Living with allergies: Relief from Mold Allergies

Mold allergies dampening your spirits? Here are some tips to reduce your chances of inhaling mold spores:

• If you find spots of mold in your home, clean them with a household disinfectant or a solution of 50 percent bleach in water. Check the area to see if the mold returns; on floors or walls, this may signal an underlying water leak.
• Keep humidity low (below 50 percent) by using a dehumidifier. Be sure to clean filters and empty any water collection trays often, because these can breed mold and disperse it into the air.
• Open a window while you shower and keep it open for a half an hour afterward. If you use a shower curtain, stretch it out after the shower so it will dry more evenly. Change your shower curtain often.
• Don't overwater plants.
• Check pipes and faucets for leaks and correct them.
• Vent the clothes washer and dryer outside.
• Keep gutters clean and remove any rotting wood or debris from the yard.
• Keep leaf-raking and lawn-mowing to a minimum. If possible, enlist a non-allergy sufferer for these chores. If you must mow or rake, wear an air-filtering mask and change your clothes immediately afterward.
• When turning on air conditioners, open a window and leave the room for a few minutes to let spores that have collected in the machine disperse. In the car, open the windows for a few minutes when you first turn on the air conditioner. Clean air conditioning and heating vents often.

More about mold allergies