Why Certified Washing Machines Are Essential for Reducing Allergens and Improving Indoor Air Quality
We are halfway through Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month 2025 and it is time to face the laundry! This month is also Clean Air Month, so let’s recognize the important role everyday household appliances, like washing machines, play in supporting better indoor air quality and healthier indoor spaces.
Over 100 million Americans are affected by asthma and allergies, and managing exposure to allergens in the home is crucial to their health. Common indoor asthma and allergy triggers include dust mite allergen, pollen, and mold—each of which can worsen symptoms and contribute to poor IAQ. These allergens accumulate on household surfaces, fabrics, and bedding, where they can be difficult to eliminate. Notably, pollen counts have doubled over the last 20 years due to climate change, making it even more challenging to manage allergy symptoms
This article explores how washing machines contribute to reducing asthma and allergy triggers and how choosing a third-party validated washing machine, such as one certified by the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program, can improve your home’s air quality and your overall health and wellbeing.
How a Washing Machine Helps Reduce Allergens
Allergens like dust mite allergen, pet dander, and pollen can accumulate on various household items, including clothing, bedding, and stuffed toys. Dust mites, in particular, are a major contributor to allergic reactions. These tiny insects thrive in warm, humid environments like beds and pillows, where they feed on dead skin cells. It is the insects’ waste that causes the allergic reaction, not the mites themselves. Washing these items regularly is one of the most effective ways to reduce dust mite allergen and other irritants.
However, not all washing machines are created equal when it comes to allergen removal. To effectively reduce dust mite allergen, a washing machine needs to reach and maintain a temperature of at least 130°F (54.4°C) throughout the entire drum. This temperature is necessary to kill dust mites and ensure that allergens are removed from your fabrics. Not all washing machines can consistently achieve and maintain this high temperature, which is crucial for effective allergen control.
The Importance of Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Washing Machines
Choosing a washing machine that has been independently tested and certified by the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program ensures that it meets the highest standards for allergen reduction. Certified washing machines are tested to guarantee that they can effectively remove allergens like dust mite and cat allergens, which are common in bedding and clothing. These machines must meet strict requirements, including:
- Allergen and Dust Mite Removal: Certified washing machines are tested to ensure they remove more than 95% of allergens, including dust mite allergen and cat allergen, from clothing and other washable fabrics.
- Consistent High Temperature: The washing machine must maintain a consistent washing temperature of at least 130°F (54.4°C) for 15 minutes throughout the drum. This is particularly important because some machines may only reach this temperature in specific areas.
- Indoor Air Quality Considerations: Though rare, some appliances can produce ozone as a side-effect of their operation. A Certified washing machine must demonstrate that, if it does produce ozone, it does so at a suitably low level, making it unlikely to impact the indoor environment.
To earn Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification, washing machines must remove 95% of allergens, maintain ≥130°F for over 15 minutes, and limit ozone emissions.
Practical Tips for Allergen Control with Your Washing Machine
To maximize the allergen-reducing benefits of your washing machine, here are some helpful tips:
Wash Bedding: Regularly wash pillowcases, sheets, and duvet covers on a warm cycle to help reduce dust mite allergen and pet allergens. Use a low tumble dry setting.
Wash Stuffed Toys: Dust mites can collect on children’s stuffed toys. Wash them before use and regularly thereafter (preferably every 4 weeks). If they can’t be washed, place them in a sealed plastic bag and freeze them for 24 hours before tumble-drying.
Ventilate the Laundry Room: Keep humidity levels below 50% to prevent the growth of dust mites. Make sure your dryer is properly vented and clean the lint trap after every use.
Leave the Washing Machine Door Open: After use, leave the washing machine door open to allow it to dry out and prevent mold growth.
Laundry detergents: Laundry detergents also play a role in indoor air quality, so choose a certified or verified detergent. The Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program subjects laundry detergents to biological, physical, and chemical testing to ensure they are effective in reducing allergens without contributing to poor IAQ. (More about this and our Certified partner Renegade Brands in our cleaning products article…)
Introducing Our Certified Partner: LG
We are proud to partner with LG, a leader in home appliance innovation. LG has been a pioneer in developing a range of Certified appliances, including washing machines and the innovative LG Styler, proving their commitment to creating healthier home environments.
As Adam Whobrey from LG shared,
“So certification is very, very important to our customers, because they need to see that third-party validation. So it’s one thing when LG says, ‘Hey, this is the technology that we have behind it,’ but it’s great when we have our partners that also validate and show that we have that technology as well. So that’s very, very important, and we do get a lot of recognition with both the laundry and the stylers and the vacuums for having that third-party certification.”
This third-party validation is essential for consumer confidence, ensuring that LG’s washing machines deliver on their promise. LG’s commitment to better indoor air quality and their portfolio approach to certification offers consumers an opportunity to take a ‘whole-home’ approach to allergen control in the home.
Why Certification Matters
Not all washing machines are equally effective at reducing allergens, and marketing terms like “hypoallergenic” are not regulated, meaning they may not be backed by scientific testing. The Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program offers independent, scientifically-backed validation that a product meets strict standards. By choosing a Certified washing machine, you can be confident that it has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it contributes to a healthier home environment.
Conclusion
Washing machines are an essential part of maintaining a healthy home, especially for those with asthma and allergies. By choosing a Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® washing machine, you are taking an important step in reducing allergens like dust mite allergen and pet dander, improving your home’s air quality, and supporting better overall health. With trusted partners like LG, whose commitment to innovation and allergen control is validated by third-party certification, you can confidently make choices that help create a healthier home environment.