Let's Talk Allergies

Controlling Dust Mites in Carpeting

2008-05-08T16:27:04Z

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

Nothing Says I Love You Mom Like Formaldehyde????

2008-04-29T13:59:30Z

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

Duct Cleaning Not Done Right

2008-04-14T19:54:26Z

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.

How to Deal with Bed Bugs

2008-03-12T10:20:58Z

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

Hokie Science Water Filters - Water Myths

2008-02-20T12:57:01Z

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

Dog Pet Beds…I did not know they could be rebuilt.

2008-01-31T07:35:39Z

Yesterday a customer called that had purchased a crib size allergy mattress encasing a few weeks back. She said she got it for her dog’s pet bed and she wanted us to know it has made such a huge difference in the way her dog looks and feels. She was so happy because her dog is better. Since I am a curious person I had to ask how she came up with the idea.

She originally was looking for something to just cover her dog’s bed so she could add some more stuffing to it. The dog bed was old but her dog liked it. She also said it was not cheap when she originally bought it (we know, the dog pet beds we carry are not cheap but they are good) and could not afford to buy a new one right now. She could not find any replacement covers for pet beds so she started looking for something close in size. The crib encasing is 28x52 and she needed something that was 26x48 and had a zipper. Close enough.

So why am I writing this? I liked the way she thinks.

Here is a person who really must love her dog and treats it like family. Here is a person who was faced with a problem, couldn’t find an easy solution, and kept looking until she found a way to create a solution to her problem. This is something we all need to get better at.

Every day we help our customers find solutions for problems related to allergies, asthma and the indoor environment. That is what we do. Now I know you can rebuild a dog pet bed. Use a crib size encasing.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause
AllergyStore.Com

I’ve Got Mold..Yes You Do

2008-01-29T08:53:45Z

The truth is you will find mold of some type everywhere and since I live in South Florida it is everywhere. Almost everyday we get a call from someone wanting us to recommend someone who can test their house for mold. They are worried that “toxic mold” is the causing their allergies or asthma to flair up. Now, we do have a couple of very reputable companies that we recommend for environmental testing but we like to get a little more information before we give out their information.

We will ask our customer if they see any visible signs like wet spots, water stains on walls or ceilings or mold on any surface. Does the house or room smell musty or like mold. When we ask them why they think it is mold causing the problem most of the time they said they saw something on TV, read news article or got something in the mail telling them that mold is a killer.

Yes mold can cause asthmatics to have serious attacks, yes mold can aggravate or worsen some people’s allergies and yes mold can even cause death.

With that being said before you go and hire a company to test your house, a very expensive process that most insurance companies will not pay for, do the things mentioned above. Trust your eyes and nose. If you see water stains, mold on a wall or smell something damp and musty then it needs to be checked out. There are mold test kits available for less than $10 that will let you know if there is mold present. For another $25 you can send it to a lab and they will tell you what type of mold, mow much and if it is within acceptable levels.

Mold can be a serious problem but don’t let the hype cause you to waste time, energy and serious money.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

Allergy Store

Great Customer Call

2008-01-08T07:49:49Z

Yesterday we received a call from a long time customer in Texas who sufferers from severe dust mite allergies. She had called to order some DeMite laundry additive and we started talking about several things, internet, church, family and allergies. She started telling me about a few things she had done or was thinking about doing to eliminate dust mites in her home. Check it out:

She purchased an additional mattress encasing to go over her existing mattress encasing. This encasing has some sort of chemical treatment built into the fabric that is supposed to kill dust mites. This encasing it was fairly expensive, can only be washed 4 times before it must be thrown away and you should wash your hands after handling it. I can’t imagine putting something on my bed that is so toxic that I have to wash my hands after making the bed.

She was looking at replacing her 4 year old bed because she read an advertisement for a “dust mite proof mattress”. It turns out it was one of the memory foam ones that have become very popular in the last few years. While it is true that dust mites can not burrow deep into a foam mattress they are NOT dust mite proof. Dust mites will live on the surface and in the tiny air pockets that foam products have. I love my foam pillow, great for the neck, but it is not dust mite proof and it is encased.

