Fight Allergens in your Home with Lysol {Prize Pack Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, turq!}

I consider myself extremely lucky that I don't have any allergies (or at least any that I know of). Even better than that, neither does my husband or, so far, either of our children.

Of course now by having written this, I'll wake up tomorrow and find that I can't go outside due to nonstop sneezing... but I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that it won't happen.

Unfortunately for many, many adults and children out there, allergies are a way of life and the conditions that they have to deal with as a result (anything from chest tightening to coughing or more) are frustrating and can be harmful if left untreated.

So what exactly is an allergen? And how in the world can you reduce them in your home? The answers to those questions and much more can be found from the experts in healthy homes, healthy habits and healthy families: Lysol.

As their mission is fueled by passion and backed by their expertise in killing germs, the pros at Lysol know a thing or two about allergens. Defined as "something that causes allergies," an allergen causes a person's immune system to mistakenly think that it is harmful, therefore causing the reaction and the "allergy" symptoms.

As much as I would like to think that my home is free of common allergens like dust mite debris, pet dander, and pollen particles, Lysol has a great list of tips for reducing them. Things such as:

• Clean hard surfaces (including floors) regularly to reduce allergens such as pollen allergens, dust mite allergens, and pet dander. Launder and/or vacuum soft surfaces.

• Reduce mold and mildew growth by ensuring good air circulation/ventilation. Clean tiled walls and other hard surfaces where moisture is likely to collect, and clean visible mold from walls and ceilings immediately.

• Encase mattresses and pillows to prevent exposure to dust mite allergens, and launder all bedding frequently.

But that's really just a sampling and helping to protect your family from allergens can actually be easier than you think. Head Lysol Microbiologist Joe Rubino and nationally-renowned Pediatrician Dr. Laura Jana make it easy to see just how by taking an interactive tour of a real home to show us all some of the most important places where you can take action to reduce allergens in your home:


Quite a bit of great information, isn't it? I really like the interactive ability that Lysol has included in this video, making it easy to visit the rooms in the house that you are most interested in.

For more in-depth allergy season information from Lysol, be sure to visit their Allergens 101 page as well as the Lysol community for more allergen-related news.

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be prepared to have their home clean and allergen-free this spring, because...

One lucky person will win a Lysol Prize Pack containing:

(1) LYSOL Disinfecting Wipes
(1) LYSOL Disinfecting Wipes: Dual Action
(2) Allergy Defense Pillow Protector
(1) Dust Pan and Brush

To enter to win: Watch the video above and tell me one thing you learned or an interesting fact that you discovered.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you Like Lysol on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Clean home for spring! #WIN a Lysol Prize Pack (cleaning wipes, pillow protectors & more)! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/mO5EYl #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook, or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on May 30th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Lysol for providing a Prize Pack of products for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.