By now you have all read or heard about bed bugs becoming a real problem in the US. For years people associated bed bugs with cheap hotels and seedy inns. If you sat on the mattress the bugs would get you. Not anymore, bed bugs can be found in some of the finest hotels and nicest homes in the country. We have gotten calls from people who brought them home from their vacation or someone in the family travels a good deal and brought home an infestation. No matter how you got bed bugs, they are hard to get rid of because bed bugs get in your mattress, pillows, couch, dresser or any other place they can hide.

One of the most important prevention / treatment for bed bugs is covering your mattress with special bed bug mattress covers. These covers are made so a bed bug can't chew through the material and get in or out of your mattress. The zippers used in these types of bed bug mattress covers are designed so they can't crawl through them either.

The Allergy Store now carries a cover designed by pest control experts that has been scientifically proven to stop bed bugs from getting in or out of your mattress. They are made from a polyester stretch knit material with urethane membrane. You can find out more information on the special bed bug mattress covers by clicking on the link below.

Bed Bug Mattress Covers

We have also written a report that tells you more about bed bugs, what they are, were they like to live, how to see if you have them and how to deal with a bed bug infestation. Click on the link below to read the report.

Bed Bugs - Unwanted Guests Quickly Becoming a Major Pest

Hopefully you will never have to deal with bed bugs in your mattress or in your life. If you do this information will help you deal with it.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com - Helping our customers since 1989

        

The reason air filters were developed for air conditioning systems was to improve the air quality and keep the units clean. We know a good ac filter will keep your system clean which in turn will keep your duct work clean longer. The problem is that filters can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, mildew and fungi which can cause the air coming from the ac to be worse that the air outside.

AC filters and where you have to put them is like the perfect storm. It is dark, damp and full of stuff that micro-organisms love to live and grow on. Even a new filter with no dirt can develop microbial growth. That just goes to show you what is in the air in your home or office. Common microbes include Staph, Strep, Cladosporium and Aspergillis  just to name a few common ones.

This is the reason your ac or furnace filters need to be treated and/or made with anti-microbial materials. If you or someone you love have allergies, asthma, COPD or any other respiratory problem they have to be aware of the problem with untreated  filter media. Our 

electrostatic ac filters are made with  VIBAX MI-50, an anti-microbial which effectively limits and controls bacteria, mold and mildew, and our pleated are constructed with Kimberly-Clark Intrepid media. This material will not absorb moisture that supports microbial growth.

It's hot outside now and we are all running our air conditioners to stay cool. Keep a good filter made with or treated with an anti-microbial in your ac system and breath better knowing you are protected.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.Com - Serving our customers since 1989

        

How would you feel if all of a sudden you got sick when you ate you favorite food? You know your daughter is allergic to peanuts but got sick when she ate some chocolate chip cookies. Wonder why?

Many people are born with food allergies and other develop them at some point in their life. As a kid I ate cold watermelon and cantalope like there was no tomorrow. Then one day at summer camp I ate some watermelon and my head blew up like a basketball and I had a real hard time breathing. The doctor said I was allergic to melons and he did not know what triggered it and maybe one day it would go away. 35 years later and I still can't eat them.

We get lots of calls from people looking for answers, suggestions, tips and help in dealing with food allergies. This is a real problem for parents that have children that have food allergies. As an adult I know what to avoid, but children don't and friends and relatives don't either. They don't understand that the child with the food allergy can get seriously ill by the smallest contact. They can't believe they can get that sick by eating a chocolate chip cookie that was baked in the same factory as a peanut butter cookie. I had on customer tell me her son got ill from eating food that was packaged in a plant by a peanut farm. The packaging plant did not even package anything with peanuts but the allergens got blown in to the plant. 

While we don't deal with food allergies we are always looking for ways to help our customers. Recently we were sent a copy of "Flourishing With Food Allergies" a really good book about how to help children and their families live with food allergies. It is full of tips on how to handle play dates and birthday parties, making educated discussions about schools, piratical guidance about diets, allergen control and travel so many other helpful topics.

It provide you wonderful tools and resources and is a must read for parents of children with food allergies.

The author, A. Anderson, has two son's that have had food allergies since birth so she knows what you are going through.

Click on the link below  to get more information.  

