It’s Allergy Awareness Week, which is always a useful reminder that the things we use every day can have a real impact on how we feel - particularly if you or someone else in your home has allergies. Allergies affect over a quarter of the population in the UK, so it’s more important than ever to understand what triggers flare-ups, and how we can reduce our exposure to irritants.
When we think about common household allergens, dust and pet hair usually come to mind. But there are less obvious triggers too, such as the products we use to clean, wash, and look after our skin.
From synthetic fragrances to harsh cleaning chemicals, these hidden irritants can build up in the air we breathe and even on the fabrics we wear. For babies, children, and anyone with sensitive skin, that exposure can potentially have a big impact.
The good news is that creating a more allergy-friendly home only takes a few simple swaps.
Common allergy triggers at home
Synthetic fragrances in everyday products
Artificial fragrance has to be one of the most common causes of irritation in the home. It’s often found in cleaning sprays, laundry products, and skincare, sometimes even in those labelled as ‘gentle’ or ‘natural’.
For people with sensitivities, fragranced products can trigger skin reactions, cause headaches or breathing discomfort, and even worsen skin conditions like eczema.
One of your first port of calls to reduce allergens in your home is to check your frequently used products for synthetic fragrance, and switching to fragrance-free or naturally scented products.
Harsh cleaning chemicals and indoor air quality
Many conventional cleaning products release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemicals that evaporate into the air during and after use.
These can affect indoor air quality at home, potentially irritating airways and triggering allergy or asthma symptoms. They can even linger long after your cleaning routine is over.
When shopping for your cleaning products, it’s worth being cautious of terms like chlorine bleach and ammonia, which can contribute to poor air quality indoors. Instead, look for fragrance-free or naturally scented plant-based cleaning products, with clearly listed ingredients.
Laundry detergents and fabric conditioners
Clothes, bedding, and towels sit directly against our skin for hours at a time. If they’ve been washed in heavily fragranced or chemical-based products, residue can stay behind.
For sensitive skin, this can lead to itching and irritation, dryness or redness, and ongoing flare-ups.
Choosing a fragrance-free laundry detergent for sensitive skin in the UK can help reduce low-level, everyday exposure. Kit & Kin’s laundry detergent and fabric conditioner are both approved by AllergyUK, so you know they’ll be kind to allergy-prone skin.
Skincare and frequent-use products
Products used multiple times a day like hand wash, baby nappies and wipes, and skincare can have a cumulative effect.
Ingredients like artificial dyes, alcohol, and synthetic preservatives may irritate the skin barrier, especially for babies, who have much thinner skin than adults do.
When thinking about what causes allergies in the home environment, take a look at the ingredients in your skincare. If they contain phthalates, synthetic fragrances, or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), you’re best avoiding them and choosing a more natural skincare product.
How to create an allergy-friendly home
The biggest difference usually comes from taking a look at the products you use on repeat, and how they behave in your home once you’ve used them. Some of the most effective switches include:
- Choosing fragrance-free cleaning and laundry products that don’t rely on synthetic scent to create a ‘clean’ feeling. This helps reduce airborne irritation and limits residue on fabrics that sit close to the skin.
- Switching to non-toxic, plant-based cleaning formulas that avoid harsh chemical fumes, particularly in enclosed spaces like bathrooms and kitchens where ventilation can be limited.
- Moving away from aerosol sprays and heavily perfumed products, which tend to linger in the air long after use and can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
- Washing bedding, towels, and everyday clothing with gentle, residue-free detergents, especially for households dealing with sensitive skin or eczema-prone skin.
- Switch out your skincare for natural, gentle formulations. Look out for products that don’t contain artificial fragrances or SLS, like our baby shampoo & body wash, or our body lotion for mums.
- Keeping windows open where possible or ensuring regular ventilation after cleaning, to help reduce the build-up of airborne irritants indoors.
Easy swaps for an allergy-friendly home
Our range of plant-based cleaning products, hypoallergenic nappies and wipes, and Certified Natural skincare can help you cut down on those everyday chemicals in your home.
Laundry care for sensitive skin
Clothing and bedding sit against the skin for long periods, so what they’re washed in really does matter. Switching to our Kit & Kin fragrance-free laundry detergent helps reduce unnecessary exposure to irritants that can linger in fabric fibres - whilst still being tough on stains.
Cleaning without harsh fumes
Our Kit & Kin non-toxic, plant-based cleaning products are still highly effective, but without the heavy chemicals and smells that conventional formulas have. We’ve designed them to make sure our naturally derived ingredients clean surfaces and cut through grease and grime, without affecting the air in your home. And because they’re fragranced using natural, essential oils, you won’t be breathing in any harsh fumes.
Non-toxic everyday essentials
Hand washes, baby wipes, nappies, and skincare products are used constantly throughout the day, often without much thought. Ours are hypoallergenic and made without harsh chemicals, to help reduce yours and your family’s cumulative exposure over time - especially for babies and anyone with sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
Certified support for sensitive skin
For some products, reassurance comes not just from ingredients, but from independent testing.
That’s why our Kit & Kin fragrance-free laundry products, un-fragranced hand washes, and hypoallergenic baby wipes are certified by AllergyUK. This certification confirms they’ve been independently assessed and recognised as suitable for people with allergies and sensitive skin.
Our mum and baby skincare is also Certified Natural and approved by dermatologists, whilst our hypoallergenic nappies are certified by Dermatest - so you know they’ll be gentle on your little one’s skin.
For anyone trying to navigate the best baby nappies, wipes and cleaning products for allergy sufferers in the UK, our certifications and industry awards provide a clear, trusted benchmark when buying for your family.
Small steps to make your home more comfortable
Creating an allergy-friendly home is all about making small switches that can reduce your family’s exposure to toxins over time. To discover our full range of non-toxic essentials for your home, click here.
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