As we approach the verdant unfolding of spring, we’ve got a lot to look forward to. The blooming of beautiful flowers! Delicious seasonal fruits waiting to be harvested! Absolutely perfect weather! Springtime brings something else, though: pollen. As plant life stirs back to life from their winter slumber, so do allergens. Don’t spend your spring sneezing: follow these tips to protect yourself from the springtime sniffles.
Air Filter Well & Often
One of your best lines of defense against allergies is having good air filters in the home. Air filters are designed to catch irritating particles like pet allergens, mold, and pollen without impeding airflow. If you’re using disposable air filters, check their MERV rating. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and reflects how powerful the filter is. A MERV rating of 11 to 13 is the standard; the higher the MERV, the better.
A disposable filter can last an average of 3-12 months, depending on the manufacturer. It’s good to give your filters a once-over every month to assess their condition. If the filter is darkened and dirty, it’s time to replace it. While some filters are designed to be cleaned and reused, do not try and clean a disposable filter as that could cause the growth of mold (the last thing you want circulating in your HVAC!). Don’t neglect changing your filters when it’s time to do so as a dirty filter can make the allergen situation in your home worse instead of better.
Groom Your Pets Outside
Pets are a source of joy and companionship; they’re also walking allergen factories. It’s not just their dander; allergens like pollen, fungi, spores, and dust can hitch rides on their fur too. Pet allergens can linger inside the house for months, sticking to carpeting and furniture as well as lingering in the air. When you need to give your pets a brushing, take them outside and brush them off away from your doors and windows so the shed hair & dander doesn’t blow back inside.
Carpets and Drapes
If you have allergies that flare up severely in the springtime and you have carpeting in your home, you may want to consider replacing that carpet with hardwood flooring. While carpets look nice and feel spongy beneath your feet, they also trap allergens in their fibers like nobody’s business. Unless a carpet is regularly cleaned (which can get expensive), you are looking at months upon months of allergens lying dormant in your floor.
You should also make sure that your window treatments aren’t made out of synthetic materials. Curtains and drapes made out of natural materials like silk, linen, and cotton are less likely to trap allergens. Speaking of windows: you may be tempted to leave them wide open to let in that cool spring air, but doing so could also bring allergens into your home. Better play it safe and keep them closed to keep pollen and dust out of your home.
Dust, Dust, Dust
Another important tool in your allergens-fighting arsenal is your duster. At least once a week, take the time to dust your home. That little bit of effort can go a long way toward improving your overall health. If you have ceiling fans, make sure you dust the tops of them as they are one of the biggest culprits in harboring allergens in the home. Also make sure you brush off bookcases, entertainment centers, and high shelves that you don’t use very often as those places can accumulate a significant amount of dust over time.
In addition to dusting, make sure you regularly vacuum to keep allergens off the floor. Vacuuming also helps keep your floors clean of crumbs and other food debris that could attract pests into your home. Pests like rats and cockroaches can bring in allergens (and other unhealthy bacteria).
Laundry
If you hang your laundry outside, consider bringing your stuff inside during the spring months. Clothes left to dry outside can soak up allergens. You also want to make sure that you regularly wash the clothes you wear outdoors. Put them in a hamper away from your clean clothes to keep them from getting contaminated with allergens. Your dryer is an important ally in your war against allergens as the heat it generates is usually enough to kill most dust mites and the air flow inside the machine will often knock allergens loose and harmlessly disperse them.
Mask Up
When it comes to outdoor protection, few things are more reliable than a quality facemask. Studies have found that people who wear surgical or N95 masks outdoors report significant improvements in nasal allergy symptoms versus those who did not. Much like your HVAC, make sure you regularly change out your mask’s filter to ensure its effectiveness.
Do you have to wear your mask outdoors everyday? Not necessarily. Check pollen trackers online to see how dense the pollen count is that day. On days where there is a high level of allergens in the air, mask up. On days with little to no activity, you won’t have much to worry about.
Neti Pot
Another effective tool to stay allergen free is to rinse out your nasal cavities. Allergens can stowaway inside your nose and build up over time. Giving your nose a safe, clean rinse can flush those allergens out. An easy and hygienic way to do this is with a neti pot. Using a neti pot, you can rinse your nose with a lukewarm saline solution. Do not use tap water to make your saltwater solution! The tap water may contain bacteria that, while safe to drink because your stomach acids dissolve them, can get stuck inside your nose and cause serious infections. Only use distilled, sterile, or boiled-and-cooled water for your neti pot. Make sure you carefully follow the instructions to clean and store the pot when it’s not in use so it doesn’t become contaminated with allergens or other microorganisms.
Article by Austin Brietta
Want more wellness tips? Check out these stories: