Everything You Need to Know About Certification
The facts about the program
Many products promise to help control allergens. But some products make false or exaggerated claims. This makes it hard for consumers to know the best products to buy.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America joined with Allergy Standards Limited to create the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program. This program helps people make informed purchases for a healthier home. We test household products against strict standards. If products pass our tests, they earn the CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly®mark.
Certified Products
We certify products for all rooms in your home. Please choose a category below to explore the 200+ products currently
CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly®
Indoor air pollution is made up of small particles in the air and airborne allergens like pet dander and dust mite debris. Air cleanerspollution. must effectively remove and trap air
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and furnace filters are vital to control the indoor climate. Air filters must effectively remove and trap air pollution.
You spend one-third of your time in the bedroom. So using CERTIFIED products to reduce your exposure to allergens and irritants in that space is an important part of an environmental control plan.
Cleaning products can have harmful chemicals that worsen indoor air quality. CERTIFIED products meet strict standards for ingredients and their appropriate levels in the product.
To reduce growth of mold and dust mites, a home should be kept at a humidity level below 50%.
Some flooring and installation materials (e.g. adhesives) are potential sources of allergens and irritants. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) must remain below safe levels after installation in order to be CERTIFIED.
Homes in dry climates may need a humidifier to maintain humidity between 40-50%. But CERTIFIED humidifiers must sanitize the water during use to prevent mold growth.
CERTIFIED fiberglass must be resistant to mold growth. During installation, the concentration of dust, airborne fiber and particle counts must not exceed our standards.
CERTIFIED washing machines, tumble dryers and steam cleaners are proven through lab testing to reduce allergens that can collect on washable items, such as sheets, pillows, comforters, clothing, rugs and small plush toys.
In order for a paint to become CERTIFIED, strict standards for appropriate levels must be met for physical performance, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and allergenic and sensitizing chemicals must be as low as possible or non-existent.
To assess cleaning services, we compare surface allergens before and after the cleaning; monitor airborne allergens before, during and after the cleaning; and test moisture levels in the carpet and relative humidity before and 24 hours after the cleaning.
CERTIFIED toys must be easily cleaned to remove allergens like dust mites, withstand recommended cleaning techniques, keep color and not bleed from rubbing or saliva, contain no chemicals known to trigger asthma and allergy responses.
If you have carpet, vacuuming once a week is important for minimizing allergens and irritants. CERTIFIED vacuums must meet strict standards to remove surface allergens and reduce exposure to airborne dust particles and allergens.
Air cleaning devices installed in the ductwork of houses with central forced air can affect air throughout the home. CERTIFIED whole home air cleaners meet our standards to remove, and not redistribute, airborne allergens.
What Is AAFA’s Involvement With the Certification Program?
AAFA is the oldest and largest nonprofit patient organization for asthma and allergies in the world.
AAFA’s mission is to save lives and reduce the burden of disease for people with asthma and allergies through support, advocacy, education and research. The Certification Program is important to AAFA because it helps consumers identify products that will help control environmental exposure to allergens and asthma irritants. AAFA’s role in the program is three-fold:
- AAFA’s medical advisors and board of directors review and approve the standards developed for the Certification Program
- AAFA teaches about environmental control of allergens and irritants and indoor air quality
- AAFA advocates for healthier home policies
What Is ASL’s Involvement With the Certification Program?
ASL is an independent, global certification company.
ASL believes consumers with asthma and allergies should be able to easily identify products they can trust. ASL’s role in the Certification Program is three-fold:
- ASL’s management team possess specialist skills in a variety of medical fields including asthma and allergic diseases. They use this expertise to develop independent standards for testing a wide range of products.
- ASL works with independent labs around the world to test products.
- ASL certifies only the products that meet the strict standards of the certification mark.
Healthier Home Initiative
About Allergy Standards Science
Certification Program Overview