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Do you desperately need to get rid of dog danger, but you do not know how? Do not worry, we have you covered. This article highlights all the steps you need to take to deal with this menace.
Pet owners enjoy many privileges that other people do not. Some of the benefits of owning the furry balls are stress relief, unwavering love, companionship, among many other things. However, pet dander is something you may not be keen and ready to deal with.
Video Explainer
What Is Dog Dander?
If you are planning to adopt a pet, you need to familiarize yourself with dog dander. Pet dander is microscopic skin flecks shed by dogs, rodents, cats, birds, and other animals with feathers or fur. The dander causes irritation and reaction to people allergic to these triggers.
Dog dander definition is tiny particles of skin that contains a protein that causes allergic reactions.
There are also additional allergy triggers that pet owners need to look out for to enjoy the company of the furry family members. The protein from the skin is also found in urine, saliva and pet’s feces can also irritate sensitive people.
Dried saliva that contains allergens in dogs may become airborne from flaking off from animal’s fur and can irritate an allergic person if inhaled. Dust from dry feces is also suspended in the same way.
About 10 percent of people have animal-related allergies and 20-30 percent of asthmatics are allergic to pets. Getting rid of the pets is not an option in many households, hence getting rid of the dander sounds reasonable.
Why Is Dog Dander A Point Of Concern?
Pet dander is a real health problem especially to people with allergies. When the body inhales the tiny skin particles, protein from urine, saliva, and feces, the immune system responds in defense. As a result, it creates an antibody that is specific for the protein.
Subsequently, whenever the protein is present, the antibody starts to stimulate mast cells. These results to either one or more of the following symptoms:
- Coughing
- Itchy/watery eyes
- Wheezing
- Sneezing
- Stuffy or running nose
- Eczema
Prolonged allergy attacks from continues exposure may lead to secondary infections like ear infections, sinusitis, or bronchitis. Allergies can also trigger conditions like asthma.
How Long Does Dog Dander Stay In A House?
The small skin bits have ragged edges and are very lightweight. This combination is terrible as it enables the dander to spread easily and move swiftly. It can comfortably stick on anything.
Once the dander flakes off the pets, it becomes airborne and if not inhaled will stick on the first surface it comes into contact with. If shed, it floats in the air and sticks to a surface again.
Dander is therefore easily spread and can end up in the weirdest places that no pet has visited as it rides on human belongings and clothes. It is super easy to transfer as one person can take it on the plane and leave it in the seat for the next person to carry it with them.
Dog dander can, therefore, stay in the house until you intentionally decide to get rid of it.
Simple Ways Of Getting Rid Of Dog Dander
Your house can easily start smelling like a kennel without you realizing. While you love your pets, it is crucial to keep your home safe for all occupants and visitors. Here are simple ways to get rid of dog dander.
Clean All Surfaces Regularly
Pet dander latches on everything that it lands on making it hard and challenging to rid off. However, it is possible and easy to remove dander from all the surfaces.
Solid Surfaces
What You Need
- Cleaning rags
- All-purpose cleaner
- Water
Mix the soap in water and with the rugs clean all solid surfaces including the walls, ceiling baseboards, and any solid furniture. Ensure you use soap and cleaning products with natural ingredients for the safety of you and your pets.
Furniture and Curtains
While it is impossible to wash and air the curtains every day, you can still keep them dander free using many products in the market made for hair removal. However, a lint roller with sticky tape is one of the cheapest, safest and easiest ways to pick dander.
What You Need
- Roller
- Shampoo
Once ready, just roll the lint over the furniture surface and curtain drapes. This will pick any protein or skin lying on the surfaces that your pet shed.
To make sure it is super clean shampoo the upholstery.
Clean Carpets
Carpets are the most notorious homes of dander. If you keep pets and carpets, you can never neglect to clean the floor rugs to eliminate dander.
What You Need
- A vacuum cleaner with HEPA grade filter
Vacuum the carpets regularly with HEPA grade filter cleaner as it is certified to capture microns as small as 0.3 which include dander shed by dogs and other pets.
1. Install a Portable HEPA Air Purifier To Reduce Dog Dander
Since cleaning every corner of your house daily is not feasible, a HEPA filter is a great way to clean off dander from your home surfaces. Investing in it is one of the best ways to maintain a dander-free home.
The HEPA air purifier pulls in pet dander from the air and traps it inside the filter. Once the dander and any other impurities are captured, they are prevented from returning to the air, or falling back to the furniture, collecting on the curtains or the floor.
Depending on the number of pets you have, the severity of your problem, and the size of your house you may need a number of the purifiers for different rooms or one for the sitting room.
An air purifier is powerful and will greatly reduce the constant need to clean the house by hand and cut down the pet allergens. See some of the best air purifiers in the market today.
2. Brush the Pets Regularly and Bathe Them
Most pets hate bathing and as a pet owner, you may want to let it slide. However, to keep off dander, your pet needs regular baths. Ensure that you use the right shampoo that is effective and mild to the skin. You can get the best recommendation from your vet or animal care professionals.
With a good brush, brush the pet regularly. The frequency depends on the length of the pet’s fur. Long ones should be brushed daily while the medium ones can do two sessions a week. Ensure you brush the pets outside and put on a mask and gloves if you have allergies.
Brushing and bathing the pets helps in preventing fur from shedding off.
Clean all the pet accessories while at it.
3. Consider Dog Dander Spray
Dog dander spray comes in handy when you cannot afford to wash your pets regularly. The natural enzymes that make up the ingredients reduce odors as well as eliminate pet dander.
Pet owners should also consider keeping the dong dander spray and use when hosting visitors that are allergic to pets. All you need to do is spray your dog’s fur and wipe off excess. In some cases, the products come in very convenient disposable wipes.
Dog dander sprays come in handy on lazy days that you wish to keep your pets clean without having to bath them.
4. Invest In Allergy-Free Covers for the Beddings
It is normal for pet owners to cuddle up the beds with the four-legged family members. For this reason, beddings are bound to be a rife surface for dander to settle. Covering the beddings with allergy-free covers is one way of keeping your beddings dander-free.
However, vacuuming and cleaning the bedroom is still necessary as the skin and protein flakes will still notoriously embed onto the floor and other surfaces.
It is best to keep the pets off the beddings as much as possible as dander is harder to eliminate when it comes to contact with the bedroom furnishings.
5. Consider Treatments
Allergy shots, antihistamine pills, antihistamine nose sprays and steroidal are some of the additional treatments for pet allergies. You first need to find an allergist that understands the commitment you have to living with your pets.
Pro Tip
It is impossible to single out one way of eliminating dog dander. Combining approaches like good housecleaning methods, immunotherapy and medical control of symptoms will ensure you live comfortably with your pets.
Always wear a mask and gloves when cleaning where your pets relieve themselves. Train your dogs or have them trained to help you keep a safe and clean space.
Since many people wonder what dog dander look like, they find it hard to believe the kind of dirt the pets spread. However, if you decide to keep the pets, fold your sleeves for the work ahead.
These additional family members come with significant work and care. You will not only enjoy the company of the pets, but also keep your house safe for occupants and visitors.