206 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN
HG ADVICE
For Where to Buy, see page 224.< a minimalist look is one of them,
at least when it comes to dustmites,
says associate professor Janet Rimmer
of the Woolcock Institute of Medical
Research at the University of Sydney.
This means opting for hard floorsinstead of carpet, venetian blinds
or louvres rather than curtains and
timber, cane, leather or vinyl furniture
in place of fabric sofas. But there’s no
need to make drastic changes without
a medical diagnosis of allerg y and an
understanding of what the triggers are.
“Often, people with symptoms ofasthma or rhinitis think they’re allergic
to something, but these conditions aren’t
always triggered by an allerg y,” she says.
“If you are affected, ask your GP for
a referral to an allerg y specialist.”
If asthma is the problem, it’s not justabout avoiding triggers. “If you take
preventer medication consistently, you’re
likely to reduce the impact of triggers,”
says Tonia Crawford, manager of
information services with the Asthma
Foundation, Queensland and NSW.
Flooring options
If you’re allergic to dustmites, the benefit
of hard floors is that they don’t provide
a home for dustmites to breed. “You’ll still
have to deal with dust, but you won’t be
harbouring mites,” says Rimmer.
For hard floors, polished timber is justone option; laminates and vinyl can
create the look of natural surfaces for
less. “We’re seeing increasing demand
for luxury vinyls that replicate the look
of timber or stone,” says Emma Bolger,
brand communications manager at
Choices Flooring. “Laminates are another
affordable, easy-to-clean option.”
Carpet-lovers can take heart fromresearch suggesting that carpets with
a lower pile may harbour fewer dustmites
and cat allergens. Choices Flooring’s
Brease range, along with the its Comfort
underlay, is recognised by the National
Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive
Choice program. “These carpets are also
treated to prevent the growth of bacteria
and mould,” says Bolger.Keep dustmites down
The Australasian Society of Clinical
Immunolog y and Allerg y (ASCIA)
recommends damp dusting or using
electrostatic cloths to clean floors and
to vacuum carpets weekly. ASCIA also
recommends anyone with an allerg y
stay out of the room for 20 minutes
after vacuuming because this activity
may release dustmites into the air.
Vacuum cleaners with high efficiency
particulate air (HEPA) filters may remove
more allergens than models without
HEPA filters, according to ASCIA.Vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters
are also better for removing cat
allergens, says Rimmer.
The National Asthma Council
Australia’s Sensitive Choice program
recommends the Dyson range of vacuum
cleaners, which use patented cyclone
technolog y to capture microscopic dust
particles including pollen, mould
spores and dustmite faeces.
“A single gram of house dust can
contain about 100,000 mould spores.
It’s no wonder household dust is a
significant cause of allergies in the
home,” says Karen Hall, a microbiologist
with Dyson. “Dyson machines are well
sealed to minimise any leakage of
dirty air back into the room.” #
For more information about allergies in the
home, go to http://www.allergy.org.au or http://www.
nationalasthma.org.au.‘A SINGLE GRAM OF HOUSE DUST CAN CONTAIN ABOUT
100,000 MOULD SPORES. NO WONDER IT’S A SIGNIFICANT
CAUSE OF ALLERGIES.’ KAREN HALL, MICROBIOLOGIST, DYSONallergen-
busting vacs
3 OF THE BEST
Dyson is well known for its allergen-
busting vacuums. The Cinetic Big
Ball Animal Pro, $999, picks up
fine hairs and microscopic particles
on both hard and soft floors.
Button-push emptying is a boon
for allergy sufferers too.Sebo’s K3 premium barrel
vacuum, $1299, has the British
Allergy Foundation’s Seal
of Approval, plus a Choice
magazine recommendation
for best debris removal.The In’genius (bagged) and Relaxx’x
(bagless) ranges from Bosch Home
Appliances are both approved by
Sensitive Choice. The Relaxx’x Zoo’o
ProAnimal, $799, and In’Genius
Zoo’o, $649, are specially designed
for tackling pet hair.