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I read Margaret Cho’s “25 Things You Don’t Know About” list in US Magazine and was surprised to learn a few things about her, one being that she’s very allergic to dust mites. I’ve heard of people being allergic to dust mites, but I didn’t realize there were people who had to vacuum every few hours. That sounds miserable unless you could just have a bunch of Roombas do it for you. Margaret also said that she listens to podcasts a lot. Here’s more:
1. I bake great bread, and bring it to friends.
2. I’m actually Chinese, which I found out after many years of believing I was fully Korean.
3. I speak Korean pretty well.
4. Lisa Ling and I are cousins.
5. I used to be in a children’s singing group before I started doing stand-up at 14.
6. I’m extremely allergic to dust mites so I vacuum every few hours when I’m at home.
10. I listen to podcasts, music or audiobooks [nonstop] when I’m not working. The only time I’m silent is during meditation.
11. I talk to my cats and dogs all day long about what we are listening to.
23. I’m trying to only wear sustainable fashion, whether it’s upcycled clothing, secondhand, vintage or even my own things. I have worn certain pieces for decades.
25. Many of my tattoos are unfinished because they just hurt too much!
Margaret is an interesting person and I could relate to a few things she shared. I love thrift shopping for clothing and save items forever too. I also like baking bread for people! Here’s a recipe that’s so easy to follow. Why is she getting new tattoos if they’re so painful that she doesn’t get them finished? I only have two and they both hurt like a bitch so I haven’t gotten any more. Mine are small though, it looks like hers are big and require multiple sessions. So I guess she doesn’t go back to get them completed.
Look at her cats! She must have the sphynx breed because they’re hypoallergenic. I’ve heard they’re really cuddly cats.
So I am relating to Cho’s need to vacuum. We got our daughter two cats and I really can’t deal with the dander. Dust is not my friend either. If anyone has any vacuum or cleaning sprays advice, I’d love to hear it. I swear I am not this boring to ask for vacuum advice on Celebitchy. (Yes, I am.)
Wipe your cats down at least once a day with a damp washcloth/paper towel or made-for-pets wipes. That will greatly reduce the dander load on their fur as it is a protein in their saliva that causes allergies. And brushing frequently will reduce their need to self-groom, which will also reduce the saliva/dander burden. Also, if your vacuum has a removable filter, handwash it regularly (and obvs let it thoroughly dry) Good luck!
Agree on the wipe downs, but also wear a mask when you vacuum. Or get someone else to vacuum. Vacuuming can stir up dander and dust in the air more than it sucks in.
And use a humidifier and air purifier when you can.
Buy N95 masks from the hardware store.
My friend has a severe mite allergy, so when we picked a place to live for when she moves out here in a month, it had to be hardwood flooring. I prefer hardwood it, so that wasn’t an issue, but after she showed me some pictures of her reactions, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I’m surprised Cho hasn’t considered getting rid of carpeting, to be honest. It wouldn’t fix the problem, but it would cut down on places for them to hide.
I’m sensitive to dust and am buying a new couch. I’m thinking I should go for wipeable instead of cloth and it makes me sad. I’d love velvety or wide whale corduroy.
She may not have carpet and still have to vacuum/dust – like curtains or couches. I love my Dyson!!! It’s so lightweight and really gets great suction. It’s only good for about 30 mins of Max strength, but recharged quickly. I can usually do all 3 bedrooms, living room and kitchen on one charge. We have hardwoods/carpet/tile, it cleans on all. Also highly recommend Shark, the vacuum and their steam mop! @Huit
I have given up my shark for a rechargeable stick dyson- and I’m very happy with that choice.
I used to have a game called Berner (Bernese Mountain Dog) vs. Dyson and the Berner won every single time. I now have an Anatolian/Great Pyrenees mix and he dusted my shark cordless. So I got a Hetty Hoover (basically a small shop vac) and she works great! I would not say lightweight or as easy as any cordless, but she picks up all hair and tiny bits of dust.
Sometimes I wish I had a home I could just hose off. Just a drain in the floor and nothing to dust or wipe fingerprints off of. If I had an allergy like that you’d find me living in a shipping container with nothing but a hose and sixty two air filters for sure.
I had allergy immunotherapy back in the 70s for cats/dust mites, etc. I wasn’t happy about it then, but appreciate it now. We bought a lake house recently, and now I need to have it for an anaphylactic hornet sting allergy (because it’s basically in the woods). A time sink but so worth it.
Well, hell. That -does- sound like a better solution than the hose 🙂
I know how she feels. I live in a building where the carpet hasn’t been changed for 15 years (when I moved in). It’s gotten so bad, I’m vacuuming every three days to keep my allergies from getting worse. They only replace or remove when a resident moves out. Thank goodness for stick vacuums.
I also have two short haired cats and I use some allergen stuff made by purina (called “live clear”) to keep a handle on that. It’s a foam substance that you rub into their fur. Seems to help.
Bissel’s big green cleaning machine is a great investment if you have the funds and space. Beats repeatedly renting a dirty unit that doesn’t clean as well.
My daughter is allergic to dust mites, so some things that help her are (1) hardwood floors (which some else mentioned) and making sure they are swept, vacuumed and/or mopped a couple of times/week, (2) vacuuming any carpets and area at least once a day (every couple of hours IS probably ideal, esp if you live somewhere dusty), (3) allergy covers on pillows (under the pillow case) and couch cushions (under the cover), (4) washing bedding and cushion covers on the Allergen cycle on washing machines, and (5) installing a HEPA air filter and/or standalone filters in the house. And agreed Dyson is the best! 🙂
If Sphynx cats are hypoallergenic then I’m in trouble. My good friends has one and ALL the allergies bubble up. Me and cats just cant mess with each other.
Dust mite allergy is no joke. In addition to sneezing my brains out, I get headaches, hives, fever and lightheadedness. The only carpet-like decor in our house is an area rug, which is vacuumed by hubby at least 2x per day. The curtains are Febreezed every week.
In that pic with the dog papoose, her skin is *radiant*. It’s so hard to keep your skin glowing if you have allergies, anti-allergy medication can be so dehydrating. Dewy goals man.
She needs to do allergy shots. I did them for 5 years and it changed my life. I stopped missing work due to dust, cats, and oak pollen.