Tips for Managing Pollen Season

The sun is shining, the trees are blooming, your nose may still be running, and your car is still covered in a dusting of that pesky green film that signals spring in the DC area. This season seemed to be particularly bad, and it’s not over yet. Don’t let the woes of allergies and daily car washes get you down this season. Here are a few tips to keep the annoyances of pollen at bay.

Pollen Count Apps

An easy way to manage your expectations is to download a pollen count app. Zyrtec AllergyCast, WebMD Allergy, and Pollen.com’s Allergy Alert all offer insights to how much pollen you can expect to encounter each day. These apps can also help you understand the best time to rinse your car and outdoor spaces or if you can wait for a rain shower to do the work for you.

Outdoor Spaces

Spring is the perfect season to enjoy your outdoor spaces, but unfortunately pollen can make it unbearable. When prepping outdoors living areas, start from the top. In porches that feature ceiling fans, clean the fan blades first so it doesn’t rain green on your freshly cleaned space. Remove the slipcovers from your furniture and deep clean. To avoid having to do this every weekend, place a bedsheet over your furniture while not in use, then remove to enjoy a pollen-free patio. Power washers work great for concrete areas, but avoid the leaf blower. This spreads the pollen into the air and it will ultimately land right where it started.

Indoor Spaces

As nice as the weather is outside, avoid opening your windows and keep doors shut unless you want a layer of green film on your indoor spaces too! If you look at pollen under a microscope, you’ll see barbs and other structures that have evolved to latch on to everything. Until the pollen count is at a manageable level, dust often. When entering from the outdoors, ditch your shoes at the door and change and wash all your clothes quickly if you’ve been enjoying nature for a while. Remember that your pets are the perfect vehicle for pollen to enter your home. Wipe them down every time they come back in to avoid the spread.

While high pollen counts are currently still a challenge, remember that this too will pass and summer weather will be here before you know it. Hang in there and enjoy the beautiful flowers!!