Don’t Let Your Pollen Allergy Ruin Your Life
A variety of trees are blossoming all at once this spring due to a brutal winter that stunted vegetation. As a result, pollen — and allergies — in New England could be historically bad.
For those with spring allergies, the sight of blossoming trees is both a blessing and a curse, especially this year.
A variety of trees are budding all at once due to a brutal winter that stunted vegetation. As a result, pollen — and allergies – could be historically bad.
“Pollen season is harder to predict than the weather,’’ said Dr. Weihong Zheng, an allergist at Tufts Medical Center. “But in general this year, pollen season will start late but be more intense because things are blooming at the same time.’’
While it may feel like your stuffy nose and watery eyes are unavoidable, we spoke with some allergy experts about ways to mitigate your allergies and pollen-proof your home.
Here are some of their tips:
1. Keep your windows shut
With temperatures getting closer to 70 degrees, it can be tempting to crack a window, but Dr. Sarita Patil from the Allergy and Immunology Department at Massachusetts General Hospital said that’s a surefire way to let pollen into your home.
“Pollen can also come through window AC units,’’ Patil said. Which brings us to…
2. Use central air conditioning as much as possible
If you must use a window AC unit, make sure the filter has been changed recently, Patil said.
3. Hardwood floors are the way to go
Hardwood floors are less likely than carpet to trap allergens like dust mites or pollen, said Zheng. “Wall-to-wall carpeting is not such a good idea,’’ she added. But if you want a more comfortable option, throw rugs are easy to steam clean and can be thrown away after a couple years of use.
4. Keep your pets out of your bedroom
Like humans, cats and dogs carry pollen indoors with them, so you might want to keep them out of the rooms where you spend the most time. If you can’t resist letting Fido sleep in bed with you, at least give him a bath after being outside this spring.
5. Adjust your home’s humidity to between 47 and 50 percent
According to Zheng, this is a comfortable range for most people, and keeps humidity at bay, preventing dust mites that thrive in damp environments. (While pollen is seasonal, dust mites affect allergies year-round). Zheng recommends using a dehumidifier to bring the humidity of your home within that range.
6. Check your plants
Do your indoor plants produce pollen? If so, they could irritate your allergies, Patil said. But many plants like herbs and veggies don’t need pollinators.
7. Trade out heavy drapes
Thick, fibrous drapes can trap dust and other allergens in their folds, Zheng said. Try blinds you can wipe down or machine-washable curtains in a lighter fabric.
8. De-clutter
The more “junk’’ you have, the more surface area you create for dust and pollen to accumulate. “Don’t let dust collect,’’ Zheng said. “Organize. Put things away in storage space or a closet.’’
9. Wash linen in hot water
Towels, tablecloths, and bedding should be washed in hot water, Patil said, with bed linen getting cleaned once a week. She also recommends investing in “dust-mite-proof’’ encasings for pillows and bedding.
10. Clean using wet products
Zheng called cleaning “a double-edged sword’’ because many people stir up dust, pollen, and dirt using a dry dust cloth, inflaming their allergies even more. This can be prevented by using wet cleaning products and wearing a mask while dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming.
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