daily basis. This alone will reduce your absorption of allergens by at least fifty percent. We recommend the SinuPulse Elite, as well as the NasoNeb.

9. Over-Pressurize a Room

Over pressurizing a room will keep out the air with any biological contaminants such as mold, pollen, viruses, bacteria and cat allergens. In order to positively pressurize a room, air needs to be drawn into the room from the outside (exterior or nearby room) through an exceptionally high grade HEPA filter, so only pure air reaches the interior of the room. This is also a good way for people suffering from environmental allergies to get fresh air in the home. We recommend a kit to over-pressurize a room from IQAir.

10. Consider a “hypoallergenic” breeds

There is a protein in the feline saliva called Fel D1. The Siberian cat is apparently free from the Fel D1 protein, and therefore has no dander. Many people find they have no allergic reaction to this type of breed. They are also beautiful long haired cats!

The President and First Lady also presented their daughter Malia with a Portuguese Water Dog for the same reason: Malia’s allergies simply wouldn’t permit her to enjoy interacting with animals otherwise, due to her dander allergy, and Portuguese Water Dogs are known for their hypoallergenic coat.

The best method of controlling animal allergies is avoidance. If a family member has a really severe reaction to a family pet, the best solution is to find the pet another home with someone you know and trust.