We have two cats and a dog, and I do what I know to do in order to keep pet dander around the house to a minimum. I try to keep the animals out of bedrooms, I have a leather couch, I have minimal drapery, and I vacuum frequently with my Dyson. But I'm sure I'm not as motivated to keep pet dander under control as I would be if any of my household were allergic to cats or dogs.

When allergic guests come to my house, however, I become all too aware of how pervasive pet dander can be, and how hard it is to actually get rid of.

Last night, some dear friends from California arrived for a visit, and we had them over for dinner. The husband of the family is quite allergic to cats. I dusted and cleaned the floors one last time at the last minute before they came, and we gave him some homeopathic drops that are supposed help forestall an allergy attack. And of course we locked the cats in a room while he was here.

He seemed to be okay, at least for a while. But by the end of the evening, though it took our asking for him to tell us, he was definitely feeling the effects of his cat allergy. As a hostess, it's an awful feeling to know that your guests are uncomfortable in your home – though of course, the person we should feel sorriest for is the allergic one!

We always keep allergy medicine (as well as those homeopathic drops) on hand for when pet allergic guests come to our house. But sometimes it's not enough. What do you do in addition to your regular environmental control to help allergy sufferers feel at home in your home?