preparing your house for professional cleaners

If you are like millions of allergy sufferers, staying in a hotel room can be miserable. Between the dust mites, dry air and harsh chemical cleaning supplies, you may become an itchy, congested mess. Some cleaning companies now clean hotel pillows with a special pillow cleaning service that removes the dust mites. However, that still leaves the rest of the room to contend with. Here are a few simple tricks that will help relieve your allergy symptoms while you're staying in hotel rooms.

Moisten the Air

Dry air can increase the severity of your allergy symptoms. You don't always have room to pack your own humidifier. Luckily, you don't have to. To keep allergies at bay, go for the shower as soon as you check into your room. Simply turn the shower on to hot and let the moisture fill your room for a few minutes. Repeat the process each time you feel the air drying out. Running the shower right before bedtime will help ensure a restful night's sleep.

Bring Your Own Sheets

If you have a sensitivity to harsh detergents, it might be difficult to sleep on hotel room sheets. You can reduce the amount of allergens you come in contact with by packing a set of your own sheets. Remove the hotel room sheets and replace them with your own as soon as you enter your room. Place the hotel sheets in the closet until you're ready to check out of the room. You'll sleep allergy-free on your own sheets.

Wipe Down the Surfaces

No matter how thorough housekeeping is, you may still find dust in your hotel room. If you are allergic to dust, even a small amount can make it difficult to breathe. Carry a small packet of moist cleaning cloths with you. Clean the surfaces of tables and desks as soon as you check into your room. Repeat the process whenever you see dust accumulating in your room.

Travel with the Essentials

Seasonal allergies can really kick in while you're traveling. New environments can trigger allergies that you might not know you have. Essential oils are an excellent way to protect yourself against those symptoms.

Travel with a small amount of lavender or peppermint essential oil and cotton balls. Place a few drops of the oils on the cotton balls and set them on the nightstand. You can also place a few drops on your pillowcase to help you sleep better.

If staying in hotels make your allergies unbearable, you don't have to stop traveling. Use these simple solutions to keep your allergies under control when you travel.