Flourishing with Food Allergies: Social, Emotional and Practical Guidance for Families with Young Children

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore- Helping our customers for 20 years.

        

Good question..  What can I do for my allergies to my cat?

We have several cats but we know that cat allergies can be very serious for many people. We have quite a few friends that are allergic to cats but they can still come over to the house and enjoy a nice evening. The reason they don't have problems is we take care of a few things.

 

On of the most important things to do is keep the cat out of the bedroom. This is your safe room and needs to be as clean as possible. Keep the door closed.

The first thing we do is keep the furniture and floors as free of cat hair as possible and with 3 cats that can be a chore. I use the furniture brush on the chairs and couch and the floor brush on the floors. The couch the cats hang out on the most has a cover that we take off and wash about one a month. We also was the little throw rugs they like to sleep on in the wash with Demite laundry additive or Allerwash laundry detergent every week.

Read the rest of this answer... How to control my cat allergies.

Wishing you the best of health,

Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com - Serving our customers for 20 years

        

Hi,

Our June 2009 newsletter is now out. Click here to read.

Articles In this Issue

• School is Out .... Time for Summer Camp
• Chlorine Allergy --- Are You Allergic to Your Shower
• Tips For Healthy Travel

Summer Savings

• Pristine Luxury and Certified Organic Allergy Bedding
• Allersearch Anti-Allergen Allerwash Laundry Detergent
• Zeolite Odor Control Products

We hope you enjoy it. Please let us know if you have any ideas on how we can improve our service..

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com - Serving Our Customers for 20 Years

        

Now that school is out it may be time to think about summer camp and how you can control their allergies while they are away.

First thing you need to do is make sure that they not only take their medication and inhalers if they use them but make sure they have written instructions on what to look for and what to do. I found making 3 copies is a good think. Give one to your child, one to the adult leader and one to the camp health director. This way everybody is on the same page.

Now take the bedding, sheets, pillow cases and blankets, that they will be taking to camp and wash them in either Demite laundry additive or Allerwash laundry detergent. Do this a couple of days before they leave (it won't hurt to was their tee shirts in it either). If they are taking a sleeping bag I have found spraying it down with ADMS anti-allergen spray works really well. Just make sure it is dry before you roll it up.
 
Outside of that there is not much more you can do. You can't control the air they breath, where they play or what they get into. Summer camp is a time to explore, meet new friends and enjoy the great outdoors. Do remind them to stay out of the poison ivy. I got into it and was miserable for the next month.

By the way don't be surprised if they come home with most of the clothes you packed still clean. I can tell you as a Scout leader and parent that they will only wear their swim suit an a couple of tee shirts the whole time. That's just the way it is.. 

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com - Serving our customers for 20 years.

        

Nasal washing or nasal sinus irrigation has been used throughout India and South East Asia for centuries to relieve chronic sinus infections, sinus headaches, and nasal irritation caused by pollen, dust, mold spores, smog, smoke, and other allergens. It has been used in the US for a little over a 100 years or so.

Nasal irrigation uses saline - just water & salt - to cleanse the sinuses. There is a wide variety of applicators available, nasal wash bottles, Neti pots and nasal sinus irrigation systems like  the SinuPulse® Sinus Nasal Irrigation system. Many people swear by the Neti pot but in our opinion their effectiveness is limited because they rely on simple gravity and require the head be tilted in an awkward and uncomfortable position. On the plus side they are not very expensive.

Bottom line is if you suffer from sinus infection and sinus headaches you really should look into sinus irrigation. It is drug free, simple to do and you just might find that your nose will feel like something you want to keep.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

Allergy Store - Serving Customers Since 1989

        

For years we have sold and used vacuum cleaners made by Miele because we feel they are the best HEPA vacuums available.

I can still remember when the local Miele rep stopped by for a sales call and introduced use to their new HEPA canister model, the Medivac.  He was telling us how well Miele vacuums were made when he picked up the vacuum and threw it across out tile floor. It bounced a few times, hit the wall and came to rest on it's top. Then he went over to it and stood on top of it. He was showing us just how strong and durable the housing was. Years later that same Miele vacuum is still going strong. We gave it to our daughter when she moved out to go to college and it has survived.

