If you suffer from allergies, the idea of dealing with dust might be a little scary. This is especially true when moving. You’ll have to spend some time cleaning your old place before you leave and you should spend an hour or two cleaning your new home. This will get rid of any potential chemicals or allergens that might have been left behind by the former tenants.

Here are some tips on how to deal with the cleaning and stay healthy (and sane).

1. Hire a cleaning service if at all possible. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a professional. Pay a friend or acquaintance or help or post an ad in Craigslist asking for one-time cleaning help. If hiring a stranger, ask for references before letting that person into your home.

2. Vacuum first. Get rid of the dust, pet hair and cigarette ashes that might be flying around or stuck to the furniture. Drapes, pillows and upholstery in general tend to attract dust, so make sure you vacuum those well. If possible, use a HEPA vacuum cleaner, which have filters to help improve the quality of the air in the room.

3. Open the windows. It will get rid of the smell of mold and clear the air, so you can breathe better.

4. Rent a steam cleaner for the rugs if the previous tenants own a pet. There’s likely to be some pet hair and dandruff embedded in there and you want to get rid of it completely to prevent allergy attacks.

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One thing that every person who moves must deal with is cleaning the home they are moving into. Packing  some specific moving boxes marked “Cleaning” will make things easier once you have arrived.

1. First, before moving in, make a mental note of everything that will need cleaning. The kitchen and bathroom is a good place to start, as they will most certainly be used early after arrival. For the kitchen consider cleaning solutions that will clean through greasy stains, like 409 or Fantastic. The cleaning box should also contain disinfectants like bleach or powdered Comet.
2. To scrub, use both an abrasive and regular sponge. An old toothbrush is a good tool to have to clean in between dirty tiles and with this in mind packing a tile cleaner would be helpful.
3. For those who have concerns about chemicals being used in their living spaces, some alternative cleaners might include baking soda for scouring, deodorizing and water softening. Other options include borax for disinfecting and cleaning painted floors and walls and wallpaper; white vinegar to cut through grease and mildew, wax and stains; and isopropyl alcohol as a disinfectant. Cornstarch can be used to clean windows and polish furniture. Even lemon, loaded with acid, is very useful in dealing with many household bacteria.

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