Have Seasonal Allergies? Here’s How an Air Filter Can Help  Reduce Allergens

You can reduce your allergy triggers by controlling the quality of the air in your home and improve your overall well-being. A high-quality air filter works to trap particles and circulate clean air. Thus, when used overtime, your indoor air will be cleaner and allow you to have ease and relief from common allergy symptoms.

But how do you choose the best air filter for allergies? To find the perfect air filter for your allergies two things are important to consider, the type of allergens you’re trying to remove from your air and the MERV rating.

Understanding MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values) ratings will allow you to find the best air filter for your indoor allergies based on your lifestyle at home and the size of the particles/allergens you want to remove.

Ranging from 1-16, low MERV ratings indicate that a filter will only be able to remove lower percentages of larger particles. Conversely, this means that filters with higher MERV ratings will be able to remove higher percentages of smaller, microscopic particles from the air.

By understanding the most common home allergens (pollen, dust, pet hair, dander, and mold as well as bacteria and virus cells), you can choose the air filter with the best MERV rating for your home and family.

When deciding which air filters are the best for allergies, it's important to consider how allergens impact your health and well-being; as well as how to reduce allergens from your home with the help of the line of Kleenex Air Filters. The Kleenex range of facial tissues are also good to have on-hand when you are dealing with allergy symptoms.

Pollen

Pollinating flowering plants, trees, and grass spread tiny seeds that waft through the air and make their way into your home and airways. While some may pollinate seasonally, there are variations that pollinate throughout the year.

If you’re allergic, then you’re familiar with the uncomfortable and painful symptoms that happen when this allergen is present. Usually causing hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis), this response to allergens has also been shown to worsen asthma.

To best manage your hay fever symptoms there are a few things you can do:

Create less mucosal surface area for pollen to cling to by using a nasal rinse, reducing your allergy symptoms.

Use an antihistamine nasal spray or pill (as recommended by your doctor)

Histamine receptors release a substance from your mast cells when they detect an allergen in the body, resulting in symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, or itching. By taking an antihistamine, the medication binds to the histamine receptor blocking the release of this chemical, minimizing or removing your allergic symptoms.

Use the Kleenex Elite Allergen Air Filter to take a proactive approach to managing your allergic symptoms before pollen season starts. It works to capture and remove lint, household dust, dust mite debris, mold spores, pollen, pet dander, smoke, smog, cough/sneeze debris airborne bacteria, and particles that can carry viruses

Pet Dander

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 10-20% of people worldwide suffer from pet allergies.

Allergies to pet dander, interestingly don’t come from their fur. Your allergic response is triggered by the protein, Fel d1, found in the dead skin cells and salivary glands of your pets. Their fur is only the means of transportation to get this allergen floating in your air.

To manage your symptoms effectively, prioritize reducing pet dander allergens in your home. Embrace a pet-friendly approach by maintaining a consistent cleaning routine, incorporating higher level MERV filters, such as the Advanced Allergen filter from Kleenex, to improve air quality, and regularly grooming and bathing of your pets. These steps can help create a comfortable environment for both you and your furry companions.

Dust & Dust Mites

One of the most common indoor allergens, household dust is made up of tiny particles containing everything from pet hair, your hair, dead skin cells, and airborne bacterial cells in your home. Dust mites occur in warm, humid environments, and are too small to be seen by the naked human eye but usually will leave debris in your bedding, pillows, and furniture.

Dust and dust mites debris has been known to worsen asthma and will cause allergic symptoms such as a runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, and coughing.

To stop dust and dust mite debris from causing allergic symptoms, make sure to clean your bedding and upholstered furniture thoroughly and regularly.

Because household dust particles are so tiny it's also a great idea to make use of an air filter. When choosing the best air filter for your allergy, using one with a MERV rating of 12 or 13. The Kleenex Elite Allergen Air Filter with a MERV rating of 12 and 13 is a certified as an asthma and allergy friendly line that works to capture lint, household dust, dust mite debris, mold spores, pollen, pet dander, smoke, smog, cough/sneeze debris, airborne bacteria, and particles that can carry viruses.