Miele makes something like 25 - 26 vacuum cleaner models. Everything from a toy vacuum for the kids to the top of the line S5980. Each one is designed, manufactured and tested so they will last you a lifetime.

After looking at and playing with the various models we have chosen 5 as the best ones for allergy and asthma suffers. We think one of these 5 Miele vacuum cleaners will solve any situation. All of these vacuums have HEPA filtration systems.

The Callisto is the full size canister vacuum with the electric power head. A great choice for someone with medium to deep pile carpet especially someone with pets.

Miele's Pisces vacuum cleaner is also a full size canister model but has the air driven power head. If you have low to medium pile carpet, area or oriental rugs this would be a good choice.

The Neptune model, replaces the Antares, is a mid size canister vacuum with the air driven power head. A smaller vacuum for a smaller home with low to medium pile carpet and tile or wood floors.

For the upright vacuum lover we have the Bolero upright vacuum. This is a beautifully designed vac that has all the bells and whistles Miele offers, unbelievable maneuverability that can get in to places no other upright can.

If you have a small apartment, RV, loft or boat the S168 mini-upright vacuum cleaner would be a perfect choice. It is powerful, versatile, easy to use and light weight. 

These vacuums are priced anywhere from 399.00 to 899.00. I can hear now..but they are so expensive. Your right, they are not cheap. You can go to Walmart and buy a Eureka or some other brand of vacuum for under 200.00 but do you think it will still be working 5, 10, 20 years from now. I don't think so. Don't believe me, ask your friend what type of vacuum cleaner they have. If someone tells you a Miele I bet you they will have nothing but good things to tell you about them.  

We have been using our Miele, a Crystal, for a couple of years now and it has done a great job. I still do some small mold remediation projects now and then and I use our Miele. My wife is not to happy about it but I always clean it up before I bring it back into the house.

Wishing you the best of health and a great 2009
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

As many of you know, as of January 1st, 2009 CFC propelled albuterol inhalers are no more. The FDA has banned them because they feel they are harmful to the environment. Read the release...

While the government may feel they are bad for the environment I don't think they gave much consideration to the person who has to use the inhalers. We have heard that the HFA-propelled albuterol inhalers don't deliver the medication as effectively and deeply as the CFC propelled inhalers and are harder to take care of. Nothing like a clogged inhaler when your having an asthma attack and can't get air into your lungs. Seconds do count...

The other issue is the cost. The CFC inhalers cost about $10-$15 and the new HFA inhalers run about $40-$50. Thats a hefty increase for something that many feel does not work as well as the old one.

We believe that a person should know what triggers their asthma attacks and either avoid or control them. For many years we have helped people control their asthma with our selection of allergy and asthma relief products. However nobody should not have to worry about their rescue inhalers when they find themselves in a situation where it is the only thing standing between them and the hospital.

Wishing you the best of health and a great 2009
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

We get asked every so often why we only carry Austin Air Healthmate and Airpura HEPA air cleaners. The answer is very simple. They work. You turn them on and they suck in the dust and other allergens floating in the air. I don't agree with consumer reports on this one.

Neither the Austin Air or Airpura air cleaners have any fancy controls, flashing lights or warning noises. All they have is a 3 speed on/off switch. Pretty simple yet very effective. The machines are made from 16 gage steel and have a powder coated finish so there is no out gassing or rattles coming from any plastic. My daughter even uses her air cleaner as a night stand.

The design of the Austin air  and Airpura units is basic. Air is drawn into the unit on all sides of the machine. Then it is drawn through 2 prefilters, activated carbon/zeolite and the the HEPA filter. A couple of the Airpura air cleaners also incorporate UV   as a way to keep the filter free of virus and bacteria. Like I said, simple but effective.

Several brands of air cleaners being sold today use ionization as a way of cleaning the air. All ionization does is make the particles heavy and they drop to the floor or on the furniture.  The air is cleaner until you walk across the floor and then the particles will become airborne again. They float around awhile and then fall again.

Both manufactures stand behind their machines with warranties of 5 to 10 years. I can guarantee you most of the air cleaners being sold today will not last more than 2 years much less 5. We have customers that have had their air cleaners for 15 plus years and they are still going strong.

We can have any air cleaner we want in our home. The only HEPA air cleaner we use are Austin Air Healthmate.  They are simple yet effective. For more general information about air cleaners and air purifiers check out hepaaircleaner.com.

Wishing you the best of health.
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

More info at Hubpage:

        

Ok, I think my title got it all.

We get calls all the time asking us what is allergy bedding, or what are dust mite covers and allergy proof encasing.

You just went to the doctor, they told you that you are allergic to dust mites, hand you one of our (or someone's else) catalogs and tell you should cover your bed. Sound familiar?

Allergy bedding, dust mite covers, allergy proof bedding or mattress encasing are what we call our specialized bedding products. It dose not matter what you call them, they all do the same thing because they are the same.

The covers your doctor recommended you put on your bed are made of special fabric, membraned or micro-weave. A micro-fiber is fabric that is so tightly woven and creates a barrier and membraned fabrics have a urethane coating on the inside and that is what causes it to be allergy proof.

There are many companies, including the Allergy Store, that carry these covers. When you think about covering your bedding you need to remember it is not just the mattress. You need to cover the mattress, box spring, pillows, toppers and comforters. A good rule is, if you can't wash it every week, then cover it.

We have chosen to carry a larger selection of dust mite covers simply because not everyone can afford the Pristine allergy covers. The truth is vinyl is just as effective as Pristine, but would be super uncomfortable to sleep on.  

To read my complete response go to " What are allergy bed covers" in our Q&A section.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com - Your Source for Allergy & Asthma Relief Products Since 1989AllergyStore.com - Your Source for Allergy & Asthma Relief Products Since 1989

        

allergystore.com/"> name="revisit-after" content="15 days">

Every day we are getting calls about bed bugs. 

The problems associated with bed bugs in the U.S. is increasing to the point where they can affect anyone and anywhere. In the past few years, bed bug infestations have been increasingly observed in the U.S. and  has been attributed to the increases in immigration and travel.

 

For years when people talked about bed bugs the thought of run down, flea bag hotels came to mind. Not now. It is not uncommon for a 4 or 5 star hotel to have a problem or two with uninvited guests. You never know where they may show up.

Being familiar with bed bugs can help to avoid infestation, or at least prompt earlier intervention by a professional pest control expert to help get rid of the bugs....

Read complete article on bed bugs, the Unwanted Guest 

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com

allergystore.com/"> name="revisit-after" content="15 days">

        

We have received several comments and calls about the use of ultraviolet (UV) in air cleaners. 

Ultraviolet (UV) has been used for decades as a means to sterilize medical instruments and water. When it was first introduced into the air cleaner market it caused many problems because of the amount of ozone produced by UV-B. About 10 years ago companies started selling UV-C systems designed for air conditioning equipment. It did not produce the harmful ozone that the UV-B did and in fact they did a great job of keeping the air handling units clean.

Then the air cleaner manufacture manufactures got in the game and started installing UV bulbs in their products and making all sorts of exaggerated claims. Yes UV kills bacteria, viruses, germs, etc. True scientific facts. What they don't tell you is that the air is moving past the UV light at 75 to 700 cfm therefore there is very little actual contact time.

FACT...In order for UV to be effective it has to shine on the organism for a certain amount of time and that varies on the organism itself. 

If you look in our air cleaner section you will find 2 products that use  UV technology. One is the Fresh-Aire air handler unit and the other one is the Airpura UV600 air cleaner.  The Fresh-Aire unit keeps coils, liners, motor housings and other internal part free of harmful microbial growth and the light in UV600 kills whatever gets caught in the filter.

The key is they both use UV as a way to keep a certain area clean and free of harmful microbial growth. Keep the surface clean and the byproduct is cleaner healthier air.

Is Ultraviolet helpful in keeping the air in you home clean? Yes, but only when it is used correctly.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com   
   

        

That depends on a few things. Have you been around people with strong perfumes, smoke, cleaning products or other irritants? These things will make your nose run because you are allergic or you just may have a cold/flu. Before you head to the doctor ask yourself a few questions first. This way you can give the doctor a better idea of what is going on.

