With two cats and a lovable Black Labrador running around our house, I feel like my vacuum cleaner is always going. When I see how much pet hair is vacuumed up on a regular basis I can only wonder how much dander and other airborne particles are floating around as a result of our furry friends – and there is always that musty doggy smell near her bed, too.

When the team at Kaz.com, a world leader in high quality healthcare and home environment products, approached me about doing a review of the Honeywell Pet CleanAir Air Purifier for Pet Owners, of course I immediately said yes!  Anything that will help the quality of our air and not affect our pets is worth trying.

The PETCleanAir is a compact system that can be placed on a table, counter or floor. Simply install the filter and plug it in. It captures up to 95% of airborne particles from the air that pass through the filter leaving your air cleaner and smelling better.  The air purifier uses a HEP A-type filter that only needs to be changed once every 6 months.

So, does it work? YES! The first room we placed the PETCleanAir system in was the playroom. This is where the dog likes to play with the kids, curls up next to them when they play video games, and  for that reason it always smells like DOG. We plugged it in and with in 24 hours, I noticed a marked change in the way the room smelled. It didn’t smell like dog and after a week, I noticed that the baseboards did not seem as dusty as they usually are after a week of not cleaning. And another real sign that it works - my daughter has a friend with dog allergies. Every time she comes to our house she needs to take a Benedryl after being here for a few hours. She was here the other day and not even one single sneeze or sniffle and the Benedryl never even came out! So the PETCleanAir does a good job reducing pet allergens in the air, too.

Want one for your house? You are in luck! Kaz sent me an extra Honeywell Air Purifier for Pet Owners to giveaway!

What We Are Giving Away

• We are giving away one (1) Honeywell Pet CleanAir Air Purifier for Pet Owners from Kaz.com

How To Enter

• Leave a comment below telling me about your family pets – how many, what kind, a funny story about them – anything about your pets!
• Get bonus entries by letting your friends know about our giveaway. Get one extra entry for each of the following, but come back and leave a second comment telling us where you shared it:
  • Post about it on your own blog, in a forum, tweet about it or share it with your friends on Facebook
  • Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (copy and paste the following) – RT @charpolanosky – Enter to win a Honeywell PETCleanAir purifier- http://bit.ly/g8RRFZ
  • Like Kaz on Facebook

Rules

• Leave your comment(s) no later than midnight March 20, 2011.
• You must use your real name and email address in the comment form below – don’t put your email address in the comment itself. We don’t share this information, we just use it to contact you if you win.
• We will be using the “And the winner is” plugin to select one (1) winner at random.

Can’t wait to find out if you won? You can purchase the Honeywell Pet CleanAir Air Purifier for Pet Owners at Kaz.com.

Disclosure: I received the product for review, however, all opinions are my own.

When you have a child with allergies the first thing you focus your attention on is food and environmental elements, but what about all the supplies they use at school?  Many art products such as paint, glue, markers, playdough and clay contain common allergens such as dairy, soy, egg, gluten, latex and even peanuts.

Discount School Supplies is the best resource for all of your art/school supplies, however, if you have a child with allergies or special needs, they are the first place you should look. They have the largest selection of Common-Allergen-Free Products and make it easy to shop by allergy-free product you need. From gluten-free playdough to dairy/casein free glue, latex free craft supplies and kits, and soy free paints Discount School Supplies will help you select products you can be sure are safe for your child.

Additionally if you have a special needs child, shop Special Needs at Discount School Supply to find over 500 products specifically selected to enhance and develop learning and independence.

Looking for printables and crafts your kids will LOVE? We recommend:

• Printables4Kids.com
• CraftJr.com
• FreeStuff4Kids.com
• Kaboose.com
• Find Free Activities at Discount School Supply, too.

Right now you can take 10% Off In-Stock Orders – Use Code SHOPDSS. It is a perfect opportunity to stock up for summer activities, summer camps, bible school, homeschooling and vacations.

Approximately 15% of the population is allergic to either cats or dogs, yet when faced with giving up a family pet or dealing with the symptoms of allergies, only one in five would give up their furry friend. (source) So, if you or a family member has an allergy to cats or dogs, what can you do to make the co-habitation work?

1. Try selecting a breed that typically has a lower dander level and is considered “hypoallergenic”.
   • List of Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds
   • List of Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds
2. Have a non-allergic family member brush and bathe your pet on a weekly basis. This process alone will greatly reduce the level of pet dander in the home. There are specialty shampoos like Allerpet – For People That Are Allergic to Cats that help to reduce allergy creating dander levels.
3. Sweep and vacuum surfaces in the pets’ living area frequently. Using a vacuum that has a HEPA filter will help.
4. Use HEPA air cleaners in the areas of the house that the dog or cat spends most of its time. We have an Air Cleaning Tower Fan running in the main living area of the house most of the day. It is easy to clean and really does work well to reduce allergens in the air.
5. Wash hands frequently, especially after touching the pet. Additionally, over the counter anti-histamines or even allergy shots may end up giving the most relief – just consult your family doctor first.

For more information on selecting the best breed for your family, check out the Dog Guide – comprehensive dog lovers resource.

As much as I love Spring, I dread it so much! Last Wednesday the sun was shining and the air was warm – I laced up my tennis shoes and headed out for a walk with a friend. Unfortunately, by the time I got home my eyes were watery, my throat itchy, and I was feeling like I was in a fog. When I did the “white glove” test on my car, I knew why – the yellow layer of pollen was unbelievable!

So, how can you enjoy the Spring and not suffer through allergies? Here are a few tips:

• Do not sleep with the windows open. Keep the house cool using the air conditioner and an air purifier.
• Shower in the evening so you don’t take the pollen from outdoors to bed with you via your hair, your clothes and skin.
• Wash and dry your clothes in a washer/dryer rather than hanging them on the line to dry.
• Wash bed linens frequently and use.
• If you have to do outdoor yard work such as mowing the grass or weeding, wear a mask and gloves.
• Avoid working outdoors in the morning when the pollen count is highest.
• Use a saline nasal spray to relieve sinus pain and to thin out mucus.
• A variety of foods such as cayenne, ginger, onion and garlic are also helpful for thinning mucus.
• Get extra rest and good nutrition to help boost your immune system.
• If all else fails, see your doctor for a prescription antihistamine or a recommendation for an over the counter option.

Personally, I have found that Similasan’s Eye Drops #2 Allergy Eyes works the best for soothing my itchy eyes and Natra-Bio Allergy Relief offers the most overall relief.