Air Purification Archives

Everybody Has a Concrete Floor

The first time I ever heard about someone staining the floors in their home was about 15 years ago. We had a friend that didn’t like the carpeting but could not afford to replace it with tile or wood.

Susie’s solution was to rip out the carpet and stain her floors. Up until then, the only stained concrete floors I had seen were in warehouses and garages.

Fast forward to today and it is everywhere. I now see it in homes, restaurants, and stores. It’s easier to take care of and in most cases cheaper than tile or wood floors.

We have been telling our customers that carpeting is not a good thing to have it when you have allergies. No matter how clean it looks it still holds all sorts of allergens including pollen, dust, grass, and dust mites. I believe staining is a nice alternative that should be considered.

Anyway here are a couple of videos I ran across on Youtube while looking for more information. The first one just confirms what we already know. The second one is step-by-step instructions.

Video – Controlling Allergens With Concrete Floors

Video – DIY Concrete Staining: How to Stain Concrete Floors

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause
AllergyStore.Com
800 771-2246

Ragweed and Other Reasons to Keep Outside Out

If you’ve been experiencing itchy or watery eyes lately or noticed that you are sneezing, sniffling, or itching more than often, you might be allergic to ragweed pollens.

This is the time of year ragweed and other weeds are the most common pollens in the air. Single ragweed can produce over one billion grains of pollen. Can you imagine unleashing one billion particles of allergy-causing misery? It is like single ragweed is an invading army and your immune system just doesn’t stand a chance. Doesn’t it make you want to sneeze just to think about it?

Well, the same wonderful end of summer and early fall weather that triggers the ragweeds to produce pollen also tempts us to open our windows. But, if you have allergies it is really not a great idea. It is best to keep the outside out. It also seems counter-intuitive to the idea of “fresh” air.

I was speaking to a young man in the midwest earlier this week about his conflicting desires to want the “freshest” air in his house balanced with his desire for his daughter to breathe the cleanest air.

He had been researching air exchanging units and had read some pretty convincing marketing materials supporting the benefits of “clean” air from the outside. His question was spot on, “If this unit brought air in from outside and the air had pollen or mold, was he making things better or worse?”

Well, if this unit sucked the air from outside and did nothing to clean that air, then things would be worse. If the unit brought air in, cleaned it up, then dumped it into the house, then it truly would be “fresh” air.

Remember you don’t want to bring more pollen or mold into your house than already sneaks in every time you open a door. Remember, you also carry bits of pollen and molds from the air on your clothes and hair if you go outside when counts are high. It really is best to keep the outside out.

If you do open your windows, then run your HEPA air cleaner on high. Put it to work sucking up those particles. Look into using MicroAirScreen Window Air Screens that will allow you to open your window 8″ but still block those pollens and molds.

Also, take a moment to check the pollen levels before you open up. Many newspapers print pollen counts and you can always visit Pollen.Com to get your local forecast. They even have a mobile app that you can download if that’s your style. So, no matter how you approach it, keep the outside out and the inside in.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl

Ragweed Allergy Season is Here

The calendar says fall is still a few days away, but fall seasonal allergies have already started. The cool and wet summer experienced by much of the country means a strong ragweed allergy season is on tap.

Fall Seasonal Allergens

Ragweeds, goldenrods, and molds are the most common fall seasonal allergy culprits. Fortunately, the ragweeds and goldenrods will be gone with the first few frosts. Mold can linger all winter.

Just one ragweed plant can produce one billion pollen particles and they are so small and light that the wind can carry them many miles. Goldenrods get a bad rap in the fall because they bloom at the same time as the ragweeds and the plants look similar. However, goldenrod pollen isn’t as likely to become airborne because it depends on insects for dispersal. The goldenrod pollen grains are much larger and are sticky, so they don’t get blown about the neighborhood. You can blame the goldenrods, but the ragweeds are the real problem.

Ragweeds and goldenrods can be found on the roadsides, the edges of pathways, and the perimeter of fields and forests. They will be in areas that aren’t frequently mowed. To reduce pollen exposure, drive with your windows up and avoid the areas where the ragweeds are growing.

Fight Back this Ragweed Allergy Season

If you have fall seasonal allergies, you may want to consider moving your exercise activities indoors. If the idea of running on a treadmill doesn’t excite you, then continue your jogging routine while wearing a U2SportMask to protect against pesky pollen particles. These masks are also great for:

Walking;
Biking;
ATV trail riding; and
Gardening and raking leaves

Nasal Irrigation for Ragweed Allergy Control

Nasal and sinus irrigation is making a comeback as a means of natural allergy control. As people are more interested in finding ways to control their allergies without medication, the market has responded with advanced technologies for more comfortable nasal and sinus irrigation. Read how to get Relief from Seasonal Allergy Using Nasal Irrigation to discover more about this technique.

While the bad news is that the fall ragweed allergy season is off to an early and strong start, it won’t be long lived. Most temperate areas are expecting early frosts which will kill the ragweeds and put an end to the ragweed allergy season.

Till Next Time!

Cheryl