Have A Pollen Allergy? 5 Ways To Avoid Pollen & Alleviate Your Outdoor Allergy Symptoms

I avoid pollen because I have nagging spring allergies. Maybe you do, too.

A pollen allergy is often most commonly encountered in the spring — when plants emerge from winter dormancy and flowers bloom.

However, you might encounter pollen at different times each year based on your location and the types of plants you come in contact with.

You can almost always tell when pollen is out in force:

• There’s a sweet, fragrant smell in the air.
• A yellowish haze covers your car, outdoor furniture, and home.
• You (or others) are sneezing and wheezing throughout the day, especially when outdoors.

It seems like my spring allergies always hit me like clockwork around mid-March and into April and I live in a generally warm climate of Florida where frosts normally end by March.

For those who live in a place with 4 very distinct seasons, plants may not begin blooming until April or even May.

When does spring arrive where you live? Well, you’ll be able to tell when spring has sprung by all of the “achoos” you’ll hear.

5 Ways To Avoid Pollen

Here are some great tips I’ve used over the years to avoid pollen. I hope they help with your pollen allergies, too.

#1 — Minimize outdoor time on hot, dry, windy days.

Pollen can really kick up on days that are mild, dry, and windy.

If you have a pollen allergy, the best time to head outdoors is either during really cool days when winds are calm or just after it rains — rainfall helps wash away pollen.

#2 — Stay indoors during the morning.

I’m a morning person and absolutely love taking a nice walk just as the sun is rising. Unfortunately, pollen counts are also high during the morning.

Therefore, it’s often a good idea to plan outdoor activities later in the day as the pollen subsides in the afternoon.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve even tried wearing a disposable face mask during the mornings when the pollen is thick.

As it turns out, paper masks just don’t work for me.

However, I have successfully avoided pollen-related sneezing by hanging a wet rag over my nose and mouth. A moist rag seems to trap more pollen than a dry paper mask does.

#3 — Keep your windows closed and run the air conditioner.

I open the windows in my home just about every opportunity I can. But if I leave my windows open when pollen counts are high the inevitable soon happens: I start sneezing up a storm.

So, I keep the windows closed when there’s a lot of pollen outside, and this definitely helps to keep pollen out of my home.

Some of my friends who have outdoor allergies use an air purifier with a HEPA filter inside to rid their homes of pollen and other allergens.

#4 — Take off your shoes and wash your clothes.

I’ve found that one of the best ways to keep the inside of your home pollen-free (aside from keeping the windows shut) is to take off your shoes when you step into your home and wash your clothes frequently — much more frequently than those without a pollen allergy.

As it turns out, pollen — which sticks to just about everything — can cling onto your clothes and shoes, making it easy to track the yellow stuff into the home.

#5 — Clean the inside of your home frequently.

While we really can’t control the amount of pollen outdoors, we can keep it to a minimum indoors by cleaning our homes as often as possible.

This may mean vacuuming the carpet every few days and washing draperies often.

Eliminating carpeted surfaces and drapes and replacing them with hardwood floors and window blinds can help make your home pollen-free.

When you vacuum, use a double bag and a HEPA filter if your vacuum cleaner has a place for one. This will ensure that you’re sucking up more pollen and other allergens while keeping them inside the vacuum bag where they belong.

Other Pollen Allergy Tips

• 10 Facts About Pollen
• Foods To Avoid For Pollen Allergies
• Asthma & Allergy Mask Buying Guide
• Consumer Reports Best Air Purifier Buying Guide
• 8 Ways To Survive A Horrible Allergy Season