Winter is a time when allergens tend to build up in record amounts in your home. People and pets spend more time indoors, and homes are sealed tight against the elements. In addition, forced air heating systems make nasal and respiratory passages particularly susceptible to allergy symptoms and complications like sinus infections.

This is why allergy sufferers must pay special attention to their cleaning routines during winter months. Getting rid of the excess of dust mite allergen, mold spores, pet dander and other allergens that tend to build up during this time of year can prevent excessive winter allergy attacks.

Vacuuming is a mainstay of any cleaning regimen, and of course of an allergy avoidance cleaning routine. Following are some vacuuming tips to help you get the most benefit from the time you spend cleaning:

• Vacuum top to bottom. Using your machine to dust prevents you from stirring up dust into your breathing zone. Use attachments to dust items like blinds and bookshelves. Starting at the "top" of a room ensures that dust that the vacuum doesn't catch will get cleaned up as you move to the bottom of the room.
• Vacuum in several directions. As tempting as it may be to form straight horizontal lines in your carpet, save this for the end. Vacuuming in varied directions ensures that the carpet pile is moved around enough to suck up the maximum amount of dirt and allergens.
• Vacuum in short, slow strokes. Don't push and pull the vacuum fast. Instead, use slow strokes so that the suction spends time over each area of your carpet. Short strokes rather than long ones accomplish the same objective.
• Invest in a quality HEPA vacuum cleaner that you enjoy using. If enjoying vacuuming is a stretch, just consider making vacuuming as little of a pain as possible – so that you are more likely to do it as often as possible. Features like the Dyson ball make twisting and turning as you vacuum a breeze. Miele vacuums actually purify the air as well as the best air purifiers while you vacuum, and the new line of mid-range machines make these Cadillacs of vacuum cleaners more affordable than ever.