• Do you have problems with scents like perfumes, colognes and cleaning solutions?  - MCS or non-allergic rhinitis

• Do you have a fever? - Cold or Flu

• Do your symptoms get better/worse at specific times of the year? - Allergies

• Do your symptoms get worse when you get around pets like dogs and cats? - Allergies

Read complete answer

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

 

        

I recently read an article in Natural Health that said we should be drinking more tap water and that is was just as safe as bottled water. First of all, not all bottled water is good and all of the plastic bottles that get tossed everyday are defiantly bad for the environment. Article - Bottled water and It's Problems. Secondly, there are no guarantees your tap water is good either.  

 

The current water standards which municipal water systems were enacted in 1974 and over 2,000 different contaminants have been found in our drinking water supplies and they have only established safe standards for about 100 of them. An analysis of tap water in found that the water supply in 24 major cities are contaminated with trace amounts of prescription drugs like antibiotics, psychotropic, blood pressure and others. The EPA says it poses no threat, yet the long term health effects are not known.

 

I’m not knocking the local water treatment systems unfortunately they can’t stop every microbial contaminate from getting past their system. Even if the could get everything out of the water, they can’t guarantee the quality of the pipes that transport the water to your house.Here in South Florida we see way too many "boil water orders" issued by the various cities.

 

The chlorine many use to disinfect our water has leaves cancer causing byproducts called trihalomethanes (THMs). Then there is the issue of fluoride in our water. Congress is now looking into this.

 

The water filtration method suggested in the article is the most basic and least effective filtration method available. It said the carbon filtration will reduce chlorine, lead, copper, cadmium and mercury enough to make it ok. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think any amount of chlorine, lead, copper, cadmium or mercury is ok to ingest.

 

Our body is made up of about 60% water. Don’t you think it should be as pure as possible? I do.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

        

Just a quick note to say we will be changing the format of our allergy store blog.

Starting today all articles that we write will be stored on our sever. We will give you the highlights here on the blog and if you find it interesting you can go to our allergy article library and see the entire article. Allergy Article Library

Next we are creating a new Q&A section on the Allergy Store web site where we will answer your questions. Once again we will give you the highlights here.

Finally we will be introducing a new video feature. Check out our first one, Welcome to the Allergy Store.    

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

P.S. If your thinking of buying a water purification system please don't do it yet... We are working with one of the worlds top water purification systems manufactures to bring you the most effective and affordable systems available. Keep an eye on our blog for details.

        

We have created a new site just for our Organic Baby Products Line. Check it out at OldBarnOrganics. Com.

We picked the name because so many old barns are 100 plus years old and they were made with local lumber amd other items. All natural and organic just like these products.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

First of all let me say that dust mites can’t bite you but I’ll save that for an entirely different discussion.

The bedroom is the worst place for exposure to dust mite allergens. The bed has the highest concentration of dust mites, dust mite parts and feces. Dust mites like dark, damp and warm places and that is why the bed is a perfect place for them. They are also close to their favorite food source, dead skin. That is the reason we always recommend our client use allergy proof bedding on their beds. They keep the dust mite allergens from getting out of the mattress, pillows and comforters.

The symptoms of dust mite exposure can be a little different for each person but there are some very common symptoms. Most people will have the worst reactions when they go to bed. Some people start reacting as soon as they get in bed and for others it takes a while. Usually your nose starts getting stuffy then the eyes will get puffy.

For some people that is it. Others that have more severe allergies to dust mites will start coughing up mucus and have very hard time breathing. Some asthmatics can end up in the hospital. In other cases people suffer from urticaria (hives) as well as everything else.

The good news is that with some work most people can get their dust mite allergies under control and most of the symptoms they suffer from exposure will be gone.    


Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

Killing dust mites on stuffed animals is not hard. The hard part is getting rid of the dead dust mite and its parts. A dead dust mite is just as bad as a live one.

Many stuffed animals and toys can be put in the wash just like any piece of clothing. The problem with washing some stuffed animals is that they loose that soft, fluffy, cuddly feel. Others completely disintegrate and the stuffing gets everywhere, we had a few do that.

