The Vegan Lifestyle

Do you know how to eliminate allergens at home?

Nowadays our environment is polluted with toxic chemicals that can cause allergies and other diseases. Fumes from car exhausts fill the city streets and thoroughfares with smogs, and environmental pollutants  from the chimneys of factories and other industrial plants are scattered around by wind to other places. These pollutants can easily enter our homes, and may cause allergies to members of our family.

The intrusion of this kind of allergens to our home can be reduced by installing window screens, curtains and other draperies. The use of air conditioners and air ionizers is better. These will minimize allergens at home and spare us from allergies and other air borne diseases.

Another kind of allergens also thrive at home. These are the most troublesome and the hardest to eliminate. These allergens comes from dusts, pollens, dust mites, ticks, fleas, bed bugs, and others.

Most of these allergens thrive in rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, furnishings, curtains, and other draperies. They also thrive in our home appliances,  furniture, and in most corners of the home.

The most troublesome of these allergens are the dust mites, ticks, and the lice and fleas of our dogs, cats, and other pets at home. The urine, feces, and saliva of our pets can easily cause allergies to most members of the family.

How can we eliminate these allergens at home?

Cleaning our home everyday is very important. Dusts accumulate on our home appliances and furniture, and they should be cleaned regularly.  Vacuum-clean your carpets and rugs thoroughly and frequently, and  clean them with water and soap every week. Spray tannic acid on carpets and rugs. This acid found in tea, coffee and cocoa is a common ingredient in astringents, and it is a very effective eliminator of allergens from dust, pollen, dust mites, ticks and fleas.

Wash your bedding and linens in hot water every week. Dust mites are not killed in washing machines, and cold-water washing has no effect on them. Use synthetic pillows and comforters. If possible, everything in your bedroom should be washable or contained in nonallergic encasement. If you can afford, sleep on waterbed. Dust mites and bed bugs cannot thrive on them.

Chlorinate your air conditioners. Drop chlorine tablets into the water drains of your air conditioners to kill bacteria. Ensure to unclog the drain for the condensate to flow freely. Molds and bacteria multiply rapidly in stagnant water  and they can be easily blown back into the rooms and scattered around the home.

Dusting your furniture and home appliances regularly is also good. But use oil instead of feathers. Feather duster has danders, pollens, or dust mites in it. Dusting with oil or polish can protect our nose and lung from inhaling the dusts and other allergens.

Bathe your dogs and cats regularly. Use special shampoo to eliminate the fleas and lice of your pets at home. Dog fleas and lice can hide and thrive under the rugs, carpets and curtains. The lice of cats are very small and hardly visible to the naked eye. They hide in rug and carpets, and can easily bite the occupants of the home and can cause them skin allergies.

Area rugs add aesthetics to most homes. Homes with rugs exude a feeling of nobility that are only found at royal palaces and abodes of kings, queens, princes, princesses, and the affluent. The shapes, colors, and intricate designs of area rugs are not only good for the eyes but also stimulate the brain for good mental health.

Area rugs change the mood of home interiors.  Rugs provide the fastest hygienic way to redecorate and beautify home interiors without the obnoxious odor of paint chemicals. Area rugs are also good noise absorbers that can reduce unwanted noise pollution  generated by home audio system, electronic machines and gadgets at the kitchen, and from outdoor sources.

Area rugs used to be expensive, and only the rich and the wealthy can afford to buy them. But as their production becomes more automated and easier, area rugs are now readily available, and buyers can find cheap rugs from more stores, and have more choices for  the best economical   buys.

Area rugs come in different styles  such as casual, transitional, traditional, contemporary, and outdoor. Casual style area rugs use natural fiber as the main material. It is a simple monochromatic rug with no pattern, and with a simple border.

Transitional style area rugs use synthetic materials. This style is a combination of the contemporary and the  traditional styles using Persian design in bold colors.

Traditional style area rugs use cotton materials. It has a dominant Persian influence with intricate vine and flower designs, and with scroll works as its borders.

Contemporary style area rugs use wool as its material. Besides its bright-colored design feature, it has geometric figures in its design, waves and squiggles, stripes, blocks and bold circles.

Outdoor style area rugs use silk-blend fibers as their main material. These area rugs are mold and mildew resistant, and durable enough to withstand the elements when left outdoor for long period of time.

Area rugs can be small, medium or large. The most common rug sizes for home use are 4 feet x 6 feet; 6 feet x 8 feet; 8 feet x 11 feet; 10 feet  x 13 feet; 10 feet x 16 feet , and 13 feet  x 16 feet. They come in different shapes such as  square, rectangular, round, or oval. Area rugs can used at the dining area under the dining table to match its shape and size.

Area rugs are mostly monochromatic or a combination of two or three colors such as red, maroon, dark green, light yellow, brown, and dark blue. Rugs are made in various weaves such as hand-woven, hand knotted, hand-tufted, flat woven, and machine made.