I have bad allergies, to a variety of things. One of the many things I am allergic to is dust. Here are some tricks and hints to use to survive spring cleaning:

(1)Before cleaning, take whatever allergy medications your doctor has prescribed.
Or, at least make sure that whatever antihistamines you are using are not about to "run out". Some last for more hours than others. Spring cleaning often includes moving things around and kicking dust up into the air. It is infinitely better to be medicated against these allergens beforehand than to just inhale them, get sick, and try and take your allergy drugs later.

(2)Dust masks are your friend.
Sure, these may look a little funny, but they are worth it. Put one on and don't take it off until you are all finished cleaning. Then, take a look at the front of the mask. The dirt you find there is dust that you avoided breathing in.

(3)Carpets are not your friend.
Rugs and carpets are dust catchers. Even if you vacuum, you can't get to all the dust and dirt. If you can, I suggest removing the carpet, and going with wood or tile flooring. If you are living in an apartment and cannot take out the carpet, there are other options. You can buy and use a vacuum that uses hepa filters, and use the correct bags for it. The hepa filters are designed to suck up more of the dust than an average vacuum can. The down side is these tend to be more expensive than the regular vacuum bags. Or, you can have someone else you live with do the vacuuming, and stay out of the room where the vacuuming is going on. This will help you avoid breathing in dust.

(4)Invest in an air cleaner.
There are many kinds on the market now. Hepa makes one, Bionaire makes another. All are designed to trap dust, dirt, and other particulate matter in their filters, and prevent it from getting back into the air you breathe. Most are a bit expensive, and some require replacement filters. However, I cannot even describe how good it is to have a "clean" room to escape into when my allergies are making me wheeze! These are definitely worth the cost.

(5)Get rid of the blinds.
Window blinds become covered in dust and dirt, and are difficult to clean well, no matter what you use. I suggest getting rid of them entirely. Instead use cloth curtains that you can easily throw in the wash as needed. Depending on how bad your allergies are, you might have to do this weekly to prevent the buildup of dust and pollen. Another option might

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