Hello, sneeze season
Another year, another allergy season. If you suffer from springtime sneezing, itchy eyes, and nasal congestion—all symptoms of allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever—you may be dreading the next few months as trees and flowers bloom and release pollen, one of the most common allergens in the United States.
You also probably know some tricks for minimizing your exposure to airborne irritants, like keeping your home vacuumed and dusted, and staying indoors on high-pollen days. But those strategies may not be as effective as you think: Pollen and other allergy triggers may be hiding in places in and around your home you’d never realize. To truly clear the air, consider these other potential contributors to your allergy symptoms.
Clothing
When pollen is in the air, any outer layer of clothing you wear outdoors can collect these tiny particles. That’s why it’s a good idea to brush off jackets or sweatshirts before heading back indoors. If you’ve been walking through a park or field with tall grass or blooming plants, give your pants a good shake-off too.
“The pollens that causes most people problems aren’t the heavy, large particles—it’s the smaller, invisible ones that are light enough to become airborne,” says Keith Young, MD, an allergist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Translation: Even if you don’t see allergens on your clothing, they might still be there. If you’re particularly sensitive, put potentially contaminated items directly into the washer rather than letting them lay around or wearing them again.
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Shoes
Because heavy pollens fall to the ground and we don’t typically breathe them in, you may not have to worry so much about the yellow powder you’re tracking in on your shoes. But your kicks can bring in other potential allergens as well, including dust and dirt that can make its way into your carpets.
To keep these particles outdoors where they belong, leave shoes by the door. The same goes for anything else that’s visibly dirty, like gardening gloves, tools, or outdoor sports equipment.
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Curtains, shades, and blinds
You probably remember to wash your sheets and vacuum your floors regularly, but how often do you give your window dressings a good cleaning? Curtains and other window coverings may initially block allergens from blowing into your home, says Bryan Martin, MD, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology—but that just means they’re collecting those…”