The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to live largely due to an abundance of trees and plant life. This also means it’s a difficult place to live for many allergy sufferers come spring. For those who equate spring’s flowers with a stuffy nose and itchy eyes, we have steps you can take to minimize your symptoms this allergy season.

 

Surviving Allergy Season

 

Enjoy Spring Indoors

The number one thing you can do to avoid intense allergic reactions is to stay indoors with the windows tightly closed. If you have to go outside, try and avoid doing so around midday and in the afternoon. That’s when the pollen count is highest.

For people with allergies who otherwise love nature and spring, staying inside may be a sad prospect. For those folks, it’s still possible to participate in and celebrate the season. Hang a bird feeder in front of a window and learn to identify the new species that fly up. Grow an indoor (pollen-less!) plant to match the other plants growing outside. Indoor plants can actually be beneficial; not only can you get one that doesn’t contribute to your allergies, you can get one that helps relieve them by cleaning the air inside your home!

 

Home Remedies

There are lots of little things you can do to reduce symptoms. When you go outside, wear sunglasses to shield your eyes from pollen. Also, stay hydrated! Dehydration causes histamine levels in your body to go up, so drink water to keep allergy reactions down. Other helpful hints:

  • Some studies also show that vitamin D has a regulatory effect on your immune system and might help relieve allergy symptoms. If there are months of the year you do not suffer from allergies, get outside and get a little sun.
  • Vitamin C also has shown promise in helping to reduce allergy symptoms.

 

Keep it Clean

Of course, staying indoors doesn’t help your allergies if your home is full of allergens. So clean! Here are some chores you should do to keep your home as much of a sanctuary as possible.

  • Dust all the surfaces in your home with a dust-trapping cloth and vacuum all the floors. Dust is inevitable, but the less you have, the better.
  • Change and wash your bedding frequently.
  • Shower and wash your hair before bed to remove pollen and reduce the amount that will touch your bed.
  • If you have pets that go outside, consider keeping them out of the bedroom. Pollen can cling to their fur.

 

Professional Cleaning for Allergy Season

Don’t have time to do this deep cleaning yourself? Maids by Trade can help you enjoy allergy season and the whole rest of the year. We use environmentally friendly cleaning products with no harsh chemicals, so our services get your home truly clean. Check out this post aboutĀ Non-Toxic Cleaners for Better Health. Contact us for an estimate today so you can breathe easier and enjoy spring.