At Ecover ^[1] we know that allergies of all kinds are difficult and even dangerous to live with. Dealing with allergies can be particularly daunting for parents of young children who are faced on a daily basis with an allergen-filled world. The good news is that one of the best ways to keep children safe from allergens is to keep a clean home.

Whether you’re trying to keep a bedroom free of dust mites or avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen, cleaning regularly and thoroughly can make a huge difference. For example, dusting and vacuuming routinely will help eliminate dust mites ^[2]. In addition, using special covers for pillows and mattresses—and washing them ^[3] frequently —helps keep dust mites at bay.

When it comes to food allergies, families cannot be too careful. While some parents keep potentially dangerous foods out of the home completely, others follow strict protocols to make sure that an allergic child is not exposed to the offending food. Keeping a clean kitchen is a must ^[4]. In addition to keeping foods with the allergen in a specific (and out-of-reach) place, precautions such as washing dishes thoroughly ^[5] and cleaning counters often ^[6] are just two ways to help ensure that work surfaces and serving items are safe for children with allergies.

Of course, using ecological products like Ecover is a good choice too, our products have mild or unscented varieties. In fact, many of our laundry products ^[7] have been dermatologically tested to be safe for sensitive skin ^[8]. A clean house is a safer house for kids with allergies … and Ecover is happy to be here to help make that happen!

Image by needoptic via Flickr.com ^[9]