Why You’re Spring Cleaning WRONG. 10 Tips to Help You Reduce Allergens + Giveaway

“This post has been compensated by Swiffer and Febreze. All opinions are my own, of course! Read my disclosure policy at the bottom of the blog for more information.”

Spring cleaning is something I dread doing. I try to keep up with the “dirty jobs” all year round so there’s not so much to do in the spring. You can see my post “Say No to Spring Cleaning” for more information on how I do that. The post also includes a free printable binder. But since I sometimes don’t get to those deep cleaning jobs throughout the year, I do them in the Spring. When everything feels new and bright and sunny outside, I want everything in my home to feel the same way.

I have great intentions when I clean, but I’ve realized that when I clean my home, my allergies and my kids allergies seem to act up. I have learned that the way I was cleaning was stirring up allergens in my home and making us miserable. When I am cleaning I’m not thinking about removing allergens, I’m just trying to have a clean home. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), when it comes to cleaning, many people may actually be doing it wrong, stirring up the very allergens they are trying to remove from their homes. So I’ve changed the way I think about cleaning and now I focus on removing allergens instead of removing dust. This takes a special kind of cleaning and I’ll help you learn how to do this by sharing 10 tips from Laura Dellutri with you. Laura is a cleaning expert and author of “White Couch with Kids?” and “Speed Cleaning 101.”

1. Use the right kind of cleaners and tools:
We like to use unscented cleaners when cleaning our home. This reduces the risk of allergic reaction. I also like to use products that trap dust and don’t let it all fall out like in the image above. Our favorite cleaners are the Unscented Febreze and Swiffer products.

The Unscented Febreze Fabric Refresher and Allergen Reducer Reduces up to 95% of inanimate allergens from pollen*, pet dander and dust mite matter that can become airborne from fabrics and soft surfaces. You can use it on carpets, curtains and other hard-to-wash fabrics to remove odors with freshness. You should always let the spray dry, then vacuum the surfaces.

Select Swiffer and Febreze products are now Certified asthma & allergy friendly™ by AAFA and can help you clean properly while also effectively reducing inanimate allergens around the home, from window blinds to carpet and many surfaces in between. The certified asthma & allergy friendly™ products include: Febreze® Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer (Unscented), Swiffer Dry Duster (Unscented), Swiffer 360 Dry Duster (Unscented) and Swiffer Dry Sweeper (Unscented).

For dusting, I use the Unscented Swiffer Dry Duster. This dry duster is amazing. It works so much better than any duster I’ve ever used. It traps and locks up to 70% of inanimate allergens*, 2X more than a typical dusting cloth and 3X more than a feather duster. The dusters are lightly coated with Dust Lock Adhesive so no dust escapes it’s grip. It’s also thin and flexible so it gets into those tight nooks and crannies.

Another favorite is the Unscented Swiffer 360 Dry Duster which is designed specifically to clean dirt in grooves and crevices. An all-around design has 50% more fibers than regular Swiffer Dusters.

Don’t forget that the floor get’s dusty too! Sweeping just kicks up the allergens and places them someplace else, like in your nose! I use the Unscented Swiffer Dry Sweeper for my floors. The sweeper traps and locks up to 70% of allergens, 2X more than a typical dusting cloth. You can use them on virtually any floor and surface in your home. They are thick so they trap and lock dirt, dust and hair, even on textured surfaces like tile or wood.

2. Window Cleaning:
Everyone remembers to clean their windows, but what about window blinds and drapes? Use a Swiffer Duster (Unscented) to quickly swipe away dust – which often contains loads of dust mite matter and other inanimate allergens – from in between the slats of blinds and the back side of drapery. This will trap and lock dust and inanimate allergens for efficient removal, instead of blowing it back into the air as with other methods. Be sure to finish off the process with Febreze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer (Unscented) on both sides of your curtains, where common inanimate allergens hide.

3. Bedding and Stuffed Animals:
Stuffed animals and sheets can be full of dust mite matter and pet dander. Make sure to wash them in water that is at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. In between washes, spray with Febreze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer (Unscented).

4. Remember your fabrics:
You may be someone who regularly cleans their couches, decorative pillows, upholstered furniture and carpets with a quick vacuum, fluff of a pillow or dusting. One of my tricks is to spray these hard-to-wash fabrics with Febreze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer (Unscented) before using your upholstery vacuum, to ensure you are reducing the inanimate allergens that may be hiding within. Extra bonus: it helps reduce inanimate allergens that can become airborne from fabrics as well.

5. Clean smarter not harder:
Technology has revolutionized household cleaning with lots of gadgets and tools that make cleaning easier, faster and more effective. For example, when it comes to removing inanimate allergens from your wood floors, reach for a Swiffer Sweeper Dry (Unscented) to trap and lock the dirt and dust, rather than blowing it around. By simply tossing out the dirty cloth, you can say goodbye to the inanimate allergens in your room/home.

 6. Don’t Forget the Floors:
To reduce up to 95% of inanimate allergens that can become airborne from hard to wash surfaces like carpets, spray Febreze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer (Unscented) on rugs in high-traffic areas of the home or in places where pets like to lay. Vacuum over the areas you spritzed to pick up and remove the inanimate allergens from your home.

7. Clean from top to bottom:
Sometimes cleaning with the wrong tools can stir up inanimate allergens from pet dander and dust mite matter that accumulate in high places (think tops of doors, cabinets and windows), causing them to land in lower places instead being removed. That’s why I recommend starting up top first, then cleaning big surfaces like floors last with a Swiffer Sweeper Dry (Unscented) – not only does it get a better clean by trapping and locking dust but it also saves you time.

8. Remember the nooks and crannies:
Common inanimate allergens love nothing more than to hide in nooks and crannies like tops of moldings and window sills, baseboards, under books, door jams and deep on your shelves. These places need some extra TLC so make sure you cross the small spaces off your list.

9. Get the kids involved:
Kids are eager to be mommy and daddy’s little helpers. Make spring cleaning a family affair with kid-friendly games like having them try and identify sneaky places dust may hide while you race to clean those areas.

10. One room at a time:
Start by taking everything out of a room, to get ready for a good clean. To remove allergens from dust mite matter accumulating in a cluttered space (you’ll be amazed at just how much there is!), use a Swiffer Duster (Unscented) and Swiffer Sweeper Dry (Unscented) to trap and lock up to 70% of inanimate allergens from floor to ceiling. Before putting everything back, think about what you really need, what can be given away to charity or what you can store elsewhere. Less clutter means less future dust build up.

Now that you’ve heard of all these amazing products and tips, you will naturally want to try them out for yourself, right? Well, you’re in luck because I’m giving away a prize package including everything you see here:

Febreze Allergen Reducer
Swiffer Sweeper (Unscented)
Swiffer 360 Duster Kit (Unscented)
Swiffer Dusters (Unscented)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

So #BreatheHappy using the #SwifferEffect this Spring and save your family from allergens in your home.