Last but not least she needs a new vacuum cleaner so she had someone come to her house to give her a demonstration. This vacuum was the latest technology and best on the market according to the sales person. I’ve not used this particular vacuum but I do know she could get one that is just as good or better for less than $800.00 or more they were asking.

Bottom line was she got rid of the chemically treated encasing, is keep her old bed and will look at other vacuum options. She figured that she had just saved $2,000.00 which is a good thing since she is a retired widow living on a fixed income. She also got her bottle of DeMite.

It was a really good call.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com

What is an Allergy Filter?

2007-12-06T13:38:06Z

Every day someone calls and asks about allergy filters. What is an allergy filter you ask. Well I guess it depends on what your allergic to.

There is not one filter just of allergies. There are air filters to take care of airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, mold, bacteria, animal dander, etc. There are water filters designed to remove heavy metals, chlorine, pesticides and other contaminates. Both take care of specific problems related to specific allergies.

More and more people are becoming aware of the problems associated with breathing dirty air. Because of this awareness the product offering of allergy filters for "airborne allergies" has exploded. We have HEPA, ULPA, UVC, Ozone, Ionizers, Photocatalysis and Radiant just to mention a few. New ones are introduced boasting of this or that "new" technology. They are designed specifically for the house, office, car, boat, plane and pet. You name it, someone has come out with an air filter for it.

Deciding which filter you need depends on what your trying to filter out. Read " How to Evaluate Allergy Filters" it gives you a good idea of how the different type of "allergy filters" do. I personally have a good filter in my AC, HEPA air cleaner in the bedroom and a UV system in the airhandler.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergStore.com

Holiday Seasons Equals Travel

2007-12-05T12:18:00Z

It is holiday season and time to visit family and friends which means for many, long trips in the car. For those of us who don’t suffer from allergies it is not too big of a deal. We just get in the car and go. For those who suffer from allergies it can be a miserable time. Our cars are dust magnetic, They hold the dirt from our feet, pollen from our clothes, dust mites get in the upholstery and whatever else blows in from outside.

Before you leave there are a few things you can do to make the trip more enjoyable for the allergy suffer in the house.

Vacuum the car really good. That includes the carpets, floor mats, seats, dashboards and rear deck.
Don’t use one of those fragrance heavy carpet cleaners or air fresheners.
Spray the seats with allergen denaturing sprays like Allersearch ADMS or ADS spray.
After you have vacuumed keep the windows up to keep more stuff from blowing in.
If you car is equipped with a filtration system, have your mechanic replace the filter element.
Keep the windows up while driving.

These are just a few things we do before hitting the road for those long trips.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com

Pore Size - What does it mean

2007-12-05T12:18:31Z

Quite often someone calls, their doctor told them to encase their beds, they want to know what does “pore size” mean since it is an important factor in controlling allergens form dust mites and animal dander. Keep in mind you can’t see any of these allergens with the naked eyes.

The pore size is nothing more that the space between the individual fabric fibers where they meet. The bigger the pore size the looser the fabric. Cotton will always have a larger pore size than a cotton/poly blend or a 100% polyester.

Dust mite fecal matter and/or body parts (we don’t actually breathe in whole dust mites) ar around 10 microns. Pet dander and mold spores are about 3 microns. In order for a mattress encasing to be effective against dust mites it needs a pore size of 10 microns or less and 3 microns or less to be effective against mold and dander.

With that being said, all mattress encasing with a membrane are effective against dust mite, animal dander and mold allergens because they are water-proof. The non-membraned fabrics are effective against dust mite allergens and in some cases animal dander as well.

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com

Do I Believe

2007-12-05T12:19:07Z

Yesterday was a really good day.

While I was helping customers I had several comment that I sounded like I really believe in the products we sell. That always makes me smile.

Every Sunday morning the first thing my wife does is strip our bed and wash the 100% cotton sheets with the Demite laundry additive because she has terrible allergies to dust mites. We run Austin Air cleaners in the bedrooms 24 hours a day. If you look under the kitchen sink you will find Enviorite cleaning products. We use the Zeolite products in the cat litter box and in our cars. All of our bedding is encased and we spray our furniture with ADMS spray. The deck was cleaned with house wash and sealed with the Surecote sealer. The air conditioner has a UV system and custom made electrostatic air filters. Last but not least our water is purified using Aquathin’s patented RO/DI process because I will not drink the tap water no matter how safe the city says it is.

