There’s nothing quite as exciting as leaves transforming into bright autumnal hues, the first snowfall of the year or that very first spring day you don’t have to wear a coat. The changing of the seasons puts a feeling of newness and exhilaration into the air. But with the anticipation comes a downside for many—seasonal allergies. If you’re an allergy sufferer, the ushering in of a new time of year might also mean runny noses, itchy eyes and lots of sneezing. Each big seasonal shift causes higher concentrations of new allergens in our environment, which means there’s something to combat at every time of year.
At eVacuumStore.com, we always cater to allergy sufferers by offering a wide range of products that you can use to rid your home of allergens, including some of the best air purifiers for allergy sufferers as well as an expansive array of vacuum cleaners that have been specifically designed to suck up even those pesky microscopic allergens. But in order to come up with a plan of attack, we must know a little bit about how allergies differ from one season to the next. Let’s take a closer look to help get prepared for the next big transition.
Winter to Spring Allergies: Tree Pollen and Mold
When we talk about “seasonal allergies,” we’re almost always talking about spring allergies, otherwise known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Some 8.2 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children suffer from spring allergies, with common symptoms appearing as soon as it warms up and persisting throughout the season. These allergies occur when exposed to tree pollen and mold spores. As early as March, the trees begin to produce small pollen cells that can travel with the breeze, spreading far and wide in your environment. This is why your allergies might feel particularly severe on windy days.
The most common allergen-producing offenders are trees, especially oak, Western red cedar, maple, sycamore, elm, birch, ash, Cyprus, walnut, hickory and poplar trees, as well as many weeds and grasses. Because these species are so common in many parts of our country, this seasonal allergy reaches far and wide. Additionally, the damp, spring season and subsequent heat creates an environment rife for the development of mold and mildew, which can also be a huge trigger for allergy sufferers. Ironically, hay fever does not cause a fever. Sufferers usually experience sneezing, runny nose, congestion and itchy eyes, ears and nose.
Combating Spring Allergies
With these triggers in mind, here’s how to keep your spring allergies in check:
- Vacuum Regularly—Keep a portable vacuum cleaner on hand so you can quickly and easily get rid of any pollen that collects on your porch or in your car. Invest in a powerful upright or canister vac and sweep two or more times a week to ensure that the tree pollen that gets tracked in doesn’t enter the air and worsen your allergies.
- Clean and Prevent Mold—Now that the pollen’s handled, be sure that you put a bit of pre-spring effort into safeguarding your environment against mold. Install dehumidifiers in the basement or any other damp areas of your home and make sure there’s proper ventilation to prevent standing water and moisture. Use mold remediation products to get rid of any mold that may have already developed.
- Stock Up on Medicine—Think of spring as the official start of the annual allergy period. While you might experience classic symptoms well into next winter, they will probably feel largely the same as the ones you experience in March and April. Thus, it’s a good idea to start off with a stockpile of allergy medicines that you know work for you so you always have something on hand when things get bad. Just make sure to pay attention to expiration dates if you plan to buy in bulk at the beginning of the year.
Summer to Fall Allergies: Grass and Weed Pollen, Smog
Everyone’s favorite season can also be a particularly annoying one for those triggered by certain contact and inhaled summer allergens. Some of the primary spring offenders stick around into the summer, but tree pollen is usually done with its cycle by the first few weeks of summer. You’re not quite in the clear yet, though. There’s still grasses and weeds to pester you! In the summer, we often get triggered by weed pollen and grasses, especially ragweed, tumbleweed, sagebrush, Bermuda and blue grasses. Grass allergies are the reason why you might experience a sneezing attack when you mow the lawn, and we all know there will be plenty of mowing in the summer!
With the warm weather comes a wide variety of allergy triggers, including mold and mildew and higher concentrations of smog in the air. Seasonal summer allergies manifest themselves in basically the same way that spring allergies do, through watery eyes, congestion, itchy nose, coughing and dark circles under the eyes. Of course, people who have contact allergies—especially caused by contact with bees, mosquitoes, poison ivy or poison oak—know that summer is high-time for reactions, so this season should come with extra caution when playing outdoors.
Combating Summer Allergies
Here are a few of the season-specific things you can do to reduce the impact of summer allergens:
- Close the Windows—While good ventilation can help improve indoor air quality by preventing the development of mold and mildew, it also invites airborne allergens to take up residence in your home. A light breeze is nice from time to time, but don’t make a habit of keeping windows open during the warm-weather months.
- Change Your Air Conditioner Filters—In the summer, we rely on air conditioning to make our environment comfortable. Air conditioners require an exchange of air between the indoors and out, which could introduce pollutants into your home, where they could get trapped. Make sure you change the filters in your air conditioners—including central air and window units—every 60 days if you have severe allergies. Only use HEPA filters to ensure that you get rid of as many of those microscopic particles as possible.
