Identify whether a product is likely to reduce your particular triggers

Each person's asthma is set off by certain pollutants or allergy-causing substances (allergens). Common household asthma triggers include:

• Dust mites, which build up in carpet, upholstery and bedding
• Dander from pets such as cats, dogs and birds
• Cockroaches
• Indoor molds
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — gases released by paints, carpets, other household products and e-cigarettes
• Wood and tobacco smoke

If you're thinking about buying a product that claims to reduce your risk of asthma symptoms, it's important to find out which substances cause problems for you. For example, if dust mites trigger your asthma, you may benefit from a mattress cover that helps contain or eliminate them. But paint that releases lower amounts of VOCs into the air might not be as important. Some products, such as air cleaners and washing machines, help remove several common asthma triggers.

If you're like most people with asthma, you have multiple triggers. If you're unsure about which triggers affect you, your doctor may recommend allergy skin testing to identify them. This will give you a better idea about what household triggers you need to avoid.