If you're a pet owner, you may notice you feel more congested when at home with your pets. This is most likely a result of your pet's dander. Pet dander includes pet waste, saliva and skin flakes. Some pet owners have pet dander sensitivity and may not even realize it.

So, how do you cope with pet dander? Flooring is one of the largest surfaces in your home, and most likely where your pet spends most of his/her time - so this is a good place to start.

Some floor types resist pet dander better than others. Linoleum, laminate, hardwood, tile, concrete and cork discourage pet matter from taking root. When selecting flooring for your home, verify that it's made without the addition of harmful chemicals (VOCs), as these may provoke an allergic reaction.

Carpet can be a haven for dander. Generally comprised of textured pile fibers, carpet tends to hold onto pet debris better than hard surface flooring. Some allergy experts believe these characteristics can actually make carpet more effective at preventing an allergic reaction than floors such as hardwood and tile. The more dander the carpet holds on to, the less airborne allergens in circulation; which potentially means less sniffling and sneezing.

If you decide to keep or install carpet in your home, make sure you vacuum regularly with a vacuum that has a built-in High Efficiency Particular Air (HEPA) filter. A HEPA filter is designed to absorb approximately 99.97% of all airborne allergens and pollutants. Also, try to select a vacuum that has a tightly packed filtration system (bag) as this can help minimize the amount of allergens expelled back into the air.

If you have any other suggestions or tips for allergy-friendly flooring, feel free to post them to this blog!