Most people believe that allergies are only synonymous with spring and summer, but a change in the seasons throughout the year can trigger your allergies and make problems like dust and mould more common. Here are some tips to help you in getting yourself prepared for a change in seasons, from keeping your home allergen-free to protecting your body and give you allergy or hayfever relief.
Spring Clean Your Home
A spring clean is a good idea as the weather starts to warm up, but you should maintain a clean home throughout the year, especially if you have allergies. During the autumn and winter, damp and dust can develop which can trigger allergic responses, so make sure you wash your bed linen weekly on a hot wash, keep floors free from pollen and dust particles with a HEPA-filtered vacuum and use a damp cloth to wipe furniture and surfaces to trap particles.
Clear Leaves from the Garden
The falling of the leaves can be beautiful, but they’re a haven for mould spores to develop which can agitate allergy issues. Make sure that you rake up leaves and dead plant material regularly as the seasons change, and wear a mask when you do so to minimise the number of spores you breathe in. It can be beneficial to take an antihistamine beforehand, such as Fexofenadine, which will minimise the negative effects of being outside among plants and trees.
Put Away Out of Season Clothing
Whether you’re transitioning to colder seasons or the weather is warming up, you should stay organised and move out of season clothing into storage to stop it gathering dust. It also makes sure that you have access to the clothing you’ll most likely need for the current season.
Prepare Your Body
Allergens caused by the change in seasons can be irritating for your nose, so you can use a saline solution to clean irritants away from your face. A barrier such as a beeswax balm can help to trap pollen and other allergens before you enter your nostrils, to reduce what you’re breathing in. Alternatively, you can wear a microfibre face mask to protect your airways as the seasons change, such as shifting from winter to spring when trees and plants are coming into bloom and are more likely to trigger allergies.
Keep Your Bedroom an Allergen-Free Zone
The average person spends a third of their lifetime asleep, so with that much time spent in a bedroom, it’s important that it’s kept clean and allergen-free. Allergy-proof your bedding by choosing mite-proof bed linens and wash your bedding on a hot wash regularly to remove mites and other irritants, particularly pillows and pillow cases which can trap pollen from your hair. Keep pets out of your bedroom too, as they can bring in dust and pet dander, especially in the warmer months when pets shed more hair.
Check Your Car’s Air Conditioner
As the weather warms up, you will be more likely to use your car’s air conditioning system to stay cool and comfortable when you’re travelling. But it could expose you to allergens like dust and mould spores, particularly if you’ve not used it for several months. Before you start using the conditioning, run it for several minutes with the windows open and the vents pointed away from your face so as to blow any dust out of the system. Ideally, you would want to do this without sitting in the car yourself, and you can dust down the dashboard and any surfaces with a damp cloth afterwards to pick up any spores that have settled.
Invest in a Dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers are a great investment to help battle mould and damp, which many homes are prone to as the seasons change. Mould can be a trigger for many people who struggle with hayfever and other allergies, so running a dehumidifier can help to remove excess moisture and mould spores from the air. Clean it once a week to ensure it runs efficiently and use it in areas of your home where damp is more prominent, such as kitchens, bathrooms. It can also be used to air out clothes and shoes that are damp before you store them away.
Conclusion
The seasonal changes can be a cause for celebration or commiseration, depending on if you struggle with allergies. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to keep your home and vehicles clean and tidy to reduce the impact that these triggers have on your body. From taking an antihistamine to using nasal barriers, washing clothes and bed linens regularly with hot water, to raking leaves and plant materials up from your garden and clearing out air conditioners, you can help to minimise the impact that seasonal changes have on your lifestyle.
