Create an Asthma Safe-Room

Which Room is Best? Any comfortable room can be made into a safe-room, such as a den or extra bedroom. Most of us dont have extra rooms in our homes, so an asthmatics bedroom might be the best option.

How to Set Up an Asthma-Safe Room A safe-room needs to be prepared in advance and should be kept clean at all times. An asthma-safe room must be free of allergens and other asthma triggers, including dust, cockroaches, second-hand smoke, etc. Here are some steps you can take to prepare your asthma-safe room:

1). Remove any dust catchers, such as knick knacks, book shelves, heavy draperies, carpet, and bed hangings. Keep upholstered and stuffed furniture, pillows, and stuffed animals, etc. to a minimum in the safe-room. Bedding should be simple and not include tucks, swags and other embellishments that can catch dust. Window blinds are a great option to replace heavy drapery and curtains.

2). All bedding should be washed once a week in the hottest water safe for each piece of bedding. A wash temperature higher than 130 F is necessary to kill dust mites.

3). Mattresses and pillows (in a bedroom) should be encased in dust mite-proof covers.

4). The asthma safe-room should be free of carpet if at all possible, as it can harbor dust mites, mold, pollen and dirt. Flooring such as tile, concrete, and wood is easier to keep clean. Throw rugs can be used, but should be washed once a week in order to keep them allergen-free.

5). Keep pets out of the asthma-safe room at all times.

6). You might consider the addition of a HEPA air cleaner in order to keep the air free of allergens and other triggers. These do work well; however, avoid air cleaners that work use ionization. Ionization creates ozone, a known asthma trigger.

7). Do not include wood burning stoves or fireplaces in the safe room, as these put off particulates that can cause indoor air pollution, another known asthma trigger.

8). Keep humidity at about 50%, as this will keep the air comfortable to breathe, while keeping dust mites to a minimum. Dust mites thrive when humidity goes over 50%.

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Create an Asthma Safe-Room