Killing dust mites on stuffed animals or anything for that matter you have to be washing in 130 to 140 F water. In most homes the hot water heaters are set to 105 to 108 F. for safety reasons. Many of the newer dryers have an “allergy” setting that allows the temperature to get to 180 to 190 F. That will kill dust mites and almost anything else. The problem with that is the amount of electricity they use and the feel of stuffed toy after it has been cooked. (Read complete answer)

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

        

When our customers are looking to buy a dust mite covers for their children's bed they often start off looking at the Allersoft  or Pristine fabrics. Both of these are outstanding microfiber fabrics and are great for adults because they are cool, comfortable and very effective against allergens. However, I don't recommend them for a child's bed.

We put the linen (with the membrane) dust mite covers on both of our children's beds about 10 years ago and they have held up great. Don't misunderstand me, the Allersoft and Pristine dust mite mattress covers are effective, comfortable and durable but the linen covers are waterproof as well as effective, comfortable and durable.

No matter how many times we told them to not take drinks into their rooms  something would mysteriously end up getting spilled on the bed.  Coke , tea and cool-aid can make a real mess out of a mattress.  The linen covers also held up very well to the jumping and wrestling that goes along with having kids. 

Both our children have moved out of the house now and when they moved they took their covers with them. They have held up even at college.

So when you are looking for a dust mite cover for the children I would  recommend taking a look at the linen cotton poly fabric.  They won't even know they are there but you will.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com



 

        

The carpets in our house are a perfect environment for collecting dust mites and other common household allergens.  Dust, pollen, dirt, crumbs, dead skin, hair, and other debris fall onto the floor and collect in the fibers of the carpet. 

Since dust mites feed on shed human skin (a major component of household dust) carpeting provides a banquet table set for a feast for dust mites.  As we walk on the carpet, we stir up the settled bits of allergen, causing them to become air-borne.  Once air-borne, they are easily inhaled and trigger an allergic reaction. Not a good thing.

People with sever allergies to dust mites or asthma really should remove the carpeting.  The reason for this piece of advice is that it is impossible to really clean carpet.  You can pay companies to clean your carpets, you can rent a carpet cleaning machine and do it yourself, and can buy one of hundreds of carpet cleaning products. The problem is that none of these process really cleans the carpet.

It is true that any of these methods of “carpet cleaning” will remove some of the soil and make the carpets look  and smell cleaner. Think of it this way, suppose you took a heavy sweater or shirt (with lots of thick fibers) and threw it down on the floor and walked on it for 6 months.  It would get pretty nasty, right?  Then suppose you injected the dirty shirt/sweater with some warm soapy water and then vacuumed the water out. Now, do you think that sweater would be clean?  This is why people with allergies or asthma are told to get rid of carpet.

The reality is, most people are not in a position to remove the carpet and put in wood or tile floors. So what do you do?

• Vacuum the carpet often and with a good vacuum. Not one of the $69.95 specials.
• Take your shoes off when you come in the house.
• Use door mats to wipe your feet.
• When you have the carpets cleaned make sure if it is being steam cleaned that the company use a very strong extraction system. Damp carpet gets dirty easily and also allows for microbial growth.
• Use either X-mite carpet treatment or ADS anti-allergen spray products from Allersearch Labs on a regular basis. They will deactivate or neutralize the allergens in the carpet.

We are fortunate. We were able to remove all the carpeting from our home.  One room at a time over a period of 3 years. It certainly has made a difference in the control of our allergies.  However, until we were able to remove the carpets, X-Mite anti-allergen dust mite carpet powder was an important part of the allergy control regimen our my home.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

Mothers give their all to their children.  Loving them, nurturing them, teaching them, providing the physical, emotional, and spiritual care growing children need. 

Mother's Day is a special day, set aside to honor Mom, her sacrifices, and all she does for her family.  Some Mom's are taken to restaurants for special meals, some Moms have a special meal prepared for them at home or at the home of a family member.  We shower Mom with love and gifts to show how much she means to us.  Some of the most popular Mother's Day gifts are personal care items that we hope Mom will use to pamper herself.

But did you know that many of the personal care items, even those "specially formulated" for sensitive skin or marketed as "hypoallergenic" are loaded with formaldehyde?

Read the label of your favorite personal care items. You will see it prominently listed. Also look for the name Quaternium-15. This indicates the presence of formaldehyde. You can find it in shampoos, hair spray, sunscreen, skin lotions and creams, lip balms and even air fresheners. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, has designated formaldehyde as a known cause of several types of throat and nasal cancer.  This is the same formaldehyde that is used in embalming fluid! 

