Pollen Allergy
Avoidance Tips

Avoiding pollen allergy is not easy.

Complete avoidance is impossible.

On the other hand, by adapting some strategies below, you can reduce your exposure to pollen and consequently reduce the severity of your symptoms.

One of the most important steps you can take in the fight against pollen allergy is to have yourself tested.

Because there are so many different kinds of pollen, it is important to know which kind is giving you difficulty. Different kinds of pollen have different seasons and knowing what kind is giving you trouble will allow you to hone in on the type, the season, and the strategies to adapt.

Being tested and knowing exactly what type of pollen allergy that you have will give you reassurance that you are paying attention to the right pollen count forecast. This is important because the pollen count outdoors is going to affect you on the inside of your home.

Knowing that you have tree allergies, or grass allergies, or weed allergies is not enough. When practicing avoidance strategies, it is important to know what type of trees, grasses or weeds that you are allergic to.

Often, no one strategy by itself is sufficient in gaining control over your allergic rhinitis symptoms. A combination of approaches along with some lifestyle changes is usually needed to find relief.

You can manage your pollen allergy through non-invasive, safe measures, relying less on drugs and their side effects.

Addressing the cause and not the symptoms allows you to manage your allergen load and cumulative effect to allergens, resulting in improved health.

Air Quality

• Maintaining good indoor air quality is essential for those of us who have pollen allergy.
• Pollen is everywhere during pollen season. To be effective, an air purifier must be one that will do the job if you are going to reduce your symptoms. For large rooms, use the Austin Air Health Mate Regular HM400 HEPA Air Cleaner. With a 4 stage filter system, the HM400 removes dust along with pollen, mold spores, and pet dander allergens. The activated carbon removes odor and comes with a medical grade HEPA filter which last up to 5 years. This HEPA filter filters out 99.97% of particles as small as .3 microns.
• Use your air conditioner during the pollen season.
• Don't use window fans as they will pull in all the pollen.
• If you want to open up windows to let in fresh air, do so after a rain or when dew is on the ground.
• Using an attic fan during pollen season can draw pollen into your home.
• Keep your furnace filter clean and in good condition.
• Use a window micro-screen that allows air in and keeps pollen out.

Hygiene

• If you have been outside for a while, at a minimum, wash you face and hands. Taking a shower and changing your clothes is preferable. Try to wash your hands before rubbing your nose or eyes.
• Wash hair before going to bed so you don’t put pollen grains on your pillow. If you prefer not to do this, you can still wipe your hair with a damp cloth.
• When the cat or dog has been outside for a while, they can bring in pollen on their fur. Wiping down their fur with a damp cloth can be helpful in reducing pollen allergy symptoms.
• Washing your cat or dog with Allersearch Pet Shampoo will limit the amount pollen that their fur has collected.
• When coming in from the outside, you can use a sinus irrigation system to clean out the pollen from your nose. Gargling can eliminate allergens from your mouth as you mouth-breath from having a stuffy nose.

Cleaning and Allergen Reduction

• Change your clothes when coming in from the outside as pollen will stick to your clothes and shoes.
• A vacuum with a HEPA filter is one of the most important tools that you can have in your fight against pollen allergy. Pollen is everywhere and is going to get into you house one way or another. The shape of pollen is designed to become airborne and catch air currents. A vacuum without a HEPA filter will not help your pollen allergies at all. All the pollen allergens collected during vacuuming will become airborne again through the exhaust of the vacuum. A vacuum with a HEPA filter is the key to allergen reduction and removal.
• Try to avoid wall-to-wall carpet if feasible for your situation. Carpet traps so many allergens that it adds to the allergen load. Avoiding carpet in the bedroom is especially beneficial.
• Vacuum the carpet weekly for less pollen allergy symptoms. Include vacuuming upholstered furniture at the same time.
• Dust before vacuuming.
• Do not use feather dusters or whisk broom as they just stir up and spread the dust and pollen around. Use a damp cloth or damp mop instead.
• It is important to be picking up and collecting dust as you clean and not spreading it around with a feather duster or dry dust rag. Allersearch AllerDust helps to pick up dust and pollen without allowing it to become airborne.
• Wear a mask while you clean if you have pollen allergy.
• Use strong cleaning products designed with your safety in mind. Enviro-Rite cleaning products are highly effective. They are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. No dyes or animal by-products are used. There is a wide range of cleaning applications to chose from. During the pollen season, it is especially important to avoid irritants as they can aggravate the symptoms.
• To deactivate pollen allergens as you clean, spray on Allersearch ADS Spray. It can be used on rugs, upholstered furniture, curtains and just about any fabric that is not sensitive to water.

