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Minimizing Bird Dander---5 Steps To Take To Reduce The Amount In Your Air

25 16:33:00

Owning a pet bird can be so much fun. But one of the disadvantages is that they can add an incredible number of visible bird-relatated particles to the air like feathers, seed dust, and powder.

But the dander, or dead flakes of skin, that all warm blooded animals produce is invisible to the human eye. But it is the protein in the dander that usually triggers allergy and asthma symptoms.

Here are 5 things you can do that will literally keep the dander down to a level that will let you enjoy your bird and your life.

Clean with water---Water on particles makes them too heavy to escape into the air again. This is a simple thing that you can do to really trap particulates that have fallen from the air onto the furniture and floor.

So wiping surfaces with a damp cloth takes them out of circulation for good. Same is true for mopping the floor rather than sweeping.

Vacuum With A HEPA---A lot of vacuums stir up the particles as they attempt to suck them in. The problem is that many times instead of pulling all of the irritants out of the air, it can actually send many of them airborne again.

A cleaner with a high efficiency particle arresting filter can help keep this from happening. They may cost a little more but if it can get the job done more effectively, it's worth it.

Choose Bird-Friendly Furnishings---The best kinds of things to have in the room with your birds are materials that will not let particles accumulate, and ones that can be clean easily and inexpensively.

 

Great floor choices include linoleum, tile, hardwood, or laminate. Furniture choices that work well include furniture that can be wiped clean rather than upholstered pieces. Preferred window treatments include blinds, shutters, and shades, all of which tend to allow dust to fall away and can be cleaned by wiping or washing.

Curtains, draperies, and other fabrics tend to hold particles and tend to be more difficult and expensive to clean.

Limit Your Numbers---Adopting large numbers of birds and putting them in a space that is not big enough for them is hard on the birds and humans.

It can be tough to leave a bird in a shelter, but choosing to adopt only one or 2 birds that you can provide a high quality of life for, is a kinder choice than not being able to provide a high quality life for them at your home.

Filter The Air---The best way to continually provide healthy air for you and your birds by eliminating airborne dander is to filter the air. Not all filters are created equal, and that's why a high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) is the best one for the job.

Since dander is microscopic it makes sense that the filter that is needed to remove it should be able to get rid of these tiny particles. By definition, this type of filter must be able to remove 99.97% of airborne particles that are .3 microns or greater in size.

So even though dander may be your main concern, this type of filter will eliminate a variety of more normal household pollutants such as dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, and airborne bacteria and viruses.

Just making these few changes can drastically reduce the dander and other particles in your air and increase the quality of life for you and your bird. That creates a winning situation for all.