My wife and I, as well as our employees, believe in and use the products we sell because we know they really do work. When evaluating new products one of the first questions I have to answer is will I use it. If the answer is no, then we will not carry it.

Do I believe in the products we carry? You bet I do.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com

Don’t Be A Sucker!

2007-10-01T14:18:59Z

Unfortunately, with growing consumer awareness of allergies, many enterprising and not so reputable people are trying to make a buck off your suffering. But you are informed, you aren’t going to let them. Beware of the following marketing claims:

Its Hypoallergenic! All the term hypoallergenic means is that the materials used to construct the product were not shown to cause allergies. A pillow that is sold as hypoallergenic only means the material in the pillow itself has not been shown to cause allergies. It does not mean that the pillow will not harbor molds and dust mites.

Its All Natural! There is nothing wrong will products that are all natural. But, all natural does not always mean all good. Arsenic, poison ivy, and AIDS are all natural. However, I wouldn’t recommend any of them to my friends or family.

Its HEPA filtered! Anytime any sales person tells you a product is HEPA filtered, you need to ask if the filtering system is sealed. The vacuum cleaner market is a great example of this tactic. Many companies are marketing “allergy” vacuums with HEPA filters that actually make problems worse than better. This is because the units leak contaminants before they ever reach the filter. Don’t take my word for it, look in Consumer Reports.

Your Car and Allergies

2007-12-05T12:16:13Z

We spend so much time trying to make our homes allergy free we forget about another place we spend a great deal of time in, our cars. How many times have you gotten in your car to go to work, school or shopping and by the time you arrive you have sinus problems, drippy nose, or headaches.

These symptoms are often related to mold or other organisms growing in the air-conditioning system. It may occur in cars that are only a year old. It is often in the evaporator coils, drain pan or can also be in the ducts themselves. Leaking or open windows or doors, often the result of aged weather stripping, may allow moisture to build up in carpeting or upholstery, contributing to mold growth. If this is in the back seat, the driver may never notice. Don't forget that dust mites live in upholstery and carpeting regardless of where it is at.

Most of the products, Allersearch ADMS spray, you use in you home to control dust mite allergens can also be used in your car. Make sure you vacuum the carpets and seats often because they collect a lot of dust. Put your ozone generator in the car and let it run for an hour or so then turn the AC on and let it run some more (make sure your not in the car). If your car's ac system is equipped with a filter, don't forget to change it.

Treat your car just as you do your home and when you arrive at your destination you may find that you feel just the way you did when you left home. Enjoy the drive.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

Got Allergies? AllergyStore.com

Am I Allergic To Water?

2007-12-05T12:21:18Z

Over the years we have had people come into our store and tell us they think they are allergic to water. They complain of redness, rashes, dry skin, itching or burning skin and it only happens when they bathe or swim.

The truth is that there have been very few cases of someone actually being allergic to water. In fact there have been fewer than 30 reported cases of “Aquagenous Urticara” world wide. We explain that more than likely they are having an allergic reaction to something in the water and not the water itself.

Alfie Lipshultz, a good friend and CEO of the Aquathin, Corp., likes to refer to our water sources as “chemical cocktails”. The water we drink, cook with and bathe in contains hundreds of chemicals including heavy metals, minerals, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, organic waste, illegal drugs, salts, cleaning products and personal care products just to mention a few. The local water treatment plants attempt to clean up the water but unfortunately that includes adding even more potentially irritating chemicals like chlorine, aluminum chloride, and ammonia. It is not their fault the water they start with is not as good as it once was.

So what is causing our customer to have their allergic reaction to water? The majority of them are finding that they are sensitive to the chlorine and chloramines used by the local treatment plants to disinfect the water. We need these chemicals in the water to kill bacteria while it is in the water mains being delivered to our home but they should be removed before they get in the house. I have yet to read a study that suggests chlorine or chloramines are good for our skin, to breathe while taking a shower or ingest.

If you believe you are having any type of an allergic reaction you should see your doctor as soon as possible. However, we believe that everyone should use quality water filtration systems to protect themselves and their families from the “chemical cocktail” that is in water. There is no reason to take the risk.

Remember, it’s not the water that bothers you but what is in it.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause

AllergyStore.com