Allergies Guide

Molds are an important trigger of allergic rhinitis, affecting nearly 40 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). "Mold spores contain allergens, substances that some immune systems recognize as dangerous," said Robert K Bush, MD, Fellow of the AAAAI and member of the AAAAI's Indoor Allergen Committee. "Exposure to mold can trigger an allergic reaction such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, coughing and hay fever-like symptoms."

Ordinary household activities, from dusting to dancing, can increase your exposure to indoor allergens, according to a Clarkson University study. Whether you are cutting the rug or just vacuuming it, you may be inhaling tiny dust particles that could be harmful to your health.

You may want to think again before you dust the top of your refrigerator or vacuum under the couch. "Certain toxic chemicals, such as lead, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are routinely found in household dust," explains Andrea Ferro, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Clarkson University and an air quality researcher. "Simple activities such as dusting and vacuuming generate or resuspend the pollutants into the air that we then breathe in."

Mold is normally present in all homes, but is usually harmful only in large concentrations to allergic or sensitive individuals.