Your Habits That Hurt His Asthma

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When I started dating my asthma-inflicted boyfriend six years ago, I had to clean my act up—and I mean literally. I would wake up in the middle of the night to find that he’d gone home, even after he said he was spending the night. He tried to encourage us to stay at his place more. He asked indirect questions about whether or not I’d ever consider hiring a housekeeper or what would happen if I didn’t let my dog sleep on the bed. I was honestly starting to think this guy just doesn’t like me, but he kept calling, and he kept asking to see me. When he finally got comfortable enough, he opened up and told me that my lifestyle and habits were horrible for his asthma. I was taking his breath away, but not in the romantic way. He liked me—it was his lungs that weren’t such big fans of mine. If you love and live with someone who has asthma, then you may need to make some changes. Are your habits making your partner’s asthma worse?

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Wearing shoes inside

Shoes track in dirt, debris, dust, and all sorts of other irritants that are bad for asthma sufferers. You’ll need to have a no-shoes-in-the-home rule if you live with an asthma sufferer.

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Letting the dog in the bed

Having a dog at all could be an issue, but if you have a hypoallergenic one like a poodle or terrier that has hair instead of fur, you may be okay. You still, however, need to keep these pets off the bed as they can carry dander and irritants from outside, into the house. Consider keeping hypoallergenic wipes by the front door, and wiping your dog off when he comes inside.

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Failing to dust

You’ll need to stay on top of dusting when you live with an asthma sufferer. If you’re asking, “Why can’t he dust?” it’s because being up close and personal with all those particles flying in the air can cause an asthma attack for him. Give him another task, like doing laundry or taking out the trash. You’re on dust duty.

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Smoking on the balcony

If you’re a smoker, you may think that you can just smoke on your balcony or patio, and your partner will be fine. But the toxins from your cigarettes can easily penetrate your screen door, and find their way to your partner’s lungs. Go for walks if you need a cigarette. Or, better yet, quit smoking. It can affect your relationship in more ways than one.

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Opening the windows

Maybe you love to sleep with the windows open for the fresh air. But, that air is not really fresh. In fact, you’re exposing your partner to air pollution. Get a good air purifier, and keep your windows closed.

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Wearing perfume

Strong fragrances can trigger asthma symptoms, so you’ll have to ditch the perfume if you love an asthma-sufferer.

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Wearing scented lotions

Don’t forget that there can be perfume in your face cream, lotion, and other products. My boyfriend had a coughing fit once because I put on scented face cream and kissed him.

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Failing to vacuum

If you can remove all carpets and replace them with hardwood, tile, or linoleum floors, that would be for the best. Otherwise, you need to vacuum more often than most people who don’t live with asthma sufferers.

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Ignoring mold

If you see a little mold in your apartment, first, call in a specialist to confirm it isn’t hazardous black mold. Second, clean it away right away. Even a little mold can be a big problem for asthma sufferers.

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Letting friends smoke inside

Maybe you aren’t the smoker, but from time to time you have smoker friends come over. While it may feel militant, ask them not to smoke on your patio or balcony. Naturally, they shouldn’t smoke in your home. Even if your partner isn’t home, the toxins can linger.

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Using a humidifier

High levels of humidity increase mold and welcome mites—both of which are terrors for asthma sufferers. Keep humidity levels moderate.

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Driving with the windows down

Maybe you drive with the windows down so your air freshener, perfume, and other objects in your car don’t bother your partner. But then you’re exposing him to air pollution. You’ll just have to change your car habits, ditch the air freshener, keep the inside air pure, and close the windows.

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Using strong chemicals to clean

The strong chemicals in certain cleaning products can be triggers for asthma sufferers. Stick to natural cleaning products when possible.

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Cleaning while he’s home

Even if you use natural cleaning products, the plants used in these can trigger your partner’s asthma. It’s best to just not clean while he’s at home.

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You love how scented candles set the mood and create ambiance, but your partner’s lungs do not like their fragrance. If you want your home to smell like cinnamon, stew real cinnamon sticks, but don’t get a synthetic, cinnamon-scented candle.