An allergy occurs when someone reacts to something that is usually harmless. From tree or grass pollen to insect stings outside, to dust, mould, or pet fur inside, allergies can create symptoms ranging from relatively mild or inconvenient to actively dangerous. Although serious allergies may require proper medication to manage them, inside the home there are various cleaning tips that can also help.

• Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a substance it considers harmful.
• Responses to allergens can range from to discomfort to more serious reactions.
• Inside the home, particular approaches to cleaning can help people who may suffer from allergies.

It makes sense that standard, regular cleaning of the home or office should improve things, but following a particular routine of certain methods can make it even better.

Firstly, as everyone has to wash bedding, clean surfaces, wash or vacuum upholstery and curtains, and dust and vacuum as a minimum, using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter is probably a good idea.

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filter and a HEPA vacuum cleaner should remove over 99.5% of airborne particles as they consist of sealed, pleated filters which clean the air as it leaves the vacuum. This means allergens like pollen brought in from outside, cut flowers or flowering plants, pet hair, and the inevitable dust mites are trapped in the filter instead of returning to the room.

Secondly, covering the mouth and nose while doing the cleaning should help prevent any circulating dust from causing irritation, while gloves could protect skin.

Thirdly, try and avoid cleaning products that are likely to irritate so go for products labelled as fragrance-free or hypoallergenic where possible. You could even use natural products like water, vinegar, lemon juice or bicarbonate of soda if you prefer a more natural approach.

Next, a great tip is to use (damp) microfibre cloths or mops rather than dusters as they attract and capture the dust rather than agitating it so that it just lands somewhere else.

A more costly approach might be to use an air purifier to improve inside air quality, but research has suggested certain green house plants can help improve it too.

When it comes to beds and bedding, dust mites can cause discomfort when you wake up so to mitigate their overnight effects as much as you can, aim to wash bedding once a week (at a high temperature) and give the mattress a thorough clean about every six months.

Overall, aim to clean your business weekly as well so that a regular, thorough routine plus following these tips gives you a good chance of reducing allergens and keeping allergies at bay.