Mold is Everywhere

Produced from a fungus that can be found indoors or outdoors, mold spores are tiny particles that float through the air in your home undetectable to the naked eye. Once landed, you’re sure to recognize its presence by the black spots found on damp, warm areas of your walls.

Similar to other allergens, mold exposure can cause symptoms from a stuffy and runny nose, coughing, and mucus in the throat causing postnasal drip. Additionally, mold can cause asthma and allergy symptoms to worsen such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.:  

To curb your mold exposure and prevent allergic symptoms implement these habits:  

--Wear a mask if you know you’ll be in an area where mold is present  

--Use a dehumidifier in your home or get proper ventilation by opening windows to remove moisture and humidity.  

--Regularly clean areas of your home where moisture is known to gather  

--Use an air filter and change out your filters regularly 

Rodents & Pests

According to a study conducted in New York , subjects who showed sensitivity to allergens were heavily affected by exposure to mice, cockroaches, and rats. Children with asthma were especially affected, with exposure leading to more unplanned hospitalizations and doctors’ visits after negatively impacting lung function.

Similar to how pet dander causes allergies, rodents, and pests can cause allergic reactions through the bacteria in their shed skin cells, urine, and saliva. If rodents and pests are present in your home or surroundings then inhaling the dust that their skin cells, urine, and saliva will trigger an allergic reaction.

You can prevent your exposure to pest and rodent allergies by: 
- Cleaning dishes and making sure that there aren't any crumbs around to entice rodents and pests. 
- Hire professional fumigators/ pest control to remove them from your home. 
- Reduce clutter in your home as this creates less space for pests to hide and potentially breed in.

Now that you’ve learned more about how different allergens show up in your home, their effects, as well as how to prevent allergies and some tips on air filters for allergies, here is a detailed guide on how to find the best air filter for allergies to allergen-proof your home.

Best Filters for Allergens and Your Lifestyle

The three main air filter types are MERV-rated filters, HEPA filters, and carbon/activated carbon filters.

Use MERV Rated Filters: As mentioned, MERV-rated filters range from efficiency ratings of 1-16 with 1 being the lowest particle removal efficiency and 16 being the highest. The higher the MERV rating, the smaller the size particles it can remove at a higher percentage from your home air.

Air filters work to capture and remove microscopic particles from the air such as bacterial cells, dust, and mold spores. The Kleenex Elite Allergen Air Filter with a MERV rating of 13 works to capture household dust as well as cough debris and airborne bacteria to deliver clean air to you and your family.

HEPA Filters: HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air) filters are not measured by MERV ratings as they are built to exceed the highest rating. This filter is built to remove 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria from the air at a particle size of 0.3 microns (the smallest size).

Carbon/Activated Carbon Filters: These filters are ideal if you are looking to remove odor, gasses, or smoke. Carbon filters work by the process of adsorption. When particles float through the air their molecules attach and become stuck to the outside surface of the filter rendering them immobile and unable to filter back into your air.

The Best MERV Rating for Your Allergy Filter Size

Allergen particles are measured in size units of microns from 0.3-10. Particles that measure 0.3 microns are the smallest, microscopic particles like bacterial and airborne virus cells as well as mold and dust particles.

Allergens like pet hair range from 2.5-10 microns. If you want an air filter removes allergens of all sizes, choose one with a rating of 13-16. This will ensure that your home stays free of the largest and smallest particles.

Allergy-Proof Your Home with Kleenex Air Filters

Making your home an allergy-free space has just gotten easier with Kleenex Air Filters. With MERV ratings from 8-13, Kleenex has an air filter to fit your needs and lifestyle. Whether you want to remove larger particles like pet hair and lint from your air or the smallest particles like dust, pollen, and bacteria, keeping yourself and your family safe and breathing easy just got a whole lot simpler.

For day-to-day allergy systems, use the Kleenex line of personal care products for instant relief.

Find these filters – and our complete line of Kleenex products - at a retailer near you!