So if you love Mom and want to show you care.....then why are you trying to embalm her while she is still alive????

The Allergy Store carries skin care and hair care products from Vanicream that are free of dyes, scents, and formaldehyde.

Wishing you the best of health
Cheryl Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

On the way home tonight I saw van leaving my neighborhood. On the side of it in big letters it said "Carpet Cleaning and Duct Cleaning"  No offense to the guy driving the van, I don't know him or the company,  but he is riping people off. He is ripping my neighbors off.

We owned a company that had been cleaning ducts since 1989 so I know a little about duct cleaning and how it should be done.  I won't go into all the specifics now but there is now way that van could have been carrying the proper equipment to clean any house in my neighborhood. Period.

My guess is he had a small "Rotobrush" cleaning system since he also did carpet cleaning. A Rotobrush system has a rotating brush head on the end of a 1 1/4 vacuum hose which is attached to a red vacuum. All the houses in the neighborhood have vaulted ceilings and flex duct work. Much of the duct work runs 20 to 30 feet and is anywhere from 5" to 16" in diameter. There is no way for that brush head and hose assembly  to get into the duct work and get it clean.

If you see and add for duct cleaning that reads something like this, Duct Cleaning - 8 vents - $39.00, save your money. The only thing they will clean is your wallet.

Carpet cleaners need to clean carpet, that is what they do. If you want your duct cleaned, hire a company that does duct cleaning. Contact NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) for a good company in your area.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
Allergy Store

P.S. If you need a good company in Broward, Dade or Palm Beach you can contact Absolute AC Air Duct Cleaning or DuctMasters. Both good companies, been around for years and do good work.

        

Bed bugs are increasingly becoming a problem. Every day we get calls about bed bugs and how to deal with them. When many people think about bed bugs, seedy hotels come to mind. Not any more. Many of the best hotels in the world have had problems with them. Bed bugs can be found within residences of all kinds, including homes, apartments, hotels, cruise ships, dormitories and shelters.

We found a great article about bed bugs by Gary Alpert, Ph.D.,  Environmental Health & Safety,  Harvard University http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_bedbug.shtml

We tell all our customers to do the following when dealing with bed bugs.

• Clean the room really good. Pay special attention to the mattress, bed frame and headboard.
  
• Remove the mattress  from the frame and clean the frame and headboard.
  
• Vacuum all around the bed, under furniture and in the closet.
  
• Clean the base boards and caulk them if necessary.
  
• Vacuum the mattress and then encase it with a allergy proof encasing. Any bed bugs in the mattress will die.
• Don't start spraying pesticides. Let a licensed professional do it. If you are chemically sensitive make sure they know it before any treatment is done.
• Don't panic. This too shall pass
  

As a rule, when we travel we never leave our suitcase on the floor, bed or in the closet. We set it on the dresser or use the luggage rack found in the room.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com

        

As an Aquathin dealer we had the opportunity to look at the many different systems on the market and listen to all the interesting claims being made by the various companies. Recently I received an email from Alfie Lipshultz, a friend and CEO of Aquathin Corp. that I would like to share some of it with you.

Over the last few weeks, we have heard from several Dealer's calling about "hokie science" filters with incredible hokie science claims popping up in their areas.  You know all industries, regretfully, have their share of bad guys and buffoons...and so it goes with the water industry.  These dirty birds prey on those people who have little science knowledge.  Click the Water Myths button at  Aquathin.com - Learning Center  to get the low down on these exposed and debunked charlatan products, claims and goofy guys.

Friends, the "solid science" disavowing such "hokie" hype and BS is irrefutable.  And you know what else is not irrefutable?...the fact that none of these junk-pumpers have stood up to defend themselves in the open marketplace.   One other point you'll find as I recently did; professional people including doctors, who are thinking about telling and selling this bunkjunk to their patients and clients.
 
The Water Myths is a super tool for you to invite your Customers to review on their own to get straight 3rd party "solid science" in addition to all the other "solid science" information we have supplied these many years

This is so very true. I can't tell the number of customers that got ripped off by "hokie science". I believe everyone should be drinking, cooking and bathing with clean and pure water. Please do your research BEFORE buying any water purification system.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com