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Merck & Co., Inc. has partnered with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) to bring you the Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home. This guide offers tips on how to help control asthma triggers in your home. |
Asthma triggers are found mostly outdoors. |
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Asthma triggers can be found everywhere — outdoors, at work, and inside the home.According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be significantly more polluted than outdoor air. Since it is estimated that Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, indoor air quality (IAQ) is important, especially if you have asthma. |
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Asthma triggers such as dust mites and mold can make their way onto upholstery, carpeting, and curtains. Home scents (candles, diffusers, etc.) and fireplaces also can release chemicals that irritate airways.
Tips:
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Vacuum furniture, curtains, and drapes weekly. |
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Wash cushions and slipcovers frequently in 130-degree water. |
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Keep pets off furniture. |
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Use flooring that’s easy to clean. |
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Use window blinds or wash and dry curtains once a month. |
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Avoid wood-burning fireplaces and kerosene heaters. |
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Refrain from using candles and air fresheners. |
For more information, download our
Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home.
Mold, pet dander, and dust mites can settle on bed linens
and trigger asthma symptoms.
Tips:
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Use mite-proof bedding. |
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Wash sheets weekly in 130-degree water to kill dust mites and their eggs. |
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Never allow pets on the bed. |
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Do not let moist clothing pile up anywhere in the bedroom. |
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Get a new mattress every 10 years. |
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Vacuum furniture and floors once a week. |
For more information, download our
Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home.
Dust mites, mold, and pet dander can hide on stuffed animals, in drawers, and under rugs, triggering your child’s asthma symptoms.
Tips:
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Wash stuffed toys every 4 to 6 weeks in 130-degree water to kill dust mites and their eggs. |
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Put stuffed toys that cannot be washed in the freezer every 4 to 6 weeks for 24 hours to kill dust mites. |
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Keep your child’s toys away from pets. |
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Do not allow your children to sleep with stuffed toys. |
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Have your kids put their dirty clothes directly in the laundry after coming in from outside to limit pollen exposure. |
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Make sure laundry is fully dry before putting in drawers. |
For more information, download our
Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home.
Mold, a common asthma trigger, can be found under the bathroom sink, in the shower, on shower doors, on towels, on floor mats, and on tiles.
Tips:
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Get rid of mold as soon as you see it. |
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Fix leaky pipes. |
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Use a fan or vent when showering to circulate air and minimize moisture. |
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Wash floor mats and bath towels once a week to get rid of mold spores. |
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Wipe the counter and sink on a daily basis. |
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Avoid use of potpourri or air fresheners. |
For more information, download our
Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home.
The following asthma triggers can be found virtually anywhere in the home—in bedding, carpets, curtains, pets, toys, furniture, basements, attics, air ducts, and garages:
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Cockroaches—Do not leave food, crumbs, or garbage out to attract roaches. |
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Dust mites—To kill dust mites and eggs, use a washing machine that can reach 130 degrees. |
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Mold—Wipe up spills right away to prevent moisture that can create mold. |
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Pollen—Wipe down indoor plant leaves regularly with a dry cloth. |
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Strong fumes and odors—Ventilate all rooms where solvents, chemicals, and fuels are stored. |
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Tobacco and fireplace smoke—Refrain from smoking in the house and avoid wood-burning fireplaces. |
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Volatile organic compounds* (VOCs)—Look for low-VOC or VOC-free products when buying paints, stains, waxes, floor coatings, adhesives, and floor sealants. |
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Wood dust—Seal off areas being remodeled with plastic sheeting. |
*VOCs are gases from certain solids or liquids that can be found in various products inside the home.
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Talk to your doctor about the right asthma management plan for you.For more information, download our Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home. |
For more information on indoor asthma triggers and how you can make your home more asthma-healthy, download our Guide for Creating an Asthma-Healthy Home. After you download this PDF, you may want to print a copy and take it to your next doctor appointment. |
 [PDF: 1.4 MB, 15 pgs.] |
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