When Fluffy's fluff becomes a problem

Statistics revealed that one in every ten people suffer from pet dander allergies. Some guidelines recommend that people with allergies or asthma avoid keeping pets—but there are several ways you can cut down on pet allergens at home:

• Restrict pets to rooms with wooden floors. Wood flooring traps less dander than carpets and are easier to clean – keeping pets off carpets may help cut down on allergens.
• Keep pets off furniture. Keeping pets off carpets, upholstered furniture, and beds can reduce exposure to dander. Any furniture, fabrics or materials that pets do come into contact with should be vacuumed or washed frequently (preferably with a vacuum cleaner containing a HEPA filter). This includes throw rugs, pet beds, cushions, pillows and blankets.
• Dust often. Dusting as often as possible will keep dander (as well as dust mites and other allergens) to a minimum.
• Bathe your pet. Research shows that bathing your pet at least twice a week can reduce a dog’s allergen levels by about 85% (allergen levels return to normal in about three days).
• Clean cages! Birdcages and rodent cages should be cleaned at least once a week and litter boxes should be cleaned frequently and moved out of living areas.
• Clean your air! Air purifiers, dehumidifiers and humidifiers containing HEPA filters can help remove pet allergens from the air. However, remember that no air purifier or filter will remove allergens stuck to surfaces. This is why you need to clean!