Laundry

• To neutralize pollen allergens from your wash, use Allersearch Anti-Allergen Wash which is effective on dirt and allergens at any temperature. Washing clothes in 140 degree water can be hard on fabrics. It removes dust mite allergens, pet dander, pollen and mold spores.
• Instead of using bleach in your laundry, try using OXY-BOOST. Oxy-Boost has a wide range of applications and is not toxic like chlorine bleach. It is not harmful to humans or pets like chlorine bleach is. Irritants can trigger symptoms and sometime even make the symptoms worse depending on what irritant is the cause.
• Use throw rugs that can be rolled up and washed. Make sure you buy the ones that can stand up to washings.
• Use furniture throw that can be washed.
• Don't hang your laundry outside because it will collect the pollen floating in the air.
• Use your clothes dryer instead.

Bedroom

• Every person who has pollen allergies should have a room of oasis. Everyone needs a place to go to find relief from their symptoms. Allergy symptoms will dissipate as exposure is eliminated. The best room of make a sanctuary is the bedroom because we spend so much time in there.
• Since pollen is an airborne allergen, you need to eliminate it from the air in your room of oasis. For small rooms and bedrooms, use the Austin Air Health Mate Jr. HM200 HEPA Air Cleaner. With a 4 stage filter system, the HM200 removes dust mite allergens in the air along with pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and cockroach allergens. The activated carbon removes odor and comes with a medical grade HEPA filter which last up to 5 years.
• For nurseries or a child’s bedroom, use the Baby’s Breath HEPA Air cleaner. The gentle white noise has been clinically proven to help infants fall to sleep. It has the same 4 stage filtration system as the Health mate HM400. The medical grade HEPA filter enhances odor removal.
• Keep the door shut and the windows closed. This helps a lot but does not eliminate the problem altogether. Pollen floats in the air with the air currents and can also get into the room on clothing. Pollen can also get into your room on your clothes.
• To get fresh air into your bedroom without letting in pollen, use the MicroAir Screen. It is designed for pollen allergy and asthmas sufferers. It allows air to enter at the same time keeping out contaminates that can irritate symptoms.
• Wash your hair before going to bed. Use gently hair care products that don't irritate your allergies. If you don't want to wash your hair, rinsing it will help keep pollen off from your pillow.
• Protect your bed from collecting allergens by encasing your bedding with allergen impermeable material. This is important to keep pollen away from you nose and mouth while you sleep.
• Change your bedding and keep your sheets washed on a regular basis.
• Don't sleep with your windows opens as pollen is higher in the evenings and early mornings.

Outdoors

• Pollen allergy is the hardest to manage outdoors. Keep an eye on the pollen count and plan your activities accordingly. Try to avoid the outdoors on dry windy days during pollen season. The pollen count is usually lower after a rain. The pollen count tends to be higher between 5-10 AM and between 4-7 PM.
• Take your medicine ahead of time before going outdoors. Most medication is the most effective if taken before the exposure. Don't use more medication than prescribed in hopes of further reduction of symptoms.
• Planning your vacation during the peak pollen season can be beneficial.
• While working outside, wear a face mask. It is always best to have someone who is not allergic to do the chores that stir up pollen such as mowing or raking leaves.
• Wear glasses to keep pollen out of your eyes.
• Exercise indoors.
• Plan carefully what you plant in your yard.
• Keep control over your weeds. Of course, you'll still breathe in pollen from your neighbors weeds!

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