- Keep the Outdoors Out—Again, a portable or lightweight cordless vacuum cleaner can help you ensure that all the allergy-causing pollen stays outside and doesn’t decide it wants to live permanently on your patio or screened-in porch. Along with regular vacuuming, you should also try to keep anything that has been exposed to pollen outside your home, including shoes, toys, outdoor pillows and picnic blankets.
Fall to Winter Allergies: Ragweed, Dust, Dander
In the fall and winter, we prepare our bodies and our homes for a lot of time spent indoors, but some outdoor triggers remain. Since we’ve been having particularly warm Septembers and Octobers the past few years, you may have noticed that your summer allergies seem to persist into early and even mid fall. This signifies the persistence of ragweed and mold, which only begin to quell when the weather finally cools down. If you’ve noticed classic allergy symptoms seem to flare up when you’re raking the leaves or preparing the gutters for the wet season, you’re probably breathing in some particularly hardy weed and grass pollens.
Once the temperatures finally cool off for the foreseeable future, you’ve got a whole new set of allergens to consider. Our homes get far less ventilation in the winter, creating a near-perfect environment for many indoor allergens. During the cold months, it’s all about the dust mites, pet dander, mold and dust. Other seasonal aspects tend to worsen indoor air conditions, such as fireplace smoke that enters the home or old furnaces that kick up dust and circulate it into your environment. During the fall and winter, kids spend more time indoors at school and may be exposed to triggers like classroom chalk.
- Clean More Than Usual—We often talk about spring cleaning, but fall is probably the more practical time of year to perform one big deep clean. You wouldn’t want to risk trapping any outdoor allergens inside your home for the winter, so it’s best to make sure you thoroughly vacuum, dust and de-clutter before the weather starts to cool down. In the fall, you should also start on a routine of washing all of your bedding in hot water at least once a week to get rid of dust mites.
- Run an Air Purifier—The winter is primetime to bust out your air purifiers in order to help filter indoor particles from the air in your home, since there’s less ventilation happening. You’ll breathe easier during the winter if you have a whole-home purifier or at least one in every room where you spend the most time. Room units should be placed in the bedroom to prevent waking up feeling itchy or stuffed up.
- Change Your Furnace Filters—When you kick on your furnace for the first time in half a year or so, it will immediately rattle clogged dust, pet dander and other particles and shoot them out into the air. Thus, it’s important that you start out with a fresh furnace filter at the beginning of the year so that these allergens don’t enter the air you breathe. Replacing your appliance filters also helps them run more efficiently, which can help lower your heating bills.
Combating Seasonal Allergies Year-Round
In addition to season-specific allergy mitigation, you can do a few things that will help make your space less allergy-prone throughout the year.
- Clean Deep at the End of Every Season—As you can see, spring cleaning isn’t the only seasonal cleaning that matters. Before the weather officially shifts, make it a priority to perform a whole-house, top-to-bottom clean so that you get rid of any lingering allergens and start off with a fresh slate. Your allergy-busting cleaning routine should include serious vacuuming, mold remediation, de-cluttering and paying special attention to bedding, upholstery and window treatments that might trap microscopic triggers.
- Make Adjustments Throughout the House—You can make small tweaks within your home to make it less hospitable to allergy triggers year-round. For example, you might want to consider caring for some houseplants that act as natural air purifiers or using bedding encasements that prevent dust mites and other microscopic bugs from invading your bedding. Creating (and sticking to) a weekly cleaning plan will help you keep indoor allergens under control.
- Choose Products that Are Allergy-Friendly—Some household items—including cleaning products, vacuums, air purifiers, bedding and humidifiers—may be certified as Asthma & Allergy Friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). We carry several allergy-certified vacuums, including styles by Dyson that come highly recommended by allergy sufferers. The Dyson Big Ball Animal Allergy Upright Vacuum is one of the best allergy-friendly vacuums on the market.
- Adjust Your Treatment by the Season—While it’s great to have a stockpile of allergy treatments on hand that you know work, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with seasonal allergies. You might find that the high-pollen periods in spring and summer cause more itchiness than congestion or that indoor allergens trigger a persistent cough. Allergies affect different people in different ways in different seasons, so be prepared to adjust the way you treat them from season to season.
Picking the Right Allergy-Busting Vacuum
For allergy sufferers, dealing with seasonal symptoms is second nature, but there are some ways we can adjust the way we handle our allergies so they get better every season. eVacuumStore.com is committed to helping our customers find practical solutions for managing allergens in their homes, with some of the best vacuums and air purifiers for those with moderate to severe allergies. As vacuum cleaner and small appliance experts, the eVacuumStore.com team can provide you with personalized advice to help you find the right cleaning solutions to silence pesky allergies. Don’t hesitate to get in touch today if you’d like one-on-one advice.
