5 Must-Have Products to Have On Hand to Kick Allergens Out of Your Home

Once you have a vacuum with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, you'll never go back — especially if you have a pet in your home. A device like Dyson's V7 Allergy Cord-Free Stick Vacuum ($350) is able to pick up and trap 99.97 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns, meaning all those allergy-causing things like dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and mold spores are sucked up into oblivion.

Keeping all the surfaces in your home clean and disinfected is a must when trying to control allergies. Plus, you want to get rid of any mold that could be creeping in or pollen that may have followed you indoors. Clorox® Clean Up Cleaner + Bleach ($3) kills 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses — meaning it can help in so many different areas of your home, from kitchen counters and sinks to disinfecting the shower, tub, and bathroom sink. It's super effective at getting rid of mold and mildew in particular. Clorox® Toilet Bowl Cleaner ($3) should be a given in any household to keep germs at bay in the toilet. And Clorox® Regular Bleach with Cloromax® ($4) comes in handy when you want to disinfect your floors after vacuuming, not to mention when washing white cotton sheets and towels. Add 3/4 of a cup of Clorox® Regular Bleach with Cloromax® to your washer, and set the temperature to hot to kill off any allergens that might be hiding in them.

Did you know that bugs like roaches and other pests like mice can carry allergens with them? Don't entice them with food you've left out, whether it's in the sink on dirty dishes or dry food in the pantry. Use airtight containers like these Glass Kitchen Canisters with Airtight Bamboo Lids ($32) to store all your dry foods like pastas, grains, and cereals.

Your bedding is likely the number-one culprit for the buildup of allergens. Between your pillows, mattress, and covers, there are oh-so many places for things to hide. To be superthorough, you'll want to get allergy-proof covers for every part of your bed. Start with the pillows and grab a set of Allersoft's Allergy and Bed Bug Proof Pillow Covers ($21) and go from there.

Another major cause of allergens in the home is moisture, whether it's from the air outside, a shower or bath, or leaks. To keep mold from growing and dust mites from spreading, you'll want to maintain the humidity in your home to be around 50 percent. Grab the ultraportable Honati Home Dehumidifier ($70) and bring it with you to any room in your home that might be accumulating too much moisture.