Good to Know: Allergy-Proof on a Budget

Rid your house of dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, pesticides and toxic VOCs.

September/October 2006
By Meagan Francis 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Summer’s over, but your allergies are not. Rid your house of dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, pesticides and toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) found in mattresses, carpet and household cleaners. If this sounds like “Extreme Home Makeover: Allergy Edition” with a hefty price tag, try these budget-friendly allergen busters. (All prices are estimates.)

RELATED CONTENT

If this breaks the bank: Organic mattress (queen size): $2,000 plus.
Try This First: Hypoallergenic organic-cotton or wool mattress cover (queen size): $200

If this breaks the bank: All-natural wool carpeting (dust mite resistant) or VOC-free cork flooring to cover 2,000 square feet: $10,000 and way up
Try This First: VOC-free sealant to cover 2,000 square feet of existing wood flooring: $250. Organic wool area rugs: $500 apiece. HEPA filter vacuum: $500.

If this breaks the bank: Whole-house water filter: $900
Try This First: Shower filter (removes chlorine): $75. Kitchen-sink filter: $150

If this breaks the bank: Central electronic HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter system to reduce airborne dust mites, mold spores and pollen: $600 to $1,000.
Try This First: Portable HEPA air filter in sleeping area: $150 to $300.

If this breaks the bank: Closetful of natural, nontoxic household cleaners. Bathroom cleaner: $5, all-purpose cleaner: $6
Try This First: Bottle of vinegar: $1. Bottle of tea tree oil: $10. (Both are effective, safe disinfectants that require small amounts added to water.)

 

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Natural Home readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Natural Home?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
(Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe today and save 50%
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to Natural Home

Welcome to Natural Home, the authority on green lifestyle and design. With an up-to-date outlook on current trends in sustainable building and wholesome living, Natural Home gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes. Subscribe to Natural Home today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

Save money and a few trees by paying with your credit card now. Take advantage of our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You’ll save an additional $4.95 and get six issues of Natural Home for just $15! (Offer valid only in the U.S.)

Or, choose Bill Me Later and pay just $19.95