This is a post sponsored by Trane Heating & Cooling.
Atcho!!! It’s that time of year and allergy season the pollen counts are very high. This means that many of us will experience things like itchy, watery eyes, scratchy throats, nasal congestion, and even fatigue. You might be thinking, “Tell me about that!” When we inhale pollen, our bodies treat it as a foreign invader and mount an immune response. That’s when we start sneezing like crazy and our eyes start drenching like Niagara Falls. Some treatments for these allergy symptoms include medications such as over-the-counter antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays, and acupuncture. But the best treatment for seasonal pollen allergy is avoidance. And the air quality in your home plays a huge role. Jay Ayers, indoor air quality product manager for Trane Heating and Cooling, gives us his top 10 tips for reducing allergy symptoms when pollen season is in full force.
1. Remove clothing and shoes as soon as they come inside
Although you may not actually see it on your clothes, pollen easily sticks to you and your pets when you’re outside, so try to change when you get back inside to make sure you don’t spread pollen on your furniture or other areas of the house. For your pets, wipe them down with pet wipes to help eliminate pollen stuck to their fur.
2. Wash clothes and bedding once a week
Even though you may not be lying in bed, wearing the same clothes you just wore outside, pollen does travel in the air, so wash your bedding once a week to prevent contaminants from settling in! Keep in mind that the temperature of your washer must reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit to kill pollutants, dust mites, and their eggs, so use the hot water cycle.
3. Use a clothes dryer, not on an outside line
Avoid drying your clothes and bedding outside when the pollen count is high, as this will defeat the purpose of cleaning your clothes when you bring them indoors.
4. Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible
While we often want to open our windows to bring in fresh air after being cooped up all winter, we also invite the pollen and allergens that come with spring. It is also beneficial to install an air purification system that improves the air quality in your home such as Trane Clean affects your whole home air filtration system. This patented system uses revolutionary technology to remove up to 99.98 percent of airborne particles from the air we breathe in the home by reducing harmful bacteria and allergens, such as pollen, dust, pet hair, tobacco smoke, bacteria, and more.
5. Take allergy medicine before going out
Most allergy medications work better when taken this way. This allows the medication to stop your body from releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause symptoms.
6. Dust and vacuum regularly
Making this a part of your routine a few times a week will definitely help with anything that gets tracked in your house, or that might have flown in when the windows or doors were open.
7. Put approved bedding on all mattresses and pillows
Certified hypoallergenic and allergen-free bed linen will prevent allergens from getting inside. Make sure that the bedding you buy encases the entire bed and pillows so that contaminants don’t create themselves at home.
8. Change up your bedtime routine
Switching bath time to the night right before bed can reduce allergy symptoms. Allergens from the day that stick to hair and face will be washed off and not transferred to clean pillows and bedding.
9. Keep your lawn in shape
Keeping your lawn and garden trimmed and trimmed throughout the spring will prevent the longer blades from retaining as much pollen from the trees and flowers.
10. Educate yourself, check the pollen count and plan accordingly
It’s always good to know about the weather. Find out the best times of day to be outside, ideally when pollen counts are lowest. It is usually at its worst first thing in the morning!
Are you looking to improve the air quality in your home and keep those allergens at bay? Click the links to learn more about Trane Perfect reusable filter and Trane CleanEffects™ air purifier System.
