How to Prepare a Guestroom for Guests Who Have Allergies

Digital74

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posted on 17 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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So Auntie or a cousin is coming for a visit? You love them, and they're a blast to spend time with... but they are allergic to your pet(s) or have other allergies or environmental illnesses. What can you do to make the visit pleasant for everyone?
Here are a few things you can do to decontaminate your guest room for your allergy prone guests.

Steps

Start by not allowing the animals in the guest room at least a week in advance of the visit.

Avoid using air fresheners or perfumes in the room. Air out the room instead - open the windows and turn on the fan while you're stripping the bed and washing the bedding.

Vacuum and dust inside the closet. Place any linens or clothing stored in that closet into large plastic bags.Prepare a Guestroom for Guests Who Have Allergies Step 3Bullet1.jpg

Remove any stuffed animals, throw pillows or similar objects that serve as dust receptacles from the room.

Thoroughly dust the room furniture and windowsills. A vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment can be an excellent tool for this job.

Vacuum any carpet or throw rugs thoroughly. Spray the carpet with an odor eliminating spray (Any brand of spray intended to remove odors and most carpet deodorizing powders would work fine) Note: Skip this step if your guest is allergic to perfumes of any sort. (Febreeze also makes an allergen reducing spray.)

Vacuum and launder any smaller throw rugs. Larger throw rugs will have to suffice with vacuuming, flipping them upside down, and vacuuming again.

Sweep and mop hard floors carefully.

Vacuum any dust from any drapery. Launder the drapery if necessary.

Carefully vacuum and dust throughout the house.

Strip and launder the bedding... Everything besides the mattress itself should be laundered. Sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, bedspread, blankets, bed skirt, mattress covers, etc. Use a laundromat if you've got an extra large blanket that needs washing, as laundromats generally have large machines that can handle blankets.

Launder any polyfill pillows and replace any feather pillows with laundered pillows that do not utilize organic stuffing materials.

Replace the (now clean) bedding on the bed and turn down the covers.

Restrict the pet's movement around the home. Arrange for a room or two to remain as a "Pet Zone". This gives family members interaction points with pets and yet leaves the main living spaces reasonably allergen free.