For people with pet allergies, holiday gatherings at homes with furry, four-legged animals can turn an otherwise good time into a nightmare of itchy, red, watery eyes, and endless bouts of sneezing. Whether you’re the host with a pet or the person with allergies, there are things you can do to alleviate unpleasant symptoms and keep your focus on enjoying the company of friends and family, says the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and Consumer Reports experts. If You’re Hosting People With Pet Allergies Send your pet on a vacation. If possible, remove your pet from your home before you begin to clean and set up for your gathering, and for the duration of the event. If you cannot remove your pet, confine him or her to one room before preparations begin.Pet hair can trigger allergic reactions, but the main culprit is actually proteins in pet dander, tiny flecks of shed skin that settle onto wood floors, rugs and carpeting, furniture, and clothing.

To reduce allergen levels in the home vacuum thoroughly. Use a vacuum equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, says the AAAAI. Vacuum rugs and carpets extra carefully, and don’t forget to vacuum drapes, couches, and chairs thoroughly, too. Check out the vacuum cleaners that were top dogs in Consumer Reports' pet hair tests. Consider a room air purifier. Some research suggests that room air purifiers provide some benefit to pet allergy sufferers, though they seem to help most when they are used longe-term. Still, if you have an air filter it cannot hurt to place it in the main room where you'll host your guests. Stock up on antihistamines. Your guests will appreciate it if they forget to bring their own. Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs says a good antihistamine to stock would be over-the-counter one such as cetir­i­zine (Zyrtec and generic), fexofenadine (Allegra and generic), or loratadine (Claritin and generic). Generic versions of all those drugs work just as well—and cost less—than their brand name counterparts, research shows.

Check Consumer Reports' 2015 Holiday Guide for our picks of the best gifts, details on the latest deals, time-saving tips, and much more. And see our countdown calendar for top gift ideas for everyone on your list. If You Have a Pet AllergyDon’t know whether a home you are visiting has a pet or not? Call and check with the hosts. Use the right drug. In addition to an OTC drug such as cetir­i­zine, fexofenadine, or loratadine, also consider a steroid nasal spray like fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief) and triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy 24 HR). Research shows they are veryh effective at relieving congestion, sneezing, postnasal drip, and other allergy symptoms, and are now available without a prescription.I really like this plug in purifierI really like this air purifier! I like the size of it..ive had large ones before that were just in the way...this one is 10.1 x 5.4 x 4.1 inches and has a plug built into it..so you just plug it into the wall..and it is nice looking also...and it takes care of areas up to 150 sq. ft.....

There is a switch on the back for you to select your setting...fan...uv...or uv and fan...The filters are metal and you just remove them..mclean air duct cleaning tulsawipe clean and replace...honeywell hfd-110 tower air purifierThis item does come with instructions....winix 9500 pet air cleaner plasmawaveI have this in my kitchen,where we sit the most and very happy to know that our air is being cleaned! or you can easily just take it room to room with you :)....Update: I have bought another one of these wonderful air purifiers....they really do work great..so i wanted another...you can notice the difference in the room you are running this in...It does help with orders and freshens the air..and knowing that it kills over 98% of germs is a plus!!!

Great way to cut down on allergies in the home.The best part of this air purifier is that it is small and compact. You hardly even notice it is plugged into the wall. My bedroom has this musky odor which constantly makes my allergies worse. I plugged this into the wall in my room and it has seriously helped my allergies. I don't wake up in the morning as congested as I normally do. I no longer have that musky smell that lingers in my room. It is nice a quiet so I barely even hear it running. To get it to work just simply plug into the wall and forget it. You will know its working because it glows blue. This is best for a room up to 150sq ft. You don't have to worry about this increasing your electric bill. The air purifier is energy efficient and only consumes 8watts of energy. I love that it has a one year manufactures warranty. I don't have to worry about it breaking within that period of time.I received this item at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.Feels fresh air in home!

Helps in eliminates odor! works great for my morning allergiesThis was the answer to my kitchen odors! So Much Power In Such A Small Little Device!Elegant looking, nice-sized, quiet, plug in air purifier does a great job. The fan does not work. I attempted to contact ...EXCELLENT: Sanitizes/cleans, NO NOISE!! Easy clean up=wipe down filter=no cost/replace bulb 1x3 yrs. Difference in 24 hours!!!I really like this, it works really, really well and you DO NOT HEAR A THING!! Plus the room smells fresh and we have 2 dogs, 1 small and 1 medium size terriers. My Mom has a chronic cough and I was looking at air filters/purifiers for her, as per doctors orders, and this works will in her bedroom, which is a master bedroom and bath. It works so well, that I think I will buy more for the other rooms. Easy to clean also, as you just wipe down the filter. Some might complain about the blue light, but it is actually dimmer than the night light I had in her room in case she gets up for the bathroom.