If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, you probably spend a lot of time trying to make your home as allergy friendly as possible. However, many people often forget to put the same effort into their cars. Typically what someone that suffers from allergies does is leave the car windows rolled up and set the ventilation system to recirculate. This does help, but there are also other ways to alleviate the symptoms. Superior Kia wants you to feel healthy and happy in your car. Here are three car care tips for allergy sufferers.
Remove Your Shoes
You probably remove your shoes in your home to minimize allergens, and the same rule applies to your car. Whenever possible remove your shoes when you get in the car and put them in a sealed plastic bag. Shoes and outwear are the main way that allergens are often brought in from the outdoors. Have your kids remove their cleats when getting in the car after soccer practice and take off your coat before driving home. Keep these items in a separate area, like the trunk, until you get home.
Watch Out for Mold
Mold is always a big problem for allergy sufferers. Typically we aren’t as careful with cleaning up spills in our vehicle as we are with our home, and this can lead to mold. Always clean up messes on the carpet and upholstery as soon as possible and do a thorough job. The surfaces need to be dry. Also, periodically look at the weather stripping around your car doors and windows to make sure it’s intact. This will help prevent mold from forming by keeping the inside of your car dry. Placing rubber mats on the floors can also help reduce moisture buildup by protecting your carpets and making it easier to clean up any spills.
Vacuum Often
Unless you have leather or vinyl seats, dust mites can infiltrate your car upholstery as easily as they can your mattress at home. Be sure to vacuum your car seats on a regular basis to help remove dust mites, their waste, and the material they eat. It’s best to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to trap allergens and minimize your exposure while you’re cleaning. Did you know that many newer vehicles now have HEPA air filters built right into their heating and cooling systems? This can really help remove allergens as they circulate through the car air. If your vehicle has these, it’s a good idea to have them checked and replaced on a regular basis.
From the morning commute to a weekend of fun activities, most of us spend significant time in our cars. In fact, many people spend hours a day in their vehicle, so it’s important to keep as allergy-free as possible. Removing your outwear when riding in the car, immediately and thoroughly cleaning up spills, vacuuming often, and replacing your air filters will all surely help reduce allergens.
Image by yashima, Licensed via CC BY-